Friday, February 22nd, 2013 at 9:10 am  |  125 responses

Derrick Rose Distances Himself from Brother’s Criticism of the Bulls


by Marcel Mutoni / @ marcel_mutoni

As Derrick Rose continues to work his way back from knee surgery, his brother Reggie is steaming mad at the Chicago Bulls for not putting enough pieces around their superstar to contend for an NBA championship.

According to Derrick’s older sibling, the Bulls (who didn’t make a move at the trade deadline) are counting on their point guard to return this season purely for financial reasons.

Per ESPN:

“What have you pieced together? Have you made any moves? Have you made any trades to get better? You know all roads to the championship lead through Miami,” Reggie Rose said. “What pieces have you put together for the physical playoffs? Joakim Noah is a great player. Luol Deng is a great player. But you need more than that. You have to put together pieces to your main piece. The players can only do so much. It’s up to the organization to make them better.”

“It’s frustrating to see my brother play his heart and soul out for the team and them not put anything around him,” Reggie Rose said. [...] “Everyone is expecting Derrick to come back,” Reggie Rose said. “If Derrick comes back, they’re going to sell more tickets. Is the reason for Derrick to come back to win a championship or make money? Right now, I don’t believe a championship. Everything in the NBA is financial.”

Everyone in Chicago is understandably frustrated. There’s no telling when Derrick Rose will return, and even if he comes back this season and is healthy, the Bulls don’t appear to be legitimate title contenders. Reggie Rose’s comments will only add fuel to the fire.

Derrick Rose quickly and wisely released a statement through the Bulls in an attempt to diffuse the situation: “I have always felt that the Bulls organization’s goals have been the same as mine and that is to bring another championship to this city.”

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  • Anthony Dixon

    they should make a run at eric gordon or danny granger in the summer

  • burnt_chicken

    c’mon Reggie: “Players and coaches alone don’t win championships. ORGANIZATIONS win championships”

  • chumpy

    Woah you need to tell your bro to shut up. That ain’t helping anyone. And he pretty much called out Boozer. Not that everyone else isn’t saying it, but that could cause tensions between the two.

  • spit hot fiyah

    granger is much more of a 3 than a 2, and the same goes for deng, so i don’t Think that is happening. Gordon would be a great fit, but is also making max Money, which makes almost impossible for the bulls to get him unless they want to pay a gang of luxury tax. oj Mayo is a free agent though, but will probably be overpaid by someone else

  • JM

    The problem is Regie, that you don’t win championships with a shot dominant point guard who is also your number one scoring option. It’s never happened (and don’t say zeke because he was pass first unless he needed to take over). Derrick takes way to many shots, especially on poor shooting nights where he fails to go into distributor mode.

  • KevinJohnsonFan

    Derrick takes those shots because he has to. Who else can get their own shot on that squad? No one. He’s smart enough to know that if he doesn’t shoot 20 plus times, they can’t win consistently. His team knows it. His coaches know it. Not his fault. The main thing that should be taken from Reggie’s comments is that Derrick needs help. Which is true. No one can deny it if they have any good sense. If you knew Derrick’s history as a player, you know that he wasn’t a shot dominant PG until he got into the NBA. Only averaged 14 a game in college. Calipari had to make him be more aggressive in the championship game against Kansas.

  • KevinJohnsonFan

    Not giving Derrick a two guard who can handle the ball and make plays ain’t helping anyone either.

  • KevinJohnsonFan

    The point of all of this is that the Bulls won’t be beating Miami until Derrick has someone who can create for himself and for the team. When LeBron guards Derrick, it’s tough for him to score especially in the 4th quarter when he’s spent 3 quarters creating everything by himself. Whenever Derrick returns, he’s going to be put in the same position he was in before he got hurt. It’s too much for one man especially when LeBron and Wade play for the same team and that’s the team the Bulls have to go through. These Bulls remind me of LeBron’s Cavs. It’s all good in the regular season. But they end up meeting a team in the playoffs that has more weapons and it becomes 1 on 5.

  • king

    your comment makes the most sense so far :)

  • Anthony Dixon

    or Drose can just get better

  • Fat Lever

    Bulls need a legit shooter at the 2 who’s not washed up. One superstar with the right players around them can win a title(Dallas in ’11). The Bulls are a top defensive team that needs a legit shooter at the 2 who’s not washed up. It would be great to get another star, but I’m not sure they need it. JR Smith comes to mind, or even JJ Redick. They would stretch the floor and make teams pay for collapsing on D Rose. Just my $.02.

  • JM

    Ironic, the guy who he robbed of the MVP he ‘won’ shuts him down so easily. Thibs was the main reason for the bulls huge improvement that year. Rose’s MVP is on the same level as Malone’s in ’97

  • ThaWindy

    The youngest to EVER do it!

  • pposse

    excerpt from Lebron over all star weekend on D Rose and his return “he’s one of the best players this game has ever seen,” -

  • KevinJohnsonFan

    How stupid are you, really? He won it outright. He carried the offense of a 62 win team almost by himself. He improved from 20 ppg the season before to 25 ppg and added almost 8 assists a game. He actually could have been the Most Improved Player also. Who deserved it that year to you if not Rose? The best player in the league doesn’t always get the award. Rose deserved it. Prove me wrong. Before the season, the Bulls were predicted to be 4th in the East at best. They finished 1st and swept the Heat during that regular season. Great record against the other great/good teams in the league. Plenty of 4th quarter comebacks engineered by Derrick. Ray Allen and Doc Rivers both agreed that he deserved it. So who are you now? More knowledgeable than the guys who played and coached against him? What more could he have done?

  • KevinJohnsonFan

    I heard him say that too. Surprised me.

  • KevinJohnsonFan

    Or the organization can give him a 2nd legit star on the perimeter. Rose is getting better already. Gotten better each season. He’ll continue to do so.

  • pposse

    not a lot of people remember, but when when the Decision aired on national Lebron spent a good minute praising D Rose and how Chicago was a legit/possible destination for him. Game recognize game, why can’t most of these SLAM commenters do the same??!

  • pposse

    although Reggie’s comments were not necessary and ill timed at best, people should have an understanding where he is coming from. Reggie too was a pretty good bball player who had the opportunity to play in college, then tore his acl and was never the same. He doesnt want D Rose to come in and shoulder the offense on a knee thats not %110. He shouldn’t have said what he said and isolate Boozer like that, its messed up, and undermine Deng and Noah a little too. Everyone is well aware of that we need a SG or another scorer on offense, nothing he said is new.

  • roscoe

    drose is no joke.

  • FLIGHT 9

    Reggie is 10000 % right…. I love the bUlls…. But they ain’t going anywhere and it HURTS real bad…. At least show some great trade or signings….. Sign Arenas, Iverson perhaps just show you want to win Paxson!!!!!!!

  • KevinJohnsonFan

    Rose and LeBron would have been more unstoppable than Wade and LeBron in the long run. Imagine having to defend those two. Nightmare.

  • roscoe

    Reggie = great point. Get drose some help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For the love of global warming.

    CHI tried to get dwade, but he turned his back on CHI.

    who is going to say boozer does not deserve criticism. dis yr booz = playing better but he’s been woeful -> UTH.

  • roscoe

    arenas? AI?

    arenas = rip.

    AI needs the ball as much as drose.

    your GM ideas stink.

  • Anthony Dixon

    true but they don’t need it…. The mavs won with one star so why not the Bulls. they’re capable of playing the same type of defense

  • #13

    OJ mayo

  • LakeShow

    LeBron’s got a dog in that fight though.
    IF D-Rose is “one of the greatest this game has seen”, then James nearly shut down one of the greatest players in a East finals series. It looks good for LeBron’s career to have Rose up there as one of the GOATS.

  • Redd

    The issue is, that he threw Rose’s teammates under the bus. Also it’s pretty idiotic to compare a team with 3 other all stars to the Cavs.

    But, it’s pretty obvious in this day & age we’re in need of a 2nd star. If this team was around before the big 3 age it’d be a top tier team.

    Also..didn’t Lebron get stopped by the Spurs? Didn’t Michael get stopped by the Pistons? You make no sense in that regard.

  • Redd

    Except now Lebron is even better than ever.

  • Redd

    They don’t need a 2 guard, they just need a legit star caliber or elite roleplayer that can handle the ball & create his own shot. It doesn’t HAVE to be a 2 guard. A tall 2 who can play multiple positions helps.

    That’s where I feel imo that Jimmy Butler is that guy.

  • http://twitter.com/Jzakoni Sanchez

    he can’t do it alone. there has to be a 1, 2 punch.

  • Anthony Dixon

    Rose Boozer and Deng

  • Anthony Dixon

    aspiring champions do no think like that..

  • http://twitter.com/Jzakoni Sanchez

    i can see deny chipping in… boozer always gets outted by bosh

  • Dutch Rich

    There is no guarantee for what you just stated. Considering the characteristics of the injury, the physical advantages he had… and his wel documented dietary numbskullery.

  • #13

    Boozer is only good for screaming after somebody makes a good play

  • Dutch Rich

    oh $hit, now you’re telling us torn acl’s run in the family…

  • pposse
  • Dutch Rich

    I think it can be agreed upon that certain decisions the Bulls have made this past yr have been questionable. Like trading Asik after they said they wouldn’t, releasing Bogans yet not deciding to tank the season. They have too much pride for that off course. But all in all, standing at 5th in the East is nothing to be ashamed of, your starting Center was an All-Star and your coach could easily be considered for COY…again. In addition, no one has made mid-season moves. They prolly caught Reggie when he had a migraine or something.

  • http://twitter.com/Jzakoni Sanchez

    lol exactly. the expensive version of robert sacre

  • Madubbs

    aint no one got time for smiley faces son!

  • Dutch Rich

    thx

  • pposse

    i like conspiracy theories too, but Lebron hyping up his competition to help leave behind a better legacy??! Naw, lol you must be blown!

  • LakeShow

    lol, you must not watch ball. This happens all the time.

  • Redd

    Think like what? Don’t think Lebron is better now than before?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Gilbert/100001749589586 Mike Gilbert

    are you for real?
    -they didn’t trade Asik, he was signed by the Rockets as a restricted free agent
    -I know Bogans was an integral part of their EC Finals…oh wait he wasn’t. What are you talking about? They got rid of the worst starter on their team, and ended up being in 1st place and had a chance at a title (unfortunately Rose got injured)
    -please don’t spew the bullsht of tanking a season, HOW would they tank? Because last time I checked they had 2 all stars and a former all star in Deng, Boozer and Noah. Should they just trade all of them errrr maybe tell them all to sit the whole season so they can get a good draft pick errrr….
    -also you can’t just blatantly tank seasons in the NBA….it’s a business….how the eff are they going to make money if they are putting a horrible product on the floor….
    -do you have absolutely no idea how the world works or does that just the NBA?

  • Slick Ric

    Mavericks had three guys who could consistently create their own shot in Dirk(of course), Terry and JJ Barera….Right now the Bulls Have Rose and possibly nate but we all know Nate can be hit or miss. In the year they went to the ECF, he was the only one who could create off the dribble. The bulls get their baskets mostly off of cutting and ball movement and thats good but right now they dont have any guys who are truly considered a threat from three besides cook so that may not be hard to defend in the playoffs.

  • z

    Rose is their primary offensive option. It’s not an issue of a team’s lack of superstar, but rather having a player besides Rose who can create his own offense so that when a Lebron-type of defender shuts Rose down, the entire team’s offense doesn’t disappear. We’re talking basic basketball here.

  • z

    How’s that been working so far?

  • KevinJohnsonFan

    I understand you’re a Bulls fan but let’s compare LeBron James, Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison to Rose, Deng and Noah. Noah only got on the All-Star team because of the Bulls record. An argument could be made that Lopez deserved to be on the team in Noah’s spot instead of replacing Rondo. He’s a star defender, that’s it. Mo and Antawn both made the All-Star team too in their careers. They did nothing in the playoffs. The gap in talent between Rose and the next guy is about the same as it was between LeBron and the next guy. Deng can score but not on the level that Derrick needs. He can’t get his own shot. Boozer plays soft. Noah can’t really score. Why are you bringing up LeBron’s 07 Cavs and Michael Jordan against the Pistons? When did I mention either? I said nothing about Jordan at all.

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