The Derrick Rose trade is a risky move for the New York Knicks; however, this move is no mistake. He could be the exact thing the Knicks need this season and beyond. Derrick Rose potentially solves all of the guard problems of the New York Knicks, and not only the guard problems, but offensive and defensive difficulties too. He has the killer instinct and winning attitude that New York desperately needs, and he answers the financial and personal questions that the Knicks had. If everything works out, fans can remember this as the starting point of a huge leap forward for the Knicks franchise. It seems like a rehash of the same Knicks general manager move: obtaining a former star with health issues.
Derrick Rose is Perfect for the Knicks
A lot of things have to go right for Derrick Rose to be called a success. Nobody can deny that it is a risk. His health is always going to be a question and an issue. However, Derrick Rose was relatively healthy for the past two years. Sports Illustrated put together a table to show the progression of Derrick Rose’s offense as evidence of his increasing health.
He appeared in 66 games last year and 51 games the year before that. He averaged 30 to 32 minutes a game. For the last two years Rose’s total minutes have kept increasing if that trends continue to hold true Rose could finish the season with 2300-2500 minutes.
Multiple Scoring Options
The Knicks, before acquiring Rose, were always in need of a second or third scoring option. Carmelo Anthony at one time had to average nearly 39 minutes for the Knicks offense to work. In the six years he has been in New York he has averaged 36 minutes a game. Anthony never dipped below an average of 20 points a game. He firmly established himself as the scorer for the Knicks but of course he needs help. Kristaps Porzingis looks primed to be that second option. Now the Knicks have two proven scorers and a 7-foot scorer waiting. Phil Jackson definitively addressed the scoring problem with Derrick Rose. In addition, head coach Jeff Hornacek’s reputation as an offense minded coach will further bolster the established scoring options of the Knicks. It looks like the Knicks offensive woes are behind them.
Knicks Increase Their Cap Space
The most important difference in this situation and the past personal moves of the Knicks is the success in maintaining the financial health of the Knicks. This is the biggest accomplishment of this deal. Phil Jackson has the Knicks in line for $38 million in cap space. Before the trade, the best the Knicks could do in cap space was around $30 million. New York will have to use the new cap space to acquire seven other players before the season starts. The New York Knicks have been over the cap since 2011, which is as far back as Sportrac goes. As far as Sportrac is concerned, the Knicks have never looked this financially healthy.
Win/Win for Everyone
Everybody makes a big deal about the final year of a player’s contract. The logic is that players tend to play above their potential and are extra motivated to perform. The result is that teams benefit from this boost in a player. The science actually backs this up. There is evidence that the NBA has a phenomenon where players do better in their contract year. Derrick Rose is in his final year of a contract. He failed to play at a high level for the Bulls and his first big contract. With the cap set to explode and Rose needing to prove himself, the science supports that Rose will likely perform at a much higher level for the Knicks this season.
This gamble is much more calculated than the Knicks past player acquirement. In this deal, New York didn’t give up big future assets or draft picks. Next, they kept their biggest building block in place while gaining cap room and a draft pick. Fans should welcome Derrick Rose happily.
