CHICAGO (AP) – It was once the ultimate feel-good story, with the electrifying Derrick Rose leading his hometown Chicago Bulls to heights they had not reached since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were racking up championships.
But instead of parades, there was unfulfilled promise.
The Rose Era officially closed in Chicago on Wednesday with the 2011 MVP getting traded to the New York Knicks, bringing one of the more successful yet disappointing periods in franchise history to a finish.
“That’s where it’s hard,” general manager Gar Forman said. “Derrick has meant a lot to this organization and to this city and to this team and has had to overcome a lot over the years with all the injuries to get back to the point he was. But in putting our plan together, we felt as a first step this really made sense for us.”
The Chicago product rose from one of the roughest neighborhoods in the city to No. 1 pick to Rookie of the Year to All-Star to MVP in his first three seasons, only to get derailed by season-ending injuries to each knee and never bring home the ultimate prize. Now, he’s headed to New York along with guard Justin Holiday and a 2017 first-round pick. In exchange, the Bulls got center Robin Lopez and guards Jose Calderon and Jerian Grant.