Why I Still Believe In Derrick Rose

Let me just be up front about something: I have an irrational love for Derrick Rose. It has a lot to do with my lifelong fandom of the Chicago Bulls, but just as important is how entertaining Derrick Rose was early on in his career. He wasn't always great, but he would always do great things. He was the most exciting player in the NBA, because he would just do these ridiculous things that would make your jaw drop.

Then he got injured.

Things haven't quite been the same since. At first, it was only bad, but this year the turnaround has begun. He hasn't been the MVP candidate that he used to be, but he has shown glimpses of his former self. It is those moments that I grasp onto as a fan. I see those moments as seeds, and I continue to think that they will blossom into what he once was. And I do still believe. 

While the mainstream media treats Rose as more of an afterthought, I still see the potential greatness, and I believe that he will turn that potential into a reality. 

Point guard is the most loaded position in the league right now. Even teams that are weak at point guard almost all have decent options. And most teams have guys that are All-Star caliber or at least borderline. There are guys below the elite class like Jeff Teague who is a really good player, and yet, if you gave me the option, I wouldn't take him over Rose.

Sure, those guys can consistently give you good performances, but there is a distinct ceiling on what they can bring to the table. Meanwhile, Derrick Rose is maddeningly inconsistent. He has had plenty of 8 point games on 30% shooting, but he'll also throw up 30 points on a random night and look like that unstoppable force that he was before he was maligned by injuries. 

When it comes to the playoffs, I'd rather have the chance of greatness as opposed to a guaranteed good performance. A lot of people are doubting Derrick Rose, but I'm not close to giving up. Jeff Teague is an All-Star for his consistency, but their best is never going to match Derrick Rose's best. 

That's why I still believe in Derrick Rose.

The 3 Best Signings of the 2014 NBA Offseason

This NBA offseason has been a lot of fun, and that's not only because I am actually happy with what the Bulls were able to do. Just about every team has something to be excited about. I mean, just look at the Heat; they may have lost the finals, but they were able to outbid the Hornets for Josh McRoberts. Still, that move doesn't quite make my list of the best signings. Other signings that will not count are guys that took discounts to stay with their teams, so although Dirk may be the best value in the league, everybody understands that this was a great deal for the Mavs, so there is not much I can add on that one. Let's go to three moves that I really liked this offseason that deserve special praise.

Lance Stephenson
Lance got downgraded by the media, because he was supposed to get overpaid, but then he didn't actually get overpaid. He is barely making half of the annual salary that Gordon Hayward is, and Hayward got an extra year on top of that. Is Hayward twice the player that Stephenson is? No, definitely not. Is he even a better player than Stephenson? That seems like a debate to me, and I would probably side with Stephenson.

If you are worried about him being a head case, let's compare him to another player that had a career year after causing problems many different times, Kyle Lowry. Lowry got $12 million a year and an extra year on his deal. He's about five years older than Stephenson as well. Can you really say that he will outproduce Lance Stephenson? I can't, and that's why I really like the Stephenson deal.

There is definitely risk with Stephenson, but he may just be a goofball who works his ass off when it comes to basketball. Dennis Rodman was far worse than Stephenson on and especially off the court, but when his team needed him, he came through in the clutch and put together a Hall of Fame NBA career. Not bad for a head case.

Pau Gasol
Everybody thinks he was terrible last year, but he actually put up good numbers on a bad team. The versatility that the Bulls gained by putting him in the frontcourt makes them incredibly dangerous this year. Also, he got about the same annual salary as Boris Diaw, and Diaw even got an extra year on his contract. If you can find a person who believes that Boris Diaw is better than Pau Gasol, please introduce them to me, so I can slap some sense into them.

Isaiah Thomas
A little weird since this was a sign and trade, but the trade assets were minimal, and the deal is well worth it. Thomas can tear around the court and create shots. He has questionable defense, but he'll be able to keep up with the Suns style of play. Yes, the Suns already have Goran Dragic and (likely) Eric Bledsoe coming back, but since those guys start together, they can easily find 25 minutes for Thomas to mix and match lineups depending on who they are going up against. Also, Bledsoe hasn't signed a contract yet as a restricted free agent, and Dragic only has one more year left on his contract. Four years and $27 million is great value, especially considering that he is only 25 years old.