What does "balls out" include? I think playing in pickup games varies wildly from ratcheting it up in the playoffs 40 minutes every other night, especially against defenses that are going to up the physicality. I think it's a lot more likely that while he could play, and probably do reasonably well, it's better for both sides to sit him rather than run him out there for a playoff run they know will end against Miami. Then they should have had a press conference months ago saying "We're shutting Rose down indefinitely, to await a doctor's confirmation of LeBron's retirement." Obviously you don't want him to play his first games in the playoffs, but he was cleared with what, 20 games left?