Derrick Rose returned to the New York Knicks on Tuesday after his mysterious absence from a game Monday night.
Rose did not elaborate on why he left the Knicks without notice, saying only that he had a family matter to attend to in Chicago.
As for why he didn’t answer the Knicks’ calls to check up on him, Rose said he needed “space.” He said he later contacted the Knicks to tell them what happened, and he apologized to the team for his actions upon returning.
While it’s unclear what triggered Rose’s visit to Chicago, the New York Daily News’ Frank Isola reported on Tuesday that Rose returned to his hometown an “emotional wreck” and badly needed to see his mother and son.
From Isola:
"Rose, according to two independent sources who spoke to the Daily News on the condition of anonymity, was such an emotional wreck Monday afternoon that his only solution was to abruptly leave the Knicks to be with his mother and his son.
"In fact, Rose's state of mind was such that for a brief time he talked about walking away from basketball for an extended period of time to clear his mind. That seems hard to believe since Rose is only 28 years old and could land a lucrative free agent contract this summer, something he talked about two years ago."
The Knicks announced on Tuesday that Rose would be fined for being AWOL, and coach Jeff Hornacek said on Wednesday that Rose would likely start for the Knicks' next game, against the 76ers.
However, reports have indicated that, privately, the Knicks were embarrassed and livid with Rose's lack of communication. With Rose in a contract year, he likely hurt his option for a next contract, which according to ESPN's Ian Begley, he would like to be a max. deal - five years, approximately $150 million.