Derrick Rose may have ended the season limping into free agency, but he’s the New York Knicks’ best choice.
New York Knicks fans are ready to sail the ship on Derrick Rose after his recent injury.
What Knicks fans don’t know is that Derrick Rose never back down from a setback. After his meniscus tear in 2013, he came back the next year and took the Bulls to the playoffs. In the playoffs, Rose averaged 19.3 points and 6.3 assists. He led the Bulls to a second round matchup against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Rose’s buzzer-beater in the 2015 playoffs help put the Bulls ahead of the Cavaliers 2-1 in the series. However, Cleveland won three straight.
If you think Rose will not try to rose from the garden then think again. New York’s only option heading into free agency is to sign Rose to a deal.
After his meniscus tear in 2013, he came back in took the Bulls to the playoffs. In the playoffs, he averaged 19.3 points and 6.3 assists.
On Sunday, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported that Derrick Rose had recently torn his meniscus and will miss the remainder of the season.
Later in the week, Ian Begley of ESPN revealed that Rose would require arthroscopy surgery. Rose, who has continually battled injuries over the past five seasons, hurt the same knee that he had his first and only ACL tear in.
Unfortunately, since his depressing ACL injury back in 2012, Rose has not been the same dynamic player that we once knew. That said, this has been Rose’s best statistical season since his last major knee injury.
In 2016-17, Rose is averaging 18.0 points per game on 47 percent shooting while dishing out 4.4 assists. Over his last four contests, Rose is averaging 20.0 points.
Rose’s style of play didn’t mesh with the Knicks’ system this season. Neither did his defense (or lack thereof). However, will these things hinder Phil Jackson from taking the risk? Does he even have a choice right now?
The Knicks are heading into the offseason in desperate need of a point guard and possibly a backup plan for Carmelo Anthony. They need a point guard who will buy into the triangle offense.
Multiple Sources have reported that the front office would consider adding a point guard even if they select one in the draft.
Let’s take a look at the top point guards heading into the free agency.
Stephen Curry: The Warriors will make it a priority to retain him. In the first practice of the 2016 season, Curry told Matt Moore of CBS that he wants to stay in Golden State.
Asked if he’ll consult with Durant on contract matters this season, Curry said, “Maybe, but I’m not going to let it distract me at all.”
“I want to be back here. I like playing here, and that’s it,” he said.
Chris Paul: The Clippers will splurge on their point guard. Even though Paul and Carmelo Anthony are close, it’s not going to happen. Paul already spoke up about how awful the organization treated Melo in his no-trade clause situation.
Jeff Teague: Teague admits he’s not a big fan of the triangle (he think it prevents guys from reaching their potentials). Teague would fit the triangle perfectly, but he will not buy into the triangle.
George Hill: Hill has boosted the Jazz since his arrival, and it seems like there’s mutual admiration. Hill is another injury prone point guard that is aging. The Knicks are focusing on getting younger.
Patty Mills: With Tony Parker aging, he’s a prime candidate for a contract extension. If he hits the open market, he could be an intriguing choice for the Knicks.
Jrue Holiday: Jrue Holliday is the only potential free agent guard that’s almost certain New York could reel him in. Holliday brother, Justin Holiday play on the Knicks. They both wanted to play on the same team for a long extent of time. The thing is New Orleans Pelicans like Holliday.
(Anthony Davis told Adam Wells of Bleacher Report that he wants Holliday to re-sign).
Rose might be the best option for New York. Sure, the Knicks could go after a point guard in the draft. However, Marc Berman of The New York Post reports that the Knicks are intrigued by small forward Josh Jackson, who’s a top-flight passer and defender.
If the Knicks plans are drafting Josh Jackson, Rose will possibly get a call from the New York Knicks.
The Knicks camp will still be in tuned with Rose over the offseason. Meaning they will know his progression, if he’s able to play the same way, was his rehab successful. Even though Rose did not fit in the triangle, his players and coach admired him after he went down for a torn meniscus on Sunday.
Jeff Hornacek told Stefan Bondy of New York Daily News that Rose was close to becoming his old self.
“The explosiveness that we saw years ago, you saw quite a bit this year,” Hornacek said. “So again, the way the season has gone, to have something happen towards the end, it’s a tough break for him.”
“I feel sorry for him,” Kristaps Porzingis said. “I know how hard he worked throughout the season to maintain the shape that he has and make sure he avoids all those injuries as much as he can. And to see that happen to him right now at the end of the season, it’s tough.”
“Oh, man I feel for him a lot. Just knowing the situation that I think it was the game after that, he got hurt that we (were mathematically eliminated from the playoffs),” Courtney Lee said. “And getting that news that we weren’t gonna make the playoffs also. So that’s tough, man, that we didn’t complete a goal that we set out to do, and then in doing so he gets hurt in that game. So definitely feel for him.”
Some of you NBA experts, fans, critics think the Knicks will not sign Rose because he’s a pass-first point guard. In all actuality, Rose pass the ball. However, the Knicks players have to make the basket. New York is 23rd in field goal percentage. Only two players out of 16 players on the active roster are shooting over 50 percent.
Before Phil Jackson traded for Rose, he knew the youngest MVP was never a passer. Additionally, the Knicks are not a passing team. Nobody has over 4 + assist on the team. So, to say the Knicks not going to make a move on Rose is a blurb statement.
New York will consider bringing back Rose because the offense was not the problem they are 14th in the league in points per game (105 points). “Team Defense” is the problem.
Some people is going to say Rose was the biggest issue on defense “don’t sign rose.” Rose have not always been a bad defensive player. The critics never actually heard Rose severe case in Chicago because when Rose played on the Chicago Bulls, he had great help defense.
Rose has a real defensive plus-minus of -2.68 (82 out of 89 point guards) yes that’s awful, but it’s not only Rose. Carmelo Anthony is at -1.50 DRPM, Courtney Lee is at -1.21 DRPM, Chasson Randle -1.25 and Willy Hernangomez 0.78 DPRM. Knicks as a whole is bad on defense. Rose just got exposed even more because of lack of help team defense.
In Example of it’s not just Rose bad defense.
For the love of elevation! pic.twitter.com/kcA6tRuOkE
— NBA (@NBA) April 7, 2017
https://twitter.com/SInow/status/850154374802403328
John Wall has a new favorite toy. It's Ron Baker on defense. pic.twitter.com/2uK2AoFd5R
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) April 7, 2017
The Knicks defense is 26th in the league in defensive efficiency. The Knicks are 24th in the league in opponent floor percentage (50.5 percent).
Not only did Rose play in his first season in the triangle he helped produce better offensive numbers. Drew Steele of 16 Wins a ring, provided us with last year New York Knicks offensive stats compared to this year’s stats. “The team’s guards ranked last in points per game and drives per game, 27th in true shooting percentage, and 23rd in net rating during the 2015–16 season, per NBA.com,” Steele said New York jumped from 9.4 drives per game to 16.1 drives per game this season. Rose improved them from their 30th rank to the current 24th ranking. Another glaring stat Steele talked about was Rose ranks 11th in drives per game. Rose ranks 5th in points scored per game and 11th in field goal percentage on drives, per NBA.com.
New York needed Rose on the court to have a +100 offensive rating. When the former 2011 MVP, was on the court the Knicks offensive rating at 110.4. When Hornacek took out Rose and put in the backup point guard, the offensive rating went down to 104.8, per Basketball-reference.
If Rose were to sign back with the Knicks, his contract would only be for short term deal. Especially if New York draft a point guard. They will only sign Rose for two years with a team option or just a one-year deal. Signing Rose will give them time to polish their point guard. Another good reason to sign Rose is to help their rookie guard to run the triangle proficiently.
As you know, New York has done a lot of questionable transactions since Phil Jackson arrived. One of the key bad moments under Jackson was the four years $72 million contract to Joakim Noah. Now, Noah is on suspension for anti-drug supplements to help him perform better.
June 25, 2015: Traded Tim Hardaway Jr. for Jerian Grant.
January 5, 2015: Traded J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert to the Cavaliers and got back Lou Amundson, Alex Kirk, Lance Thomas and a 2019 second-round pick.
July 13, 2014: Resigned Carmelo Anthony on a five-year, $124 million contract with a no-trade clause.
June 22, 2016: Another bad move was trading Jerian Grant and Robin Lopez for only actually Justin Holiday if Rose leaves for free agency. Jackson will possibly consider bringing Rose back because of the trade.
New York is known for outrageous transactions. Signing Rose will seem predictable of the Knicks’ front office.
Hornacek told Nick Fridell of ESPN that he liked what Rose did for the team this year. He continued with the interview saying he will follow Rose throughout his surgery.
“When the season ends we’ll all sit down and try to figure out the plan going forward. Derrick did a lot of good things for us this year,” Hornacek said on Tuesday, according to ESPN.com’s Nick Friedell. “When we go over [our plans] at the end of the year, it’s a guy we’ll take a look at and see if we can bring him back.”
Don’t count out New York to make an offer. This season was Rose first year in the triangle, and President Phil Jackson knows it takes a process. Even though Rose tore his meniscus, don’t count him out on setting his rose back in the Garden.
