Derrick Rose

Report: Bulls' Jimmy Butler doesn't respect Derrick Rose's work ethic

Published Oct. 7, 2015 4:48 p.m. ET

foxsports

It wasn't long ago that the Chicago Bulls were undoubtedly Derrick Rose's team. He was their leader, soul and MVP. But as injuries have taken their toll on the point guard, Jimmy Butler has emerged to fill some of the leadership void.

It hasn't always been a smooth transition. Rumors of a potential rift between Butler and Rose have floated around the Bulls for most of the offseason, if not longer. The two players have done their part to squash any speculation of a beef, but the whispers won't go away.

And now, a report from the Chicago Sun-Times quotes a former member of the Bulls as saying that while the two are friendly and respect each other personally, Butler isn't enamored with Rose's work ethic:

According to the source, Butler considers Rose a friend, but "doesn’t have a lot of respect for his work ethic." In Butler’s mind, Rose was considered the face of the franchise, and if the face of the franchise wasn’t busting his butt in practice every day, especially last season, what was the message to the rest of the team?

"We all saw this coming," the source said.

This is an issue that hasn't been much of a public kerfuffle to this point, as Rose and Butler have hardly shared the court in recent years thanks to Rose's injuries. But if the point guard is healthy in 2015-16, the relationship between the two could be something to keep an eye on.

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Derrick Rose

Jimmy Butler

Chicago Bulls

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