Pau Gasol: Bulls point guard Derrick Rose is healthy
Newly signed Chicago Bulls power forward/center Pau Gasol told Spanish newspaper Marca point guard Derrick Rose "is well recovered" and he "is not worried about" Rose's health.
Rose tore the ACL in his left knee during the 2012 playoffs and missed the entire 2012-2013 season while recovering. He returned at the start of the 2013-2014 season, but injured his right knee in November and missed the rest of the season.
Rose is scheduled to participate in USA Basketball's August training camp to compete for a spot on Team USA's roster for the upcoming World Cup of Basketball. Gasol's full comments on Rose:
Rose is well recovered. [He] can play the World Cup. He is a top player. He was MVP of the league and with that being said I'm not worried about it.
Gasol agreed to a three-year, $22 million contract with the Bulls after spending seven seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. The newspaper also asked Gasol if he thought the Bulls would be a championship-level team.
Of course I can be a champion in Chicago. If not, I would not have decided on this team. For the quality of the players in the game, level coach, the structure they have, I think we can get to offer a great level ... For me it is definitely the favorite in the East, along with Cleveland after the arrival of LeBron, although the favoritism on paper means nothing. You have to prove it.
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[h/t K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune]
- Paul Palladino
