Report: Nate Robinson interested in joining Bulls following Derrick Rose injury
Once the Chicago Bulls determine how long Derrick Rose will be out following surgery to repair or remove a torn medial meniscus in his right knee, they'll have the unenviable task of trying to replace him.
Even at something less than his old self, the 2014-15 version of Rose will be difficult to succeed. The Bulls have Kirk Hinrich and Aaron Brooks to plug in at the point, but they'll almost surely use their open 15th roster spot to add a third healthy guard.
Count former Bull Nate Robinson as intrigued.
Bought out by the Boston Celtics on Jan. 14, Robinson hasn't landed with a contender as quickly as expected. That may be for the best if it means a reunion with head coach Tom Thibodeau in Chicago, as Robinson is interested in signing there, according to a report from Sam Amick of USA Today Sports.
Thibodeau has shown he prefers to bring in players familiar with his schemes, which is why Mike James – currently averaging 15 points and 6.4 assists in the D-League – has been signed by the club so many times. The same logic could make Robinson a target, according to Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago.
Robinson last played for the Bulls in 2012-13, when he averaged 13.1 points and 4.4 assists in 82 games, helping fill the void created with Rose missing the entire season due to a torn left ACL. He signed a two-year deal with the Denver Nuggets following that season but has struggled some with injuries of his own, with his numbers dipping to 8.4 points and 2.5 assists over the last two years.
Still, there are few guards on the market who can score as well as Robinson, who has averaged nearly a point every two minutes for his career.
Were the Bulls to consider other options, Larry Drew II and Tim Frazier both looked solid on 10-day deals with the Philadelphia 76ers earlier in the season and are among the D-League leaders in assists. James could be an option, too, and fellow D-Leaguer Aaron Craft is the type of defense-first player Thibodeau may find himself drawn to.
Really, Robinson makes the most sense, as the team's biggest need has become scoring from the guard spot.