ROSE TWEAKS FANS
MEANWHILE, REPLACEMENT RONDO EARNS PRAISE FROM HOIBERG
One day into training camp, and former Bulls star Derrick Rose is already ahead of Rajon Rondo on the Dumb Comment Meter. Meeting withNewYork reporters after his first practice with his new Knicks teammates Tuesday, Rose implied for the second time since being traded that the city of Chicago took him for granted. ‘‘ I think they just got used to me,’’ Rose said. ‘‘ That’s no knock against them. I can’t get mad at them or hold a grudge against them. All I can do is just work on my game and hope that they continue to look.’’ ‘‘ Hope that they con-continue to look’’? What?
Considering all the drama Rose put his hometown — and the Bulls — through the last four years, the last thing he should be doing is pointing fingers about who took whom for granted.
Then again, reality never was one of Rose’s strengths.
AndAn as the Bulls were finding g out firsthandfirsth Tuesday, that wasn’t the only deficiency iency Rose carried onto the co court.
RondoRo is s by no means an angel with some e of his on- court antics, but whatw thehe Bulls quickly have discovered disthat cover is that having a point guard with a high h basketball IQ benefits everybody.every Rose liked to say he had a high basketball ketball IQ, but he seemed to be the only nly one who thought so.
There’sTh a reason Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg erg had to simplify the playbookplayb last ast season, as well as con constantlytly stay on Rose about his s defensive assignmentsassig nts and the game plan. an. That’s not e expected ted to be a concernc rn with Rondo.Ron
‘ ‘ R e cognition cogwill nit will be a big thing with this group,’’ Hoiberg said. ‘‘ And I think we’ll be good with that with Rondo. He can survey the floor so well when he’s coming down, get us into a secondarytype action. [ Dwyane] Wade and Jimmy [ Butler] have shown over the course of their careers that they can make plays and get into the paint.p
‘‘ The big thing is playing off each other. With Rondo coming down the floor with the ball in his hands, you feel very good because he’s generally going to make the right play.’’ That doesn’t mean Rondo has a better skill set than Rose. What he does have, however, is a high IQ, a leadership voice and an ability to help the younger players. ‘‘ The minute he stepped on this floor when he got back [ to Chicago] in August, he pulled everybody together,’’g , Hoiberg said of Rondo. ‘‘ He’s got the best voice on the team. WhenWh you have a point guard outou there who can get you intoint something and talk the way he does, that sets the tone for everybody. ‘‘ If youyo have a guy not only offen offensively getting you into somethingsom but defensively sively makingmak sure guys are pointing andan talking and getting ting back anda matched up in transition, th that’s where it starts.’’ Those are traits that Butler already is embr embracing. ‘‘[ Rondo] reallyr sees things before they even develop out there, so it makes everybody’s body’s job a lot easier,’’ Bu Butler said. ‘‘ Like I aly always say, when you put good basketball players out there, you just go. Everything just falls into place, falls into line. You don’t have to worry about too much of anything. ‘‘ And with him, he’s an incredible leader. He just wants everybody to be successful. He’s goinggo to put you in po position to be just that.’’th