Derrick Rose is a player that the Chicago Bulls are familiar with and an organization with which the player is also familiar. Indeed, he arguably made his name in the NBA with the franchise before moving on and into a career that has seen him go from team to team.

However, while he may have started out at the Bulls, it seems some are urging the Chicago-based franchise to keep an eye on his movements this offseason and potentially look to try and trade for him should the New York Knicks make a move for him.

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Derrick Rose could be traded, and the Bulls should keep an eye on it

A former star of the Bulls – in which the veteran managed to make a blistering start to his NBA career as he was named Rookie of the Year, MVP, and a three-time All-Star all in his first four years – it seems he could be a potential contender on the trading block.

Rose has shown that while he has had some injuries that he has had to contend with, including several problems to his knees, he managed to be incredibly effective for the New York Knicks in his second spell for the organization.

He proved he could be influential in scoring from the bench, as he helped the franchise to achieve a playoff seed the season before last. However, injuries once again blighted his time and with the Knicks looking to restructure once again, there are some suggestions that the 33-year-old veteran could be on the trading block.

And, should he become available, there will be high demand for his signature across the league, according to one league executive as Rose is the most tradeable player on the Knicks’ roster. Telling Heavy.com, the unnamed exec said:

“He’s older now obviously and whatever happened off the floor with him, on the floor he has been such a pro everywhere he has gone. His contract is good ($14.5 million for 2022-23, player options at $15.6 million for 2023-24), he has become a very good three-point shooter, he brings energy, he likes coming off the bench.”

Bulls need to consider bringing Rose back

So, why should the Bulls be looking to bring back their 1st overall pick in the 2008 draft?

Indeed, while the injury concerns will undoubtedly be a concern and something that the franchise would need to consider wisely, there is no denying that he could potentially help them out of their own injury problems at the moment.

For instance, Lonzo Ball’s current knee injury and his extended period of recovery from the surgery he had to his left knee provide the team with a degree of uncertainty, and having a player like Rose on the roster could help to limit the potential impact that Ball’s absence may have on their chances of reaching the NBA playoffs.

The team will want to build on what they had managed last season, which was a First Round exit to the Milwaukee Bucks (1-4), and there will be punters that will want to see improvement from the team, especially if they decide to take advantage of the sports betting options available to them.

Indeed, there are a number of exceptional sports betting sites in Illinois available to residents and visitors to the state who will be watching the Bulls when they take to the court in the upcoming NBA season, where they will be able to get a range of odds and markets to place a wager on.

Of course, those who do decide to place a bet on the organization will want to ensure the franchise is in the best position possible to compete on the basketball court. So, will Rose be an excellent addition to allow them to have that confidence?

What did Rose accomplish during his previous tenure with the Bulls?

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While it has been many seasons since he last played for Chicago, there is no doubt that Rose could be successful if he were to have a homecoming to Illinois, the state in which he was born.

Of the seven years he had for the team since being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, he managed to help the franchise make an appearance in the playoffs on five occasions. This included being named the MVP in the 2010/11 season as he managed to produce exceptional numbers before the team was ousted in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Miami Heat.

Even in the year that he missed (2012/13), the Bulls managed to reach the playoffs and get as far as the Eastern Conference Semifinals before being beaten by the Heat once again. While Rose did not play a single game that year, you can imagine his influence on the team in the locker room.

Although injuries clearly continue to be a problem for the 33-year-old, he is even more experienced now and has shown that he can still have a solid impact on the basketball court when available. He helped the Knicks get to the playoffs in the season before last and produced significant numbers, even if they lost the series to the Atlanta Hawks 4-1 in the First Round.

Should the Bulls look to make a move for him if available?

If the Knicks were to make Rose available for a trade this summer, should the Chicago Bulls be looking to reunite with the point guard?

Naturally, a lot of the argument will be down to whether the veteran can keep himself healthy and fit enough to play a significant amount of basketball. Indeed, there is no doubt that there is a huge risk surrounding him, however he has shown that he can still make a difference.

For many, if he did not have the injuries that he has had throughout his career, he would be an NBA Champion by now. Perhaps he can achieve this by going full circle and making a return to his hometown and where his professional career all began.

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Ted Phillips has been with the Bears for a long time but is set to retire after the 2022 season

Reports came out Friday that the Chicago Bears CEO/President, Ted Phillips, plans to step down at the end of the season. Phillips has been the Bears’ CEO since 1999. He’s the fourth person to have that title for the Bears.

Dan Pompei of The Athletic broke the report that Phillips is retiring. According to the report, Phillips wanted to “slow down” and do whatever he wanted to do.

Phillips began working for the Bears in 1983 as the team’s comptroller. He worked his way from there to becoming the first CEO of the team not in the McCaskey or Halas family.

There had been rumors of Ted Phillips moving away from the football operations side of the business in 2021. It was a welcome idea to fans who wanted football knowledge at the helm over the shrewd business-like nature of the current Bears decision making.

It’ll be interesting to see who the Bears will choose as their next CEO/President. The Bears have a lot on their plate juggling a team with a likely franchise quarterback amid the franchise moving to a new stadium.

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With the season opener about a week away, the Sun-Times’ Patrick Finley breaks down the Bears’ biggest questions:

Where will Justin Fields rank among the NFL’s QBs this year?

FINLEY: As a second-year starter on a run-first team — sound familiar? — the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts ranked 27th with 209.6 passing yards per game, 22nd with an 87.2 passer rating and led all quarterbacks with 52.3 rushing yards per game last year. I expect a similar season out of Fields. He has more talent than Hurts — especially when it comes to deep throws — but less talent around him.

Did Ryan Poles do enough this offseason?

FINLEY: Absolutely not. He needed to give Fields better receivers to throw to and more established blockers in order for the general manager to properly evaluate his quarterback. Receiver. Only the Ravens — whose rushing offense resembles a military academy more than it does, say, the Rams — have spent less cap space on receivers than the Bears this season. Only seven teams have spent less on the offensive line.

The most glaring need the Bears have is …

Offensive line. Fields was sacked on 11.8 percent of his dropbacks last year, the highest rate in the NFL. Since 2000, only eight quarterbacks to attempt 250 or more passes in a season have been sacked more often. The Bears signed exactly one veteran to try to fix the line — and Lucas Patrick needed thumb surgery after the first week of camp.

A rookie who will make the biggest impact is ….

Receiver Velus Jones has the most obvious opportunity — he can inject speed and skill into the team’s worst position group. When Poles defended his offensive roster this week, he mentioned three people by name: receiver Darnell Mooney, tight end Cole Kmet and Jones, the third-round pick from Tennessee.

The team MVP will be ….

Defensive end Robert Quinn — if the Bears keep him all season long. Quinn is coming off a franchise-record 18 1/2 sacks and seems out of place on a rebuilding team. If a championship contender loses a pass-rusher to injury before the trade deadline, Poles might be tempted to see what he could get in a trade.

How will Roquan Smith fare in a prove-it year?

He’ll earn his first Pro Bowl berth in February and a contract extension in March.

What will the Bears’ record be in Matt Eberflus’ debut season?

6-11. Eberflus’ dedication to detail has turned the Bears into a try-hard team, which is sometimes used as a pejorative in the NFL. Ordinarily, that effort level would be worth an extra win or two toward the end of the season, when some teams have little to play for. Four of the five teams the Bears play in December and January will be motivated by a playoff push, though: the Packers, Eagles, Bills and Vikings.

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Ted Phillips, who has served as the Bears’ president and CEO since 1999, will retire in February, the team said Friday.

The Bears have already begun looking for his successor.

Phillips is the fourth president in team history — and the only one not related to founder George Halas. His son “Mugs” Halas held the job, followed by grandson Michael McCaskey. Phillips replaced Michael McCaskey after serving as vice president of operations from 1993-99. He was the team’s controller from 1983-87 and finance director from 1987-93.

“He started out with us as a financial expert,” said Bears matriarch Virginia McCaskey in a statement. “Anything that he was ever asked to take care of, he came through and did it very well. We’ve been very blessed to have him.”

Phillips’ focus was on the Bears’ business operations — he negotiated a deal to renovate Soldier Field when Michael McCaskey could not, although the Bears have since decided that playing at the lakefront stadium is not acceptable. McCaskey and Phillips led the Bears’ search for land upon which to build a new stadium. The Bears are currently in escrow on the former Arlington Racecourse site in Arlington Heights; it’s expected to close before Phillips retires.

Phillips presence at Bears’ season-ending press conferences irked some fans. The Bears won only three playoff games during Phillips’ tenure.

Phillips’ pending retirement seemed to be a possibility in January, when chairman George McCaskey said that, in a change, new general manager Ryan Poles would report to him and not Phillips.

McCaskey did not change the fundamental structure of Halas Hall then — and it’s unclear whether he will do so when hiring Phillips’ replacement. When the Bears install a new president/CEO for the first time in 24 years, they’ll have an opportunity to modernize their structure, separating the business side of the franchise from the football side. McCaskey, though, has resisted calls to do so in the past.

Organizational information gleaned from the Bears’ lengthy general manager interview process — they talked to 13 candidates — could inform how they Bears proceed in hiring Phillips’ replacement. One GM candidate, Steelers vice president of football and business administration Omar Khan, had a resume that seemed more in line with Phillips’ job than the vacant GM post. The Steelers, though, named Khan general manager four months later.

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NFL executives are not impressed with the Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears are getting ready for the regular season after going 3-0 in the preseason. The Bears’ performance in August didn’t seem to impress NFL insiders. The Bears are still adding pieces to their “fixer-upper” roster.

National media has been giving the Bears a lot of grief recently. Even in games when the team has looked competent overall. The Bears have played more disciplined football under the new Matt Eberflus regime. But more than the talking heads on TV are skeptical about this current team.

Mike Sando with The Athletic wrote an article about where NFL executives rank each NFC team this year. The Bears can be found by scrolling near the bottom of the page to tie with the New York Giants for a 13th median vote tally. Only the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons were ranked lower by the five executives who voted. Here’s why they put the Bears so low:

The Bears did not do much personnel-wise to raise expectations this offseason. Theirs is a long-term view.

“They did not do enough to address their offensive line,” one of the voters said. “They didn’t have a first-round pick. They drafted a 25-year-old receiver in the third round (Velus Jones Jr.) who is a special teams guy. They are at the bottom of that division from a roster/talent standpoint. Detroit is a lot better. Minnesota is not going to fall because they do have offensive talent there.”

The Chicago Bears don’t have much time to better the team

The executives’ reasoning continues with the national narrative about the Bears. Recently, the team has acquired more help from waivers to address needs on the offensive line and wide receiver positions.

Will a disappointing former first-round pick in Alex Leatherwood be enough to fix the offensive line this year? Probably not. Neither will second-year wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette be enough to make opposing secondaries worry about the Bears passing attack.

The Chicago Bears are a week away from playing their first regular season game. The coaching staff will have to gameplan with some combination on the offensive line and at wide receiver. Here’s hoping a dart sticks.

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This fall may be one of the busiest yet for shows coming through Chicago.

Post Malone, Iron Maiden, Tom Jones, Arcade Fire, Paramore, Eric Clapton, Carrie Underwood, Marcus Mumford, Muse, The Who, Stevie Nicks, The Killers, Demi Lovato, Gorillaz, Florence + The Machine, Jack Harlow, Alice Cooper, Mary J. Blige, Roxy Music, Panic! At The Disco, and not to mention Riot Fest and Cold Waves, are all headed to town at some point through Thanksgiving.

And there are still 10 more shows to write home about!

Here are our top picks for what to see the next few months:

Mdou Moctar

The guitar is a powerful instrument, especially in the hands of this West African phenom. Called the “Jimi Hendrix of the Sahara,” he’s a master crafter of tishoumaren (desert blues) whose songs are rally calls for peace and justice in his homeland of Niger. Indie powerhouse Matador Records released his latest, 2021’s “Afrique Victime.” Combining Tuareg folk and field recordings with unmistakable licks from the Zeppelin and Van Halen playbook, it was hailed as one of the best of the year and even made an entrance on Obama’s prestigious playlist. (Sept. 6, Thalia Hall, 8:30 p.m., $25+. thaliahallchicago.com)

Lil Nas X

It’s hard to believe that Lil Nas X has never gone on tour – until now. In the past three years, the country-trap star, LGBTQ icon and rhinestone cowboy fashionista has been a cornerstone of the cultural conscience, as much for his music (the ubiquitous “Old Town Road”) as for his blurred lines persona that preaches inclusivity. Finally, the “Long Live Montero” tour will bring all that mystique into 3D with an anticipated show that’s sure to be a stacked visual feast too. (Sept. 10-11, Aragon, 7 p.m., $79.50+. livenation.com)

Amyl and The Sniffers

Riot Fest will have left the building by this point, but if you’ve still got pangs for more ballsy punk rock, this super-charged Australian four-piece is a good Riot adjacent pick. Fronted by the breathing exclamation point Amy Taylor, the group is a solid mix of riot grrl, raw garage rock and pure ’70s punk with hints of Bikini Kill, Blondie, The Clash and even demo days Nirvana. Their appearance at the Vic will feel like a night at CBGBs. (Sept. 28, The Vic Theatre, 7 p.m., $30, axs.com)

Bloodywood

Ancient folk music and metal can make a real great marriage. Recently the wild popularity of The Hu the past few years (combining Mongolian folk with metal) has given new attention to the unique style. Bloodywood is another newer standout that combines Indian folk with nu metal. The band started out with viral covers of Linkin Park, but their original work takes on a loud life of its own with important messaging about social causes and mental health. (Oct. 3, Beat Kitchen, 8 p.m., $20, beatkitchen.com)

Harry Styles

Fresh off a prominent role in partner Olivia Wilde’s feature film, “Don’t Worry Darling,” Harry will be setting up house at the United Center for a mini, 6-date residency for his Love On Tour. Hitting only five North American markets, the super selective trek comes after lauded “one night only” affairs in New York City and London where he debuted a new set design (a neon outline of a home, dovetailing with the title of his latest album) and a stacked set list full of his solid solo hits “As It Was” and “Watermelon Sugar” that show a pop star truly coming into his own. (Oct. 6, 8, 9, 13, 14, United Center, 8 p.m., Sold out, ticketmaster.com)

The B-52s

Goodbyes are never easy, especially having to bid adieu to this zany, out-of-the-world dance rock troupe. Now on their “Final Tour Ever Of Planet Earth,” The B-52s will put an end cap on an illustrious and fun 45-year career that started humbly in Athens, Georgia and has blessed us with the retro pop chic of “Rock Lobster” and “Love Shack” — but not before two boisterous sendoffs in Chicago. (Oct. 7-8, Chicago Theater, 7:30 p.m. Sold out, ticketmaster.com)

Lizzo

It’s “About Damn Time” 2022’s Top 40 Queen got an arena tour — and you can be sure she’ll fill every inch of the space with her over-the-top personality brimming with wit, charm and a whole lot of sass. A little Missy, a little Beyonce, a little Aretha, Lizzo has perfected the ratio of pop star/hip-hop diva, coming a long way from her earliest days in Minnesota working with Lazerbeak and the Doomtree Collective, but no less down-to-earth in her approach. (Oct. 16, United Center, 8 p.m., Sold out, ticketmaster.com)

The Record Company

The name of this L.A. trio is a very good indicator of their rough-hewn style — if a crate full of dusted off 45’s had a sound, this would be it. Proudly wearing their influences of the Stooges and the Stones, John Lee Hooker and Jimmy Page, The Record Company interprets classics through a modern lens and makes rock sound fresh and exciting again. On tour they bring a full ensemble to really turn it up. (Nov. 4, Park West, 8 p.m. $28, axs.com)

The Smashing Pumpkins & Jane’s Addiction

The Spirits on Fire Tour will have you asking what year it is again as two of the ’90s bests team up for a night of nostalgic wanderlust and golden era hits. Featuring Chicago’s own Smashing Pumpkins and Chicago’s adopted son Perry Farrell fronting Jane’s Addiction, there’s a real local flavor to this event. Precursors have been welcomed the past few months as Billy Corgan and Farrell have collaborated on a number of occasions not the least of which was a benefit for the those affected by the Highland Park shooting. (Nov. 5, United Center, 6:30 p.m., $39+, ticketmaster.com)

M?neskin

America has been craving a holier than thou rock band like M?neskin, we just had to go to Italy to find them. The young, slick, soon-to-be megastars have gone from busking to building a Roman empire since winning the Eurovision contest last year, magnifying audiences with their catchy choruses on “Supermodel,” “I Wanna Be Your Slave” and a cover of Frankie Valli and the Four Season’s “Beggin’.” From their plugged-in talent to their unabashed fashion and super swagger, they are the epitome of a bygone era of rock star idolization. (Nov. 17, Aragon, 7 p.m., $59.50, livenation.com)

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