The New York Knicks have addressed one of their major issues from last season, making a blockbuster trade, according to The Vertical:
Sources: Bulls trading Derrick Rose to Knicks. @WojVerticalNBA & @ShamsCharania report on @TheVertical. https://t.co/VzBmHGJven
— Ball Don’t Lie (@Balldontlie) June 22, 2016
New York Knicks Acquire Derrick Rose
The Knicks acquire point guard Derrick Rose, along with guard/forward Justin Holiday and a second round pick in the 2017 NBA Draft from the Chicago Bulls. New York is sending center Robin Lopez, point guard Jose Calderon, and combo guard Jerian Grant to Chicago in return.
Rose has one year left on his contract and will be a free agent at the end of next season. His $21 million contract will come off the books in the summer of 2017, giving the Knicks cap flexibility going forward if things do not work out with Rose.
The former NBA Most Valuable Player, if healthy, provides New York with another scoring option who can penetrate the defense and get to the rim. That was something that they were missing last season, with Calderon and Grant sharing time at the point. The Knicks will now be able to focus on upgrading their wing positions in free agency, along with adding depth to their front court.
There is still work to be done for New York to become a real contender for a title. This move shows that the front office is doing what it can to make championship contention a reality, and not just a pipe dream for the Knicks.
