The NBA’s intelligence is mostly positive about the Knicks adding Derrick Rose to the point – especially since he’s able to work with coach Tom Thibodeau again.
Although Rose, 32, has had several 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 in Minnesota [with Thibodeau]”Maybe not as good in Detroit,” said an NBA personnel director. “Thibodeau always makes Rose play as well as he can.”
The Knicks will not ask Rose to play a major role – probably as a backup for Elfrid Payton and perhaps as a close one in many games.
According to a Pistons source, Rose preferred to leave the Detroit bench. The Pistons source said there was an unofficial minute restriction for Rose because of her past operations, including one that ended her season with the Knicks in 2016-17.
The Pistons believed that Rose’s production usually diminished after 23 minutes; he has averaged 22.8 minutes this season in Detroit.
That’s probably the best Knicks has in mind for Rose anyway. The Knicks have announced, although, with this transaction, they intend to be in the horror of a playoff race – the youngsters to be cursed.
After 25 games, the Knicks, whose home and home game continues with the Heat, on Tuesday, in Miami, are 11-14, entering the eighth place in the Eastern Conference on Monday.
“It makes sense that there’s a lot of pressure on the organization – they feel they have to win,” said an NBA director familiar with Knicks thinking. “It’s not good to play better than last season and to progress. It’s 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 an extraordinary ability to score.
“Thibs understands Rose,” the executive added. “Rose understands Thibs.”
An Eastern Conference staff member loves this move.
“It will help,” he said. “He still easily reaches the circle and is a better shooter than five years ago. The big plus is that Thibs trusts him in clutch situations, on stretch. He will be a positive force in close games. ”
There’s a backup thinker, Immanuel Quickley, who will waste minutes in front of Rose. It may be the case on some evenings, although Austin Rivers’ playing time seems more dangerous.
Brass Knicks may be more prone to Thibodeau, reducing Quickley’s role on some nights – despite his popularity – as long as their lottery pick, Obi Toppin, receives regular shares on the bench.
“They have to find a way for Obi to play,” they recruited him [eighth] and they will make sure they continue their tendency to play, “the executive said.” Quickley is a late first-round guy. He’s starting to say something if a lottery guy doesn’t play, so they’ll figure out a way to manage this. ”
On the bench for Detroit, Rose averaged 14.2 points and 4.2 assists in 15 games, but hasn’t played since Jan. 30, as the Pistons have been quietly looking to change him.
“He is still a good and productive player,” said a Western Conference researcher. “His acquaintance with Thibs makes sense to me for the Knicks. Another game maker is added. ”
Rose will likely support Payton in a crowded back field, which also includes Rivers and Quickley combo guards.
“The good thing about Knicks is that everyone in the backyard is interchangeable,” said an Eastern Conference researcher. “Derrick could play Austin, maybe play Immanuel, maybe play Elfrid.”
There may be more transactions before the March trading deadline. Sources indicate that Payton increased its commercial value and acquired interest.
With a $ 7.7 million salary from Rose, which was exchanged for $ 5.4 million from Dennis Smith Jr., the Knicks have over $ 15 million in the maximum space to make future commercial math easy.
“The team has developed consistency and chemistry so that this can be reversed,” said another talent appraiser. “It simply came to our notice then [Rose] for practically nothing. And he could be a good commercial asset and need a higher score. “
The Clippers, Bucks, Heat and Nets would have made offers for Rose. But, as reported by The Post, Rose wanted this second stage to be with the Knicks. This is his third with Thibodeau.
“I think the move surprised a lot of teams,” said another NBA scout. “They expected him to be replaced by a title contender. It certainly has a lot to contribute. Obviously, the connection is the coach. ”