Bulls Rose Could Rejoin Team In Practice Soon

By Chuck Sudo in News on Dec 4, 2012 2:30PM

Chicago Sun-Times Guillen Family correspondent Joe Cowley filed a story late Monday that indicates Derrick Rose is “weeks away” from practicing with the rest of the team.

This news could mean nothing, seeing as how the Bulls and Rose have said consistently since he injured his knee in the NBA playoffs that he’ll be taking his time with his rehabilitation and will only rejoin the team when he’s fully ready. But there have been encouraging signs Rose has been ahead of his rehab curve. He’s been cutting on the injured knee for weeks now and running sprint drills at the Berto Center. Cowley wrote that one sprint had Kirk Hinrich yelling in encouragement. It’s plausible that Rose won’t make it back to court until at least February, even if he does begin practicing with his teammates.

The news is at least encouraging given how banged up the Bulls backcourt has become. Hinrich has missed games with injury already this season and an MRI taken Sunday showed Rip Hamilton has a torn plantar fascia. Coach Tom Thibodeau hasn’t said who will replace Hamilton in the starting lineup against Indiana tonight, although the smart money is on Marco Belinelli or Jimmy Butler.

Cowley’s story comes as Adidas released the last chapter in their “Derrick Rose: The Return” series of vignettes following their prized sneaker sponsor as he puts in the sweat equity to rehab his knee injury. The title of this vignette is fitting: “All In.”