The NBA’s intelligentsia are mostly positive about the Knicks’ addition of point guard Derrick Rose, especially as he can team up with coach Tom Thibodeau again.
Although Rose, 32, has had multiple knee surgeries, somehow Thibodeau always gets the best out of him. He won the MVP at the age of 22 in Chicago under the current Knicks coach.
He was very good at Minnesota [with Thibodeau], maybe not so good in Detroit, ” said an NBA personnel director. “Thibodeau makes sure that Rose always does his best.”
The Knicks won’t be asking Rose to play a lead role – probably as a backup for Elfrid Payton, and perhaps as the end of many games.
According to a Pistons source, Rose preferred to get off the bank in Detroit. The Pistons source said there was an unofficial minute limit for Rose due to his previous operations, including one that ended his season with the Knicks in 2016-17.
The Pistons believed that Rose’s production tended to decline after 23 minutes; he drove an average of 22.8 minutes in Detroit this season.
That’s probably the maximum the Knicks have in mind for Rose. The Knicks have almost announced with this transaction that they intend to be in the middle of a playoff race – the youth is doomed.
After 25 games, the Knicks, whose home-and-home continues with the Heat on Tuesday in Miami, are 11-14 and come in eighth place in the Eastern Conference on Monday.
“It makes sense that there is a lot of pressure on the organization – they feel they have to win,” said an NBA manager familiar with The Knicks’ thinking. “It’s not okay to just play better than last season and make progress. That is not good enough. There is internal pressure that they want to win, no matter whose minutes [Rose] takes. They just want to win. He still has tremendous ability to score.
“Thibs understands Rose,” the director added. “Rose understands Thibs.”
An Eastern Conference staff member likes the move.
“He will help,” he said. “He still gets into the ring with ease and he’s a better shooter than he was five years ago. The big plus is that Thibs trusts him in coupling situations, along the route. He will be a positive force in close games. “
There, the thinking rookie backup point guard Immanuel Quickley will lose minutes to Rose. That may be the case some nights, though the playing time of the struggling Austin Rivers seems to be more in jeopardy.
The Knicks copper is perhaps more prone to Thibodeau who downsizes Quickley’s role on some nights – despite his popularity – as long as their lottery pick, Obi Toppin, gets regular action from the bank.
They need to find a way for Obi to play – they summoned him [eighth] and they will make sure he continues his trend of playing, ” said the director. Quickley is a latecomer in the first round. It starts to say something when a lottery guy isn’t playing, so they’ll figure out a way to get that done. ”
Off the bench for Detroit, Rose averaged 14.2 points and 4.2 assists in 15 games, but hasn’t played since January 30 as the Pistons quietly wanted to trade for him.
“He’s still a good and prolific player,” said a Western Conference scout. “His familiarity with Thibs makes sense to the Knicks. It adds another playmaker.”
Rose will likely back up Payton in a crowded backcourt with combo guards Rivers and Quickley.
“The good thing about the Knicks is that everyone in the backcourt is interchangeable,” said an Eastern Conference scout. “Derrick can play with Austin, can play with Immanuel, can play with Elfrid. ”
More trades could take place before the March trading deadline. Sources indicate that Payton has increased its trading value and attracted interest.
With Rose’s $ 7.7 million salary being exchanged for Dennis Smith Jr.’s $ 5.4 million, the Knicks have more than $ 15 million in cap space to keep future trade math running smoothly.
“The team developed consistency and chemistry so this could backfire,” said another talent evaluator. [Rose] for nothing really. And he could be a good trading term and they need more score hit. ”
The Clippers, Bucks, Heat and Nets have reportedly made offers for Rose. But as The Post reported, Rose wanted this second stint to be with the Knicks. It is his third with Thibodeau.
“I think the move has surprised many teams,” said another NBA scout. They expected he would be traded to a title contender. He certainly has a lot to contribute. The connection is of course the coach. ”