The New York Knicks were widely expected to trade Derrick Rose ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline.
Not only did the front office fail to do that, instead they added Josh Hart to the equation. Rose already couldn’t crack the rotation, and now the backcourt hierarchy has gotten even more crowded.
To date, Rose stayed a good sport about the situation. Despite DNP after DNP, the 34-year-old has kept his spirits up as best as he can.
“Yeah, I mean, why?” he said to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News regarding whether he is okay with everything.
“I’m looking mad on the bench or something? If I was mad or something I wouldn’t be able to hide it. So, I would just say I’m the same.”
While Rose’s attitude is admirable, the reality of the situation is that he has no place on the Knicks roster right now. If the team couldn’t trade him, fine. But then they should buy him out and let him go elsewhere.
“A source close to the situation wouldn’t totally dismiss a buyout after the dust settled on the new rosters after a crazy trade deadline,” Bondy noted in his report.
If Rose does find his way out of New York, there are four very natural landing spots for him.
In the leadup to the NBA Trade Deadline, both the Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings had interest in bringing onboard. The latter squad, in particular, could really use the veteran brand of leadership that Rose brings to the table.
If not those two teams, the Los Angeles Lakers continue to hover in the background. Rose has been linked to L.A. for a long time now, and this could be the perfect moment to make that marriage happen.
— Game 7 (@game7__) February 14, 2023
Finally, don’t sleep on the Chicago Bulls. Obviously they are one of three times vying for Russell Westbrook, but Rose has made his feelings about a return to his original team very clear.
One way or another, it will be interesting to see what happens with Rose.
Will he be able to finish the season somewhere other than New York when it’s all said and done? A definitive answer should emerge in the next few weeks.
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A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.
