Listen: Joe Cowley On How Bulls 'Keep Barrier Alive' Between Jimmy Butler, Derrick Rose
(CBS) The Bulls have dismissed Jen Swanson, their director of sports performance and a close confidant of point guard Derrick Rose.
The move is yet another indication that the Bulls view All-Star wing Jimmy Butler as the face of their franchise, Sun-Times beat writer Joe Cowley said in an interview on the Spiegel and Goff Show on Wednesday.
"You've used her for what was needed, to mess with the old coach, so you no longer need her," Cowley said of Swanson. "I think it sends two messages. One, just how poorly this front office treats people. And secondly, that the Derrick Rose camp and the idea that Derrick Rose should be comfortable here is now out the window. You are now sending a message to the camp that, whether it's (older brother Reggie Rose) or (agent B.J. Armstrong) or whoever, 'If little brother wants to leave, little brother can leave.'"
In Cowley's eyes, the sad part is that the Bulls haven't done everything in their power to foster a better working relationship between Rose and Butler.
"When you look at them athletically and what they should do on the court, they should just be taking teams apart," Cowley said.
"For some reason, they don't want to, and the organization does everything it can to keep that barrier alive and well. Everyone saw it last year. Jimmy and Pau (Gasol) were breaking off and noticing how much specific care Jen Swanson was giving to Derrick and eventually (Joakim) Noah. That caused a rift.
"The organization has done nothing to get these two together and to help break down this wall. If anything, they almost thrive on this dysfunction. I don't get it. It's not how a championship organization should work."
Listen to Cowley's full interview below.