Pros and Cons of Derrick Rose Trade to Knicks
The NBA world has now got a taste of their next blockbuster trade of the season. Derrick Rose is being traded back to the New York Knicks in return for Dennis Smith. There, he will be reunited with the head coach, Tom Thibodeau, who coached Rose back in their Chicago Bulls’ days. The other details of the trade include a 2021 second-round pick via the Charlotte Hornets to the Pistons. For those who do not know, this will be Rose’s second stint with the New York Knicks. Rose played for them for a year back in the 2016-17 season where he was teamed up with Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis. Now, he will get a new shot in the mecca of basketball for a young team on the come up in the Eastern Conference.
Pros and Cons of Rose to Knicks
Pros
Rose will now be playing for a team that may not be in the lottery this season. Not to mention, he will provide valuable veteran experience to a young Knicks squad who have been surprisingly decent this season. He is reunited with his former coach and should mesh well with the locker room right off the bat. Therefore, chemistry should be of little concern to the Knicks with this addition to the roster.
Third of all, he may not be the Derrick Rose of old, but the guy can still play. For his Detroit tenure, Rose averaged 17.2 points, 5.2 assists, and an effective field goal percentage of 50.9 percent. The Knicks are a top-10 defensive team this season, but their offense still leaves something to be desired at 25th in the league. Bringing in Rose will add some much-needed scoring punch to this offensive unit. But, what about any disadvantages of having Rose on the Knicks?
Cons
As always the case with Rose since his unfortunate first knee injury, availability is always a concern. This season, he has only started in 15 games. Currently, he is nursing a left knee injury and is day to day. He did not play in the matchup that went into double overtime against the Los Angeles Lakers on February 6, 2021.
Rose could have very well been the tipping point in that game as the matchup went into double overtime, but Detroit finally faltered when LeBron James came up clutch from three-point land. With a duo of guards on the roster in Austin Rivers and Elfrid Payton having decent seasons, it will be interesting to see the dynamic that can form in the backcourt if Rose continues to miss time. However, being on a playoff contender could revitalize the motivation for Derrick Rose to get back on the court as quickly as possible.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this trade will do more good than harm. This was the right move for both sides involved. The Pistons need to go into full rebuild and shipping Rose was the first step (could Blake Griffin be next)? As far as the Knicks are concerned, they get a proven veteran who is familiar with Tom Thibodeau. They are a team on the rise in the East. One who will be adding a former MVP to a young roster who could use a mentor or two. This will not make them a title contender right away by any means. However, it will assist them in remaining in the postseason picture. This was a win-win scenario for the New York Knicks and the Detroit Pistons.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
