1) Rose is a PG, Jimmy is a swingman.
2) We had 3 other PGs (Hinrich, Nate and Teague) so he didn't get any more minutes from Rose being out.
3) Thibs don't play youngins until he needs bodies to fill in for injuries. Jimmy didn't get minutes until Deng started missing games this year. We barely saw Jimmy last year.
4) Jimmy didn't get the starting job at the 2 because Marco stepped up in Rip's absence and was better starting than coming off the bench. Then Thibs started playing Nate at the 2, while Hinrich ran the point to get the offense going. Jimmy only played next to Deng when it was to turn up the defense.
5) The more minutes Jimmy got, the more his offensive game started to show/develop, we started seeing him dunk on fast breaks, dunks off lob passes, he started knocking 3s...granted, he still needs to work on his jumpshot but it's all good because he'll be starting next season (because he's earned it, not just because Rip will be bought out/traded and Marco will be lost in FA) and he will get more shots as Rose kicks the ball out when he can't score in the paint.