Report: Being away from son weighing heavily on Rose

It may not explain his absence Monday night completely, but a Tuesday report could help put the pieces together about why Derrick Rose wasn't with the New York Knicks when they hosted the New Orleans Pelicans at Madison Square Garden.

Rose's close relationship with his son, Derrick Rose Jr., has been well-documented, and the fact he has to be away playing in the Big Apple while his kid remains in Chicago is taking its toll, according to the Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson.

The former league Most Valuable Player didn't have permission from the Knicks to miss Monday's outing, although he did reportedly make contact with team officials afterward, informing them he had a "family situation" he needed to attend to.

Related - Hornacek: Rose's absence 'will become clear later on'

Center Joakim Noah, a close friend of Rose and a teammate of his with both the Knicks and Chicago Bulls, told reporters after the Pelicans game that Rose was "OK," but didn't go into any further detail.

New York doesn't play again until Wednesday when the Knicks take on the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center.