Derrick Rose Photos

I, for one, like it when athletes are thoughtful, nuanced and honest. It makes for good discussion and it helps us think about what is really going through their heads. Bradley Beal is, based on all my interactions with him, a thoughtful, honest and nuanced young man. We shouldn't confuse dialect for intelligence, but Beal has a knack for conveying his thoughts well in public appearances. This was no different when 106.7 The Fan asked him about how he'd respond if he had a teammate like Derrick Rose that didn't come back from an injury in the intended timetable. Sarah Kogod of the Wash...

Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose, left, stands with teammates during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball Eastern Conference semifinal against the Miami Heat on Wednesday, May 15, 2013, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

There haven't been any real updates for a while on Rose, though we had fake ones up until just last week. But now it's over: everyone who had a report saying Rose was coming back was wrong. Every dope with hope looks silly. The '8-12 month window' is now finally closed. #TheReturn drama was around all year. First escalating after Rose went to the national media and first brought up the possibility of him not returning at all this season, and moreso after the Bulls had let it be known (though don't tell Sam Smith! He hasn't actually seen a doctor say it!) that Rose was healthy enough to...

Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose, left, stands with teammates during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball Eastern Conference semifinal against the Miami Heat on Wednesday, May 15, 2013, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose warms up before Game 4 of an NBA basketball playoffs Eastern Conference semifinal against the Miami Heat on Monday, May 13, 2013, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose, in suit at center, cheers the team during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball playoffs Eastern Conference semifinal against the Miami Heat on Friday, May 10, 2013, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose works before the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball playoffs Eastern Conference semifinal against the Miami Heat, on Friday, May 10, 2013, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau says Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich and Derrick Rose will sit out Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Miami Heat on Friday night.

From left, Chicago Bulls' Kirk Hinrich, Derrick Rose, Nate Robinson, Richard Hamilton and Jimmy Butler watch from the bench during the final seconds of Game 2 of their NBA basketball playoff series in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Miami Heat, Wednesday, May 8, 2013, in Miami. The Heat won 115-78. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose walks on the sideline during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA basketball playoff series in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Miami Heat, Monday, May 6, 2013 in Miami. Rose has not played while recovering from reconstructive knee surgery. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat kick off their second round series on Monday night. Despite no shortage of stirring on-court storylines, much of the national conversation continues to center around Derrick Rose. Rose returned to full contact practices on January 29; on March 9, an ESPN Chicago report stated Rose was medically cleared to play by doctors. Rose has chosen to sit out the entire season up to this point, but continues to the leave door open for a potential return during the playoffs. Rose says he won't return until he feels right, and he believes that day could come at any ...

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 4: Derrick Rose #1 of the Chicago Bulls warms up for the Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals between the Chicago Bulls and the Brooklyn Nets during the 2013 NBA Playoffs at the Barclays Center on May 4, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 4: Derrick Rose #1 of the Chicago Bulls warms up for the Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals between the Chicago Bulls and the Brooklyn Nets during the 2013 NBA Playoffs at the Barclays Center on May 4, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

Derrick Rose still has not ruled out a return this season for the Chicago Bulls, saying he could play in their Eastern Conference semifinal against the Miami Heat.

One unfortunate byproduct of the Bulls continuing on their improbable playoff journey to Miami is that this dumbass Rose situation still looms. And it's looming because Rose himself won't shut the door on a return. If you read (and see) his words from Saturday morning, it looks pretty definite that Rose has no intention of coming back, and he's either playing dumb and/or is legitimately so. Adrian Wojnarowski is probably the best reporter on the league right now, and so in lieu of Rose himself confirming the obvious, this is probably as definitive as we can get: Derrick Rose knows. Hi...