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There have been plenty of “franchise players” with all the talent in the world who ended up COSTING the franchise because of an inability to stay healthy. Names like Sam Bowie, Jay Williams, Brad Daugherty and even Yao Ming come to mind.

All of these players had all the talent in the world, and when healthy and given a chance to show what they can do, none of them would disappoint. Sadly, it appears you can now add Derrick Rose to that list. The former MVP can now add an orbital fracture to his myriad of injuries.

This one happened in training camp and a timetable for his return has not been set yet.

Rose sustained his latest injury when he took an elbow to the face, and he left early from Tuesday’s practice, the first of training camp. However, his teammates and first-year coach Fred Hoiberg didn’t seem overly concerned immediately after practice.

“He got a little elbow,” Bulls power forward Taj Gibson said. “We don’t know the [severity] of it, but hopefully he’ll be fine. I know he’s tough. But it was one of those plays, especially in practice, where everybody’s going hard. It’s just tough.”

Of course, Gibson would know about it as he may just have been the one the delivered the breaking blow, “I don’t know, It might have been me, but it’s just one of those plays where everybody’s going so hard and it’s real physical out there, so hopefully he’ll be OK.”

It is just a small part of a long line of health issues for the 2010-11 MVP. He tore the ACL in his left knee in April 2012 and missed the 2012-13 season. He then tore the medial meniscus in his right knee in November 2013 and missed the rest of the 2013-14 season.

Rose also had a meniscectomy on his right knee in February and missed 31 regular-season games during the 2014-15 season. In total, Rose has played in just 100 regular-season games since the beginning of the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season.

So the Bulls have almost gotten used to playing without Rose more so than with him, and now the question becomes, if this team really gels without him, do you look to deal him, if he is healthy at the deadline?

The possible return for a top of the line point guard could be huge for Chicago, especially if there is a team out that thinks they are just a PG away from winning it all. He is under contract for this season and one more, from the max $95 mil deal he signed just before the 2011-12 season. So anybody trading for him is getting more than just a rental player.

But at the same time, is it even possible to get fair return for a player of Rose’s caliber? That becomes the dilemma the Bulls will be facing the season as they tip off without Rose to start it. Right now, Kirk Hinrich and Aaron Brooks will have to run the point for a Bulls team that actually led the Cavs 2-1 after 3 games in the Eastern Conference Semi’s.

It is not an easy assignment for rookie head coach Fred Hoiberg, but I don’t think he would want it any other way. Of course I am not so sure he expected the thorns from this Rose so early in his Chicago career.

The season hasn’t even tipped off yet and the Bulls have become one of the most interesting teams in the league.

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