Bulls' Derrick Rose still 'open' to return with end of season approaching

Derrick Rose remains "open" to a return to the court this season. (Garrett Ellwood/Getty Images)

By Ben Golliver

Just a little more than one week remains in the regular season, but Bulls guard Derrick Rose, still recovering from knee surgery, is no closer to publicly making a decision on whether he will return to the court this year.

The Chicago Tribune reports that Rose, who has practiced with the Bulls and reportedly received medical clearance to play, remains noncommittal about whether he will decide to play or punt on the rest of the season.

“Oh, no,” Rose said, when asked if he’d announce he’s sitting out this season. “I’m keeping it open.”

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Since the likelihood of Rose sitting out the season increases with each day, he got asked if having another summer of rehabilitation and drill work would benefit him.

“I think it is where it gives me more time to work out if I don’t play,” Rose said. “But I think I have enough time already knowing I haven’t played in a long time. Just taking that time and getting my body together, it could definitely be big. But I’m going to come back whenever I’m ready.”

Rose, 24, tore his left ACL during Game 1 of a first-round playoff series against the 76ers in April 2012. He returned to full-contact practices with his teammates in January after taking part in more limited practice sessions in December.

Video of Rose dunking recently surfaced and his rehabilitation was painstakingly chronicled in a national video ad campaign from Adidas. He recently disputed that he and the Bulls were at odds over the timeline for his return to the court after it was reported in March that he had received medical clearance to play.

Entering Sunday night's action, Chicago was 42-33, good for the Eastern Conference's No. 5 seed.