Reading List: What's next for Derrick Rose?
The news late Tuesday that Derrick Rose will, again, undergo surgery on his knee was pretty much everyone's worst fear. With Rose's injury history, NBA observers knew the Chicago Bulls' point guard might miss games here and there, but another surgery that would force him out for an extended period?
A second surgery on the same knee and a third overall? What could be the third successive surgery to end his season prematurely? It is downright cruel.
It's also still too early to write off Rose's career as a cursed tale of injury robbing transcendent talent; it has not yet been determined how much time Rose could miss after surgery. Also, it has not even been determined what kind of surgery he will have.
Yet, make no mistake, a sad narrative has formed. Jeff Zilgitt of USA Today wondered aloud what has unfortunately crossed the minds of most:
But maybe Rose's body isn't made for this game. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be. And that's the cruel, disheartening way it works sometimes, even when we want to believe and hope otherwise.
What's unknown as of Tuesday morning is what sort of surgery Rose will have on the torn right meniscus, the same injury he suffered in November 2013. He can either repair the meniscus or have the whole thing removed. Mike Prada of SB Nation has a breakdown of both surgical options:
Removing the meniscus entirely would actually give Rose the best chance of returning to the court soonest. Depending on the severity of this tear, he could return in six to eight weeks, allowing him to play in the postseason if he so desires. But it also comes with major long-term consequences: he will play in pain for the rest of his career and that career will be significantly shorter than it would have been if the repaired meniscus held up.
As the article mentions, Dwyane Wade chose to have a meniscus removed in 2002, something he later regretted.
Then there's the effect on the Bulls as a team. No other pro sports franchise has been through the injury gauntlet that Chicago has been over the past few seasons, yet the Bulls still found a way to enjoy some success. ESPN's Jon Greenberg captures the pall suddenly cast over another season.
Another knee injury? I thought the news release was a forgery. I thought the tweets were old. Glitches in the system.