Future Reflections

Raf Onak

Although Scottie Pippen has been absent from the hardwood floor since 2004, it hasn’t prevented him from speaking his mind every now and then. Recently, the former Bulls star and six-time NBA champion revealed his feelings about the Bulls’ second-year phenom, Derrick Rose.

“He’s a very exciting player who I love watching play because he plays a lot bigger than his size and doesn’t mind mixing it up,” Pippen told the Chicago Tribune. “I just think you have to put some players around him or he’s going to sort of fade away.”

“As good as he is, you can beat a dead horse only so much,” he continued. “If he’s not motivated here by winning as his career continues, then he’s going to start looking at guys like Ben Gordon who made a move [to Detroit].”

While I hope Rose never follows in the footsteps of Gordon, he will “sort of fade away” if the Bulls remain a mediocre .500 team. One rumored player general Gar Forman is attempting to acquire is Jazz power forward Carlos Boozer.

With Boozer posting up in the paint, the Bulls would finally possess that elite low-post scorer the organization has been searching for since they gave away Elton Brand to charity. Although recent reports of a three-team trade involving the Bulls, Jazz and Trail Blazers were eventually extinguished, Boozer let Chicagoans know how he feels about playing in the Windy City.

“I’d love to be part of the Bulls,” he told WMVP-AM 1000.

Fortunately for Bulls fans, Rose is in no position to be threatening the organization just yet. But if the front office doesn’t get serious about restoring a winning tradition in Chicago, expect Rose to say farewell to his hometown.

I, for one, wouldn’t be surprised. Neither would Pippen.