Just 8 games into the NBA season, the story has not been the 10-1 Memphis Grizzlies or the 9-2 Houston Rockets off to fast starts. It hasn't been the 1-9 Los Angeles Lakers or the winless Philadelphia 76ers, either. The story has been more along the lines of the return of Derrick Rose. Or lack thereof.

After two knees injuries in back-to-back seasons, Rose has already missed six games this season for the Chicago Bulls. But those games are not just regularly scheduled days off. No, Rose missed four of those games because of a sprained ankle. And the fifth and sixth he missed as a result of a hamstring he tweaked in a game against the Toronto Raptors. The All-Star point guard sat out on Monday as a result of the hamstring injury.

The unfortunate reality is Rose is heading down the path of the notorious Greg Oden. But he is not alone in his travels. Young players have been victimized by injuries, too. Fourth overall draft pick Aaron Gordon has been ruled out indefinitely with a broken foot. Fellow first round draft pick Julius Randle was lost for the season after going down with a broken leg on opening night. Marcus Smart, another top ten draft pick, is also missing time because of injury. He is expected to be out two to three weeks with a left ankle sprain and a bruised bone. And don't forget about the third overall pick out of Kansas, Joel Embiid. The Cameroonian big man has yet to play in an NBA game and will probably miss the first half of the season after a stress fracture in his foot required surgery.

Among these young guns who are victims of the injury plague, veterans are experiencing similar pains. For example, the Oklahoma City Thunder have lost both Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook for significant time due to injury. Durant has recently begun shooting as he makes his way back from a Jones fracture in his right foot, but does not yet have a timetable for return. The same goes for Westbrook, who underwent surgery to address a fractured hand. Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade sat out of Friday's game to rest a hamstring injury and Rajon Rondo missed a game to have a screw removed from his broken hand. Bradley Beal has missed the start of the season with a wrist injury, while Charlotte Hornets guard Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is expected to miss two games with a foot injury. The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to have Nick Young back this week after he sat out the first ten games while recovering from a thumb injury. But they will not have Steve Nash on the court for the second straight year as he continues to deal with a back problem. The Indiana Pacers have to deal with a similar issue, after losing Paul George for the season when he broke his leg in a Team USA scrimmage this summer.

These injuries are clearly a cause for concern in the NBA. Not only are they coming in bunches, but they are accompanied by a lengthy stay on the sidelines. While the competitive nature of the league certainly plays a factor, it is nothing new. The level of play has not become more violent, either. But, in today's day in age, being the biggest guy on the floor at any given time has become a top priority. And not big as in tall. Big as in the 250 pound, "slimmed-down" LeBron James. This is the new wave of athlete that the NBA has been forced to accommodate. Human Growth Hormones are discussed in nearly every sport around the country and have certainly played a factor in the National Football League. A lack of testing has resulted in ongoing concussion concerns and ACL tears occurring nearly every Sunday. Adam Silver is wise to consider implementing testing for HGH and other enhancements in the NBA that not only give certain players an advantage, but put other players at a severe disadvantage. Certain players like the 190-pound Derrick Rose, whose knees are ready to cave in, cannot continue to play at the high level that the NBA demands.

Injuries are a regular byproduct of sports, but the excess of injuries that have occurred barely ten games into the NBA season is certainly alarming. Not only are individual seasons in jeopardy, but this could potentially forecast a dark future for the league. The media and the fans expect an insane level of performance from these players. Derrick Rose is, again, the example here, being criticized by the media after making comments about the thought of preserving himself for life after basketball. But, the reality is he is among many players whose bodies are simply starting to break down. It is an ongoing problem in multiple sports, as increased pressure from fans and media is slowly leading to a decrease in the life expectancy of these athletes.