Even if Rose were to go down again, the Bulls' current roster is better equipped to handle its superstar's absence than the previous two. Don't look now, but the depth chart goes at least 11 deep on paper.
It's clear the strength of the squad is depth.
The added depth came without sacrificing the team's defensive identity. Chicago got the shooting it needed and now boasts unprecedented versatility at four positions. If the team sends Mirotic, McDermott and Taj Gibson to Minnesota for Love, it will sacrifice that identity and its depth.
Gone would be two bigs (Mirotic and Gibson) with varying skill sets that give Thibodeau weapons to attack teams in different ways off his bench. Gone would be a young, team-first, dead-eye long-range shooter in McDermott. He has the look of a more skilled version of Kyle Korver.
The average age of the three players rumored to be offered is just 24.6. The 29-year-old Gibson would be the elder statesman of the group, but don't underestimate what his absence would mean.
Gibson's defense, athleticism and energy would be sorely missed. He helped to give the Bulls bench an identity last season, and he will do the same thing for the unit next season—given the chance.