Derrick Rose to undergo knee surgery Friday, Bulls hope he can return this season
For the third time in three seasons, Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose will go under the knife to fix issues in his knees.
Rose will undergo surgery Friday morning to repair a medial meniscus tear in his right knee, reports Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports.
A timetable for Rose's return will be determined after the surgery is complete. Bulls general manager Gar Forman is expected to address the media on Friday, reports Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago.
As for now, the possibility of avoiding a prolonged absence exists, depending on the magnitude of the tear. If the tear is small, as previously reported, Rose could conceivably play this season, notes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. Either way, Rose will have portions if not all of his meniscus removed during the surgery.
For what it's worth, Bulls' vice-president of basketball operations John Paxson told reporters that the hope is that Rose can return this season.
John Paxson on possibility of Rose coming back this year: "The hope is that he will."
— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) February 27, 2015
Rose's surgery will be performed by Dr. Brian Cole, who also performed Rose's previous two surgeries.
Playing in his sixth year, Rose flashed signs of returning to All-Star form, logging averages of 18.4 points. 3.1 rebounds and five assists in 31 minutes per game.
Rose's injury inspired an outcry of support from NBA players and coaches alike. Bulls shooting guard Jimmy Butler told K.C. Johnson that Rose's spirits were high when he spoke to him on Wednesday.