Gar Forman: Bulls' Trade Of Derrick Rose Had Nothing To Do With Rape Case
(CBS) Just hours after news broke that a criminal investigation into rape allegations has been opened against Derrick Rose, Bulls general manager Gar Forman on Monday said the offseason trade of Rose to the Knicks had nothing to do with his legal situation.
"It was a basketball decision," Forman said simply at his team's media day.
Traded from Chicago to New York in June, Rose continues to garner headlines for the wrong reasons, as a $21.5-million civil lawsuit in which a woman accuses Rose and two of his friends of gang raping her in August 2013 moves forward. That case is set to go to trial on Oct. 4.
On Monday, another layer was added to Rose's troubles, as a memo was made public from the Los Angeles Police Department confirming it has opened a criminal investigation into Rose's action that night.
The accuser contends she didn't give consent while she was incapacitated after a night of drinking. Rose's lawyers contend she did give consent.
News of the civil lawsuit against Rose first broke in summer 2015. At Bulls media day in September 2015, Forman expressed support for Rose, calling him "part of the family."
On Monday, executive vice president of operations John Paxson confirmed the Bulls never looked into the accusations against Rose with an investigation of any sort back then or at any time leading up to the trade of Rose to the Knicks.
"We did not," Paxson said.
"We knew what everyone else knew. We didn't do anything beyond that, these are legal matters. It's not our purview. Like we said, trading Derrick was difficult for what he meant to our organization. But I'm sure he feels refreshed. Fresh start in front of him, we wish him well."
Paxson shot down the notion that Rose's legal issue could've been an issue in 2015-'16 for the Bulls.
"No, no," Paxson said. "Last year was not because of one person, issue. We just didn't have a collective fight to us. It's one of the reasons we made changes this offseason."
