Derrick Rose has been dunking for weeks, but he is not close to returning to practice.

There also are people close to the Chicago Bulls' guard who believe he shoudn't play at all this season. In fact, any suggestion that Rose could come back from his torn ACL before March is an unrealistic hope.

Rose tore the ACL in his left knee in late April and had surgery on May 12.

Rose has been sprinting, cutting and jumping for weeks now and has recently been spotted finishing sprints at the Bulls' practice facility.

Coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters on Tuesday that Rose is a long way from joining the team on the practice court.