WASHINGTON – Playing basketball? The Bulls have been very average at that throughout most of the regular season.
Playing dumb? Now there’s a skillset this organization has continued to embrace.
That was on full display yet again on Tuesday, when very few wanted to discuss the latest missteps by former Bulls MVP Derrick Rose. Forget discussing it. Coach Fred Hoiberg said he was completely unaware of it.
“I don’t know enough about that,’’ Hoiberg said. “I’m not going to comment on that.’’
What he would comment on was that he appreciated the one season he was able to coach Rose.
“I thought he did go out and compete for us,’’ Hoiberg said. “Obviously it was a tough year with a lot of things that went down for us last season. I enjoyed talking to Derrick, coaching Derrick, and I always wish him the best.’’
It was on Monday night that Rose – traded to New York in the offseason – was a no-show, no-call for the Knicks game against New Orleans. His new organization was so concerned in not hearing from Rose that they sent a staffer over to his apartment to make sure he was not in any danger.
Rose talked to reporters on Tuesday, and said that he had returned to Chicago to deal with a family emergency involving his mother.
“It had nothing to do with the team or basketball,’’ Rose told reporters after a Tuesday practice. “That’s the first time I ever felt like that emotionally and I had to be with my family.’’
When asked why he didn’t at least make a phone call or shoot out a text to the team, Rose said, “I needed that space to myself and I needed to be around my mom.’’
One Bulls player that would discuss Rose was Rajon Rondo, who said he knew him from years of competing against each other.
“We kind of talked for the first couple times when we were at the Nickelodeon Kids’ [Choice] Awards,’’ Rondo said. “We both got kids, sitting right besides each other at the award show. That’s about it. He don’t talk much, I don’t talk much.
“I guess you got to call into work. He’s a pretty quiet guy. He’s discrete, and obviously he was really discrete [Monday]. Maybe his personality, I don’t know. To each his own. I got my own problems over here, and stay focused on what I need to stay focused on.’’
Rose was fined an undisclosed amount by the Knicks, but won’t miss any playing time.
Sick bay
The Bulls could also find themselves short-handed against the Knicks in New York on Thursday, as both Nikola Mirotic and Jimmy Butler missed the Tuesday game against the Wizards.
Butler never made it to the team charter on Monday night, and as of Tuesday evening was still dealing with a fever, according to Hoiberg.
Mirotic at least flew out with the team, but was left back at the team hotel prior to the game with Washington.
Hoiberg will have Dwyane Wade (rest) back on Thursday, and said that both Butler and Mirotic would be monitored.
They did get first-round pick Denzel Valentine (left ankle) back on Tuesday, as he came off the bench.
