Why trading for Derrick Rose is a smart gamble for the Knicks – and a relief to Rose

Started by Poohdini, Jun 23, 2016, in Sports Add to Reading List

  1. Poohdini
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    Poohdini MVP MVP

    Jun 23, 2016
    NEW YORK – Derrick Rose is a Knick, and the collection of spare parts the Bulls received for him tells you all you need to know about how far the former MVP has fallen. Robin Lopez is a starting center, Jose Calderon is a serviceable guard and there are some who believe Jerian Grant will develop into a useful player. But this? For him? Times have changed, indeed.

    Rose, 27, is an ex-Bull now, and mixed in with the sadness felt by the Chicago-born, Simeon Career Academy-bred player, friends say, is relief. There was a time Rose believed he would never leave Chicago. He honed his game on the South Side of town, White Sox country, at Englewood's Murray Park, where on draft night in 2008 some 200 locals gathered on the blacktop to celebrate the event. He was an All-Star in 2010, the MVP in '11 and before a series of knee injuries disrupted his career seemed destined to lead the Bulls to their first title since Michael Jordan walked away.

    He didn't. His knee failed, his coach, Tom Thibodeau, was canned and, in between, Jimmy Butler emerged as the face of the franchise. Rose had been bracing for this day, a league source told The Vertical, and is ready for the challenge of beginning again.

    Derrick Rose averaged 16.4 points and 4.7 assists last season. (Getty Images)" alt="Derrick Rose averaged 16.4 points and 4.7 assists last season. Once Knicks fans get over the instinctual We got Derrick Rose! euphoria, they have to wonder: What the heck do we do with him? New York is starving for a point guard, having watched Calderon, a 44 percent 3-point shooter three seasons ago with Dallas, s---t around 41 percent in each of the past two. And Rose is still productive. He averaged 16.4 points in 66 games last season, chipping in 4.7 assists. He was a sub-30 percent 3-point shooter for the second straight season but, hey, Rose has never been much of a threat from out there anyway.

    Still: He's a ball-dominant guard joining a lineup with a ball-dominant forward (Carmelo Anthony) and a rising superstar who needs the ball. After defeating Donald Trump and replacing Lin-Manuel Miranda on "Hamilton" there is nothing more important in New York than developing Kristaps Porzingis. Rose attempted 16 shots a game last season. That would have been good for second on the Knicks – a tick ahead of Porzingis.

    How can it work? It starts with two words: "contract year." Rose will pocket $21.3 million this season – and will be a free agent at the end of it. Money – and the desire to earn more of it – can be an uncanny motivator. That, coupled with the continued healing of a thrice surgically repaired knee should elevate Rose's game. Coach Jeff Hornacek will have to figure out how to keep the ball moving, but if it does, Rose should benefit from playing alongside two frontcourt players – Anthony and Porzingis – who can space the floor for him.

    How the Knicks fill out the roster will be critical. New York has five players under contract and could have $30 million in cap space. And its needs have never been clearer. A playmaking two-guard would help; the Knicks are expected to aggressively pursue free agent Evan Turner to fill that role. A defensive-minded center is key; Joakim Noah, Rose's ex-teammate, makes a lot of sense. Pau Gasol could be in the mix, too. Dwight Howard's name has been dangled but would Howard – fresh off a frustrating season spent watching James Harden s---t – really sign on for what would be an even more reduced role in New York?

    A revived Rose, a revamped roster and the Knicks could well snap a three-year playoff drought. And even if they don't, the risk is minimal. The loss of Lopez is mitigated by the likelihood that Porzingis eventually moves to center, and New York will happily swap Calderon for Rose for one season. Grant is the wild card, and the 14.5 points he averaged in April suggests there could be a real player there. But he represents the only risk.

    If Rose flops, New York will wipe him from the books next summer and enter a stacked free-agent year with Anthony, an improved Porzingis, a first-round pick and enough cap space to sign two (hello, LeBron) max-level players. If Rose succeeds – and let's define success as his return to the ranks of the top-10 point guards, OK? – the Knicks will have an ex-MVP in his prime manning the NBA's most important position. It's a low-stakes roll of the dice for a team desperately in need of a big win.
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  2. Chad Warden
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    Chad Warden As Ballin As Possible

    Jun 23, 2016
    I like Rose but statistically he is a low efficiency guard with a PER below league starting point guard average. I looked at the numbers last night and this trade sucks for both teams. At least the Bulls got an above average starting center.
     
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  3. Poohdini
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    Poohdini MVP MVP

    Jun 23, 2016
    It's weird. His advanced stats look awful even though he played really well after Jan. 1st. I don't put a lot of stock into PER because there's too much involved. Who's on the court with you? What team are you playing? Is the game a blowout? Too many variables.
     
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  4. Chad Warden
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    Chad Warden As Ballin As Possible

    Jun 23, 2016
    His shooting percentages are bad too though. It's not just PER. He's an alright defender and a good passer, if he can make the improvement he needs to make on offense, it's not hard to see 17 PPG and 7 assists a game on good percentages with a low turnover ratio in his future if he can just get more efficient.
     
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  5. Kon
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    Kon

    Jun 23, 2016
    Why trading for Derrick Rose is a smart gamble for the Knicks: cuz they didn't give up s---, so why not?

    I don't understand why the Bulls would even want someone like Robin Lopez since they'll be rebuilding, he's mediocre with a big contract and isn't exactly a piece to build around.
     
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  6. Poohdini
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    Poohdini MVP MVP

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    To be fair he played 2 months with d--- near 1 eye and still managed to s---t over 43% for the season. Just shows how strong he was in 2016. I agree, 17-7 is a very doable line for him every night.
    Well we lose Noah & most likely Pau, so we get a decent starting C whose contract will look better under the new CBA.
     
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