The New York Knicks reached an agreement to make a trade that will allow them to take over Detroit Pistons guard Derrick Rose and reunite him with coach Tom Thibodeau, sources told ESPN on Sunday.
The Knicks send point guard Dennis Smith Jr. along with a second round from the 2021 draft via the Charlotte Hornets to Detroit, sources said.
The Knicks and Pistons agreed to trade on Sunday afternoon after regular discussions that lasted a few months, the sources said.
Rose rejoins the Knicks, where he spent a turbulent 2016-17 season during the attack on the Triangle during Phil Jackson’s regime. Rose was the youngest MVP in league history under Thibodeau with the Chicago Bulls in 2011 and played for him again with Minnesota in the 2017-2018 season.
The Knicks experienced a competitive rebound under Thibodeau in his first season as a coach, emerging as one of the best defensive teams in the league. Rose’s arrival provides assistance to the NBA’s 25th offensive team and creates an overlap of veteran guards including starter Elfrid Payton and Austin Rivers.
Rivers is likely to become a player that battling teams look for in trade talks as they look to bolster their squad closer to the March 25 deadline.
Heading for a remodel, the Pistons worked to find a destination that would appeal to Rose. Rose, 32, has averaged 14 points and four assists on 42% of admissions this season.
For Detroit, Smith, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2017 draft, is seen as a recovery project similar to forward Josh Jackson, who signed with the Pistons in free agency. Smith, 23, recently volunteered to join the G League bubble in Orlando to find play time.
New York started Sunday’s game against Miami and was ranked 25th in the NBA in offensive rating, with 106.9 points per 100 possessions. The Knicks defense was number 6 in the NBA (107.9 points per 100).
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps contributed to this report.