Derrick Rose had his Chicago homecoming on Friday night as he played his first game against the Bulls since being traded to the Knicks.
Between the trade to New York and his rape trial in which he was cleared of all charges, it’s been a long offseason for Rose. On Friday, the former league MVP acknowledged that being traded was “surprising” and he said the process “sucks.”
Rose on trade: "It was surprising. Coming from my hometown and just the fact of being traded, it’s a process that sucks."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) November 4, 2016
Rose went from being beloved by Bulls fans as he won Rookie of the Year and MVP to being a player the fans disliked as he missed so much time due to multiple and recurring injuries. Rose’s choices to handle his return from his knee injuries with extra caution resulted in fans turning on him. He says he understands the fans’ mentality.
Rose on fans: "We won six championships in Chicago. They want results. They want playoffs. And they want rings. I understand that."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) November 4, 2016
Through the first four games of the season, Rose averaged 16.3 points, 4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game for the 1-3 Knicks.
