Detroit Pistons point guard Derrick Rose is making a brilliant first impression in the Motor City. He has played a critical role off the bench and with his play being so strong, many wonder why he isn't a starter who receives a heavier load of minutes.

One year after staking his claim for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year, Rose is averaging 16.8 points, 5.9 assists, and 2.1 rebounds through his first 28 games with the Pistons. Those equate to per-36 averages of 24.8 points, 8.6 assists and 3.2 rebounds, numbers that are very much on par with his 2010-11 MVP season with the Chicago Bulls.

So why is Rose only playing around 24 minutes per game? According to Pistons head coach Dwane Casey, the Pistons are trying to be wary of Rose's health.

“I promise you, I would love to play him more and Derrick would love to play, but he can't, I mean physically,” Casey said, via Rod Beard of the Detroit News. “We don't want to put him in that situation, his body in that situation. So according to the game, we have to be creative.”

“If you're a starter your minutes are going to get ramped up with some, some kind of way. That's why we try and can't wait for that,” Casey said. “I'm watching the clock to see what we can get in there. But to start the second half, it's very difficult to stay under that and also being at the end of game; it's almost impossible.”

Of course, Derrick Rose's career was nearly destroyed by health issues. He lost a ton of explosiveness and athleticism thanks in part to a series of knee injuries. However, Rose rebounded with a strong 2018-19 campaign for the Minnesota Timberwolves, eventually earning a two-year contract with the Pistons.

Dwane Casey would love to extend Rose's minutes with the Pistons, but he also understands that the former MVP might be at his best when he plays in short bursts.