Cautious Bulls: Derrick Rose could miss season opener
With his fitting for a protective mask delayed amid continued swelling, Derrick Rose may be in danger of missing the start of the 2015-16 season.
Chicago Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters Tuesday that Rose is "most likely" going to miss the remainder of the preseason, and that he's unsure of Rose's status for the team's Oct. 27 opener.
"We'll take a cautious approach," Hoiberg said, indicating that Rose missing a handful of games is a possibility.
Related: Derrick Rose and the downside of promise
Rose has been sidelined since Sept. 29 after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured orbital bone suffered in practice. The team has said they hope he can begin practicing this week, but Tuesday's update included the note that Rose is still a week away from running. That could put him on a tight timeline for progressing to contact activities and delay building a comfort level playing with the mask.
Missing minimal time may not make a major difference in the macro for the Bulls, but entering the season with a healthy Rose may serve as a minor confidence boost. The star point guard has appeared in just 100 regular-season games over the past four seasons due to a series of injuries, and when he played last season he was slow to shake off the rust.
In 51 games last year, Rose averaged 17.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.9 assists, while shooting 40.5 percent overall and 28 percent on threes. The Bulls were roughly one point per 100 possessions better with Rose on the floor, a small impact for a former superstar playing most of his minutes with other starters. That speaks to the arrested process of establishing a more refined and symbiotic chemistry with Jimmy Butler, who's taken on a larger offensive role in Rose's stead.
Should Rose miss time, Kirk Hinrich, Aaron Brooks, and E'Twaun Moore could all see extended playing time at the point.