Chicago Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf went on WMVP-AM 1000 earlier today to discuss the Chicago White Sox successes this season, but also touched on Derrick Rose's injury status.
Reinsdorf wasadamantthat the Bulls' franchise player would not be rushed back from ACL surgery he had on his left knee in May.
"The doctors told us that it would be 8 to 12 months from the time of the surgery. The surgery was the middle of May, so that means the earliest possible time he would be back is the middle of January," Reinsdorf said. "If it swells then he'll miss the whole season. We just don't know."
Reinsdorf referred to back to an earlier time when he allowed Michael Jordan to return early from a broken foot in his second season. Jordan missed 64 regular season games but returned for the playoffs. And while Jordan's return worked out, Reinsdorf isn't willing to gamble with a knee injury to a slasher like Rose.
"I'm not gonna let him back until the doctors tell me it's absolutely safe for him to come back. And I made that mistake with Michael Jordan years ago, where I think we let him come back too soon. I think it worked out OK, but it might not have. This time I'm not gonna make that mistake. Until the doctors say he is 100 percent and they put their reputations on the line, he's not coming back."
Reinsdorf said reports from Rose's doctors have been good, and that the former MVP is ahead of schedule. While Rose recovers, however, Reinsdorf said the Bulls should do just fine in 2012.
"I think we're going to have a pretty decent club," Reinsdorf said."Gar Forman has done a great job turning over the bench. We lost most of our so-called "Bench Mob" but if you look at the numbers, the new job actually has the potential to be more productive than the old guys.
"We still have Joakim and Luol and Taj and Boozer. I think we're going to be a pretty decent team. Without Derrick, will we win a championship? I doubt that very seriously. But if we can hang in there and make the playoffs, and Derrick comes back, who knows? We might be there at the end," he added.