Veteran point guard Derrick Rose has already requested a trade from the Detroit Pistons which led him to sit out Saturday night's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Several suitors are expected to come after Rose's services but a team that must get in the sweepstakes are the New York Knicks.
The struggling team has already gained newfound resurgence in the early stages of the 2020-21 season. Their impressive showing can be attributed to the work that head coach Tom Thibodeau has put in while coaching in his first season with the Knicks.
Rose serves as a great acquisition for the New York-based squad since Thibodeau is already familiar with the playing style of the 32-year-old point guard. Looking back in hindsight, Thibodeau also served as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls which bannered a young Derrick Rose who immediately made noise in the league.
Thibodeau's mentorship allowed Rose to be the youngest player to ever win the league MVP award at the age of 22 back in 2011. The veteran tactician also gave Rose sufficient confidence as the point guard emerged at the forefront of the team's multiple postseason runs from 2010 to 2015.
Several years later, Rose is already playing in his 13th season in the league and remains to be a serviceable asset after averaging norms of 14.2 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 15 appearances.
Apart from his production on the floor, the three-time All-Star can also extend his veteran leadership to the young players of the Knicks who have already shown plenty of promise in their first few years in the league. Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and Mitchell Robinson, along with the rest of their supporting cast will definitely benefit from Rose's presence moving forward.
In exchange for the veteran playmaker, New York can ship opt to ship away Kevin Knox II who has already dropped out of the team's rotation in recent contests. He is only averaging 6.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 0.8 assists in 20 games off the bench. Perhaps he can find a new lease in his career if he gets traded to a new team midway through his third season in the league.
With an 11-13 record, the Knicks are currently in seventh place in the Eastern Conference. They can still make the playoffs for the first time since the 2012-13 season if they manage to sustain their momentum all throughout the year.
The potential addition of a talent like Derrick Rose will certainly help the Knicks reach that goal and successfully establish a winning culture within the team sooner than later.
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