Derrick Rose's time on Team USA serves as a marker for his return

Anyone watching Team USA basketball knows that Derrick Rose has not been performing particularly well. The former MVP of the NBA has shot at a dismal 22% from the field (4-18) and 14% from beyond the arc (8-11) within an average of 19 minutes a night thus far in the FIBA games.

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Rose's numbers have clearly been the low points of the team's three recent blow out victories over Finland, Turkey, and New Zealand. However, this does not prove to be all that bad for Rose who has been in and out of the NBA for quite some time now. Chicago fans should not be worried about their young leader and his recent slump because competing with Team USA will only allow Rose to test his limits and get a feel for a game that he has not really played for the last two to three years.

Any athlete that comes back from an injury is expected to require some time to shake off the cobwebs and that time is not always going to be pretty. What better timing is this year's FIBA Basketball World Cup for Rose, who will have the opportunity to ease his way back into competitive basketball without having all of the attention and pressure on him. With the talent on the team in Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, James Harden, and DeMar DeRozan, Rose will not have to carry the team or do too much at all. Players with the caliber to play on the team will be able to pick up the slack on days that Rose may not be performing up to his "expected" numbers.

 In addition, Tom Thibodeau, the head coach of the Chicago Bulls, is currently an assistant coach on the team which means that Thibodeau can monitor Rose's minutes and progression before the start of the NBA season.

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There is a reason why he is still on the team rather than Damian Lillard, who showed off some exceptional skills during the Team USA camp; Rose's work ethic and concentration during his time thus far in FIBA contention have inspired his teammates to continue to play hard day in and day out which is beyond his lackluster numbers.

So to those who have been skeptical of Rose's return and impact on the Bulls during this upcoming season, I suggest that you all reevaluate his performance in the FIBA games. Do not look at the numbers and try to find meaning there, think about what it means for Rose to be able to step on the floor, make mistakes, and learn from them now when real consequences will not disrupt the flow of the team's game. He is slowly getting his groove back, slowly gaining confidence, and with the time to shake off the cobwebs, Rose will be back in shape early than before; this way, the Chicago star can be ready to lead the Bulls back to playoff contention without making rusty mistakes when consequences seriously do matter.