Miami Heat forward Luol Deng said he was "almost in tears" when he heard about Bulls point guard Derrick Rose's latest knee injury, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Chicago announced on Tuesday that Rose will undergo surgery after suffering a medial meniscus tear in his right knee. A timetable for his return will be released after the surgery.

The surgery will mark Rose's third knee procedure since he was named the league's MVP in 2011. Deng, who is in his first season with the Heat, was Rose's teammate in Chicago from 2008 to 2014.

"Honestly," Deng said on Wednesday, according to the Sun Sentinel, "I was almost in tears. It's different when you know the guy that well." [...] "He's a tough guy. I think he'll be fine," said Deng, who was dealt by the Bulls to the Cleveland Cavaliers in January 2014 and then signed with the Miami Heat as a free agent last summer. "But it's just three seasons in a row. He wants to do what he loves, but things keep happening. And honestly, a lot of people would deal with it differently. He just keeps going and keeps working hard."

Over 46 games this season, Rose, 26, has averaged 18.4 points and 5.0 assists. His maximum contract with the Bulls runs through the 2016-17 season.

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