Derrick Rose Reiterates He Wants To Spend Entire Career With Bulls
(CBS) Though he's previously had his 2017 free agency in mind, Bulls point guard Derrick Rose has emphasized he only wants his basketball career to continue in one place.
Right here in Chicago.
Rose reiterated that desire in an interview with ESPN.com recently, saying "That's still true" when asked if Chicago was still the only place he wanted to play, as he'd mentioned earlier in his career.
Rose added his love for his hometown city has "never" wavered, even amid this season in which he's struggled for long stretches, averaging 14.9 points on career-worst 40 percent shooting (for any season in which he's played more than 10 games).
"Never," Rose told ESPN.com. "I can't get mad about people's opinions, I always say that. That's their opinion. They got every right to say or think whatever they want to say and think. And whatever they say and think don't affect my life. I don't live in that world where I'm on social media, I don't got social media. Or I'm reading articles (about my game), so it's like I hear stuff by word of mouth a couple of days after so it never gets to me. So I can't get mad about what they say."
At Bulls media day in late September to ring in the new season, Rose puzzlingly brought up his free agency that awaits in 2017. He did so unprompted, with the exploding salary cap in mind.
"Just knowing that my day (free agency) will be coming up soon, and it's not for me," Rose said on Sept. 28. "It's for (son) P.J. and his future, so that's what I'm thinking about right now.
"I'm preparing for it.''
At that time, Rose added "it's here" with the Bulls when asked about where he wants his basketball career to continue at.
"But when you talk about that much money, the only thing you can do is prepare for it," Rose said. "I'm trying to prepare, not only myself, but my family. And I'm doing this all for my son. Like I said, I'm thinking about his future. Even though we're all right, we're comfortable, when you talk about that x-amount of dollars, I think it raises everyone's eyebrows, so there's nothing wrong with being over-prepared.''
Rose is making a little more than $20 million this season and is set to make $21.3 million in 2016-'17, the final year of his deal with the Bulls.
