Over the past few seasons, basketball fans have seen a number of stars leave their respective teams in order to pursue championship glory. In 2007, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen went to the Boston Celtics; a team that managed only 24 wins the previous year. The result was a title for the Celtics, who had not climbed the NBA mountaintop since the 1985-1986 season. In 2010, LeBron James opted to team up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh hoping for a similar result as the 'big three" that preceded them. While they did not win it all their first year together, they did capture the title in 2012, giving the Miami Heat franchise its first championship since 2006.
When discussing the above scenarios with other sports fans, I could not help but wonder if this situation could arise with Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls at some point in the future. Yes, I know he will be in a Bulls uniform the next five years and he has already stated he would prefer to remain with the team for his entire career. However, if the Bulls are unable to build a championship caliber team over the next few seasons, Rose's perspective towards the organization could change. To his credit, Rose is a very down-to-earth and humble guy to say the least, but he is also a competitor as well. Athletes want to win championships and they are expected to win because of the millions of dollars they make each year. After all, titles are the standard by which they are measured.
To those of you who may disagree with this sentiment in regards to Rose, the current offseason should be used as an additional reminder. Ray Allen decided to join James, Wade and Bosh down in Miami for significantly less money than the Celtics were offering. My guess is he felt his chances of winning another title are better with the Heat, than with the team he played for the past five seasons. Dwight Howard and Steve Nash were both acquired by the Los Angeles Lakers, making them a potential contender in the Western Conference.
As former head-coach Stan Van Gundy pointed out in a recent radio interview, the dynamic of the league has changed over the years. Players are not as loyal to the teams that drafted them as they used to be. This especially holds true if they see an opportunity to win elsewhere. While this subject matter may not be an issue with Rose right now, it is very possible that Bulls fans could be faced with this predicament a few years down the road if the team is not a title-contender.
James Tillman III is a resident of the Chicago-land area, who has been a Bulls' fan since the 1987-1988 season. James is also a Featured Sports Contributor for Yahoo! Network and a Sports Journalist for Sports Rantz Magazine. Follow him on Twitter @jtillman9693
Sources:
Will Rose be next star to bolt , Nick Friedell, ESPNChicago.com
