As reported by Shams, the Pistons and the Knicks agreed to a deal to send Derrick Rose back to New York in exchange for Dennis Smith Jr. I’m not surprised at either side of this trade, to be honest. Dennis Smith Jr. has recently requested to be sent to the G-League to get more reps due to the log-jam at PG for the Knicks, and Derrick Rose doesn’t belong at a bottom-feeder like the Pistons. I do have one problem with the trade, though.
Remember a couple of weeks ago when I said that you shouldn’t believe in the Knicks? There was good reason to think that way on my part. The Knicks have good players, yes. Austin Rivers has shown signs of life, Julius Randle has put up big numbers, and guys like Mitchell Robinson and RJ Barrett continue to improve year after year. Not to mention that phenom that is Immanuel Quickley. Does all of that translate to winning? Obviously not. At the time of writing this article, the Knicks are 11-14, sitting at 8th in the East. Horrible? No. Being in the playoffs and getting your young guys playoff experience is a good thing. Is it where Derrick Rose needs to be? Hell no.
I do very much appreciate Coach Tibs for getting D-Rose out of Detroit. As D-Wade put it, he’s invited to the BBQ from now to the end of time. I think that the idea of a reunion between Tibs and Rose is a nice story, and I think that he can teach Quickley a thing or two about longevity and recreating yourself to stay in the league for a long time, but that isn’t what Rose needs. Not even close.
I think that D-Rose has a few good years left in him; high level, bench production years, that can really help a team win a championship. For two years now, all that has been speculated is Rose to the Clippers, or to the Lakers, or the Celtics, or whoever. Not a bottom of the standings team like the Knicks.
There is a time and a place for veterans to occupy a spot on the bench and give advice as a mentor. Look at Udonis Haslem, or Jared Dudley, or JJ Barea. They’ve all had their chances to be on the bench and act as a coach for the younger talent, and I think it was a benefit for both the veterans and the young players. I fully expect that Rose will be that type of player one day. Today is not that day. Rose has so much left to give to the game, that I don’t think that he needs to be wasting his time not competing for a championship.
Deep down in my heart, I’m still hopeful that the Celtics will make a play for Rose, especially with the inconsistencies of Kemba Walker (more on that in the future) and Jeff Teague. If it isn’t with the Celtics, maybe he ends up with the Lakers and wins one with LeBron, or goes to the Clippers to offer more bench scoring, or to the Bucks for bench depth. Whoever ends up with Rose next, in my eyes, needs to be in the championship race, for Rose’s sake, for the league’s sake, and for the fan’s sake.
Round The Game 
Leave a comment