With the NBA season over and next season not beginning again until late October, much of the basketball world is focusing on the FIBA World Cup being hosted in Spain, where one of the most anticipated players expected to be in action is Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose.

Rose has played many games in the NBA, but his participation in the tournament comes as a surprise because of his health. Coming off a second season-ending knee injury that he is rehabbing for his comeback next season, any people believe he is taking a huge risk, while others think this is a good idea.

Why Derrick Rose Should Not Play

This is an extremely risky decision by Rose, who already played in the 2010 FIBA World Cup. Rose has played and started just 49 regular season games over the last three combined seasons. A torn ACL and knee injuries have kept him from returning to MVP status. Rose has nothing to gain at this event. After all, it's not the Summer Olympics, where the best players from around the world compete.

By playing at this tournament, Rose is doing either one of two things.

One, he's going full throttle and will be playing with one hundred percent effort. The problem with that is Rose puts himself at greater jeopardy to get injured. He loves to attack the basket, and that's how he got injured last time. The other option for Rose is to play but play light. In a way, that would be selfish. Rose would be using this tournament and he would be taking up a roster spot just so he could he could get healthy and back to NBA shape.

Why Derrick Rose Should Play

This could be a great opportunity, according for many fans. A lot of Chicago Bulls fans are going to be torn because they want to see their star player healthy, but how can they be sure? If Rose can't dominate and stay physical fit against tier three players in the international game, then there's no way he's going to be ready for the NBA level come October.

Rose doesn't have to play a great deal of minutes, just enough to help the squad win and show that he's in good shape. Considering Rose has played just an average of just 16 games per season over the last three years, he must be extremely anxious to get out on the court and prove his doubters wrong. If Rose can play limited minutes, stay healthy, and help the team win, this could be a win-win situation.

Conclusion

Rose is definitely taking some risk by playing at the FIBA World Cup, but he may not be taking a huge one. The San Antonio Spurs recently told Manu Ginóbili he couldn't play for Team Argentina. Although Rose doesn't have to play a lot minutes, he must be sure not to be a burden on the team. The Chicago Bulls are paying him a lot of money.

Where do you stand? Should Derrick Rose play in the 2014 FIBA World Cup? Feel free to vote in our latest sports poll below.