NBA Rumors: Bulls Should Be Concerned About Derrick Rose's Injury

Players voiced concern when the offseason was cut short to make way for a condensed 66-game schedule after the NBA lockout.

Players were worried more back-to-back games would mean more injuries.

Well, the players appear to have been right.

Following injuries to Miami Heat stars Dwyane Wade and LeBron James, the Chicago Bulls have been dealing with Derrick Rose's injury lately, which could be a flexion sprain and caused him to miss Wednesday night's game against the Washington Wizards.

It's worth noting that Rose has missed only six games in his first three seasons in the league while averaging 36 minutes per game. In that sense, he's a durable player, and it's no wonder why given his build.

But it's also worth noting that none of that may matter because this is simply a much more strenuous season. You're going to see players who have never had trouble with injuries go down. In fact, you already have.

That's why it's going to be a stressful balancing act for teams this season, deciding how much to play their stars while at the same time needing to win games.

Normally, I wouldn't be concerned with Rose's injury, which is currently considered "day-to-day." But injuries like that can linger and Rose's injury has the potential of being aggravated even more if he plays on it. He originally said he was certain to play in Wednesday's game, only to retract after he reportedly was in a walking boot before the game.

The truth is, the Bulls are not immune to the widespread injury bug that is happening across the league. Every team will be susceptible to various injuries throughout the season.

Perhaps the team that manages its stars the best this season will have the best chance of winning the title.