The New York Knicks have been one of the most up-and-down teams in the NBA this season.
After winning five in a row and looking like they might have some serious momentum, the Knicks then turned around and subsequently lost their next five outings.
At 18-18 after 36 games, New York is clinging to eighth place in the Eastern Conference at the moment.
Because the Knicks are neither bad enough for a rebuild nor good enough to compete for a title, it puts the front office in an awkward position to make moves.
One player whose future is a bit unclear at the moment is veteran Derrick Rose. The 34-year-old is averaging just 13 minutes per game this season and doesn’t look to be a focal part of the organization’s long-term plans.
Recently, Rose got very honest about how this situation has been for him.
“The team is keeping communications open with me,” he told Shams Charania of The Athletic.
“When they told me I don’t think that they want to move me like that, they know that I have a lot left, and they love my connection and relationship that I have with all of the players on the team.
“I’m not in the locker room trying to f— up the vibe of the team by having a messed up attitude like that. I’ve had so many lives in the NBA that now I’m in the position where I can sit back, teach the young guys, and if Thibs needs me, I can catch a rhythm and play the way I want to.”
Rose is obviously an icon both on and off the court.
The way Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant recently spoke about him in such reverent terms was telling.
The photos speak for themselves. https://t.co/69D1YRHqTO
— Game 7 (@game7__) December 30, 2022
That said, clearly his career is winding down.
And a team like the Knicks, regardless of where their season goes from here, doesn’t have a ton of use for what Rose brings to the table.
Whether it is because he is retired or playing for a different franchise, it seems like a safe bet that Rose will not be a member of the Knicks come this time next year.
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