Luol Deng Preparing for ‘Tough’ Season Without Derrick Rose

The Chicago Bulls are expected to play without superstar point guard Derrick Rose for much of next season, as Rose recovers from knee surgery. And teammate Luol Deng knows it will be very difficult. From ESPN: “When Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng, fresh off a stint in the London Olympics, reports to training in October, he’ll walk into a locker room that has undergone significant changes. The Bulls, of course, will have to cope without Derrick Rose for much of the forthcoming season as he recovers from knee surgery. Moreover, Kyle Korver, C.J. Watson and Omer Asik have been allowed to leave, with the returning Kirk Hinrich, Nazr Mohammed, Marco Belinelli and Vladimir Radmanovic all moving in the opposite direction. It is a state of affairs that has clearly been noted, with a raised eyebrow, from this side of the Pond. ‘It’s definitely going to be tough being without him,’ said Deng of Rose’s loss. ‘He is a big part of everything we do, he is such a huge player to miss that much time but he has got to take his time and come back the best he can be. We’ve lost some guys I really wish had stayed, who I’m friends with and close with. But it’s my ninth year and the roster has been different every year. I’ve seen a lot of good players and a lot of good friends come and go and every year whoever we’ve got in that locker room, you’ve got to get together and try and win together.'”