The NBA’s intellectuals are mostly positive about the Knicks incorporating defender Derrick Rose, mostly because he can get back to working with coach Tom Thibodeau.
Although Rose, 32, has had several knee surgeries, somehow Thibodeau always gets the best out of him. He won the MVP at age 22 in Chicago under the current Knicks coach.
“He was very good in Minnesota [with Thibodeau], maybe not so good in Detroit, “said an NBA personnel director.” Thibodeau always gets Rose to do her best. “
The Knicks won’t ask Rose to play a major role, probably as a backup for Elfrid Payton and perhaps as the closest 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 due to her past surgeries, including one that ended her season with the Knicks in 2016-17.
The Pistons believed that Rose production usually decreased after 23 minutes; he averaged 22.8 minutes this season in Detroit.
This is probably the most the Knicks have in mind for Rose anyway. The Knicks announced almost with this trade that they plan to be in the middle of a playoff race: youth be damned.
After 25 games, the Knicks, whose home 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 for the organization – they feel they have to win,” said an NBA executive familiar with the Knicks ’thinking. “It’s not good to play better than last season and progress. This is not good enough. There is internal pressure they want to win, no matter whose minutes [Rose] takes. They just want to win. He still has a great ability to score.
“Thibs understands Rose,” the executive added. “Rose understands Thibs.”
A man on the Eastern Conference staff loves the changes.
“He will help,” he said. “He still easily gets to the hoop and is a better shooter than five years ago. The big advantage is that Thibs trusts him in clutch situations. It will be a positive force in tight matches.
There’s the novice security thinker, Immanuel Quickley, who will lose minutes in front of Rose. It could be the case on some nights, though Austin Rivers ’struggling playing time seems more dangerous.
Knicks Brass may be kinder to Thibodeau reducing the role of Quickley on a few nights, despite his popularity, as long as his lottery selection, Obi Toppin, happens on the bench regularly.
“They have to find a way to play Obi: they drafted it [eighth] and they’ll make sure they continue their tendency to play, ”the executive said.“ Quickley is a first-round guy. He starts saying something if a lottery guy doesn’t play, so they’ll figure out a way to manage- ho “.
Outside the Detroit bench, Rose averaged 14.2 points and 4.2 assists in 15 games, but hadn’t played since Jan. 30, as the Pistons quietly sought to change him.
“He’s still a good, productive player,” said one Western Conference explorer. “His familiarity with Thibs makes sense to me for the Knicks. Add another game creator “.
Rose will likely back up Payton on a crowded backcourt that also features Rivers and Quickley combined guards.
“The good thing about the Knicks is that everyone on the back court is interchangeable,” said an Eastern Conference scout. “Derrick could play with Austin, he can play with Immanuel, he can play with Elfrid.”
There could be more operations before the March trading deadline. Sources indicate that Payton has increased its commercial value and interest.
With Rose’s $ 7.7 million salary exchanged for Dennis Smith Jr.’s $ 5.4 million, the Knicks have more than $ 15 million in maximum space to facilitate future commercial math.
“The team was developing consistency and chemistry, so this could have negative effects,” said another talented appraiser. “It simply came to our notice then [Rose] basically for nothing. And it could be a good commercial asset and they need more aim shots. “
According to reports, The Clippers, Bucks, Heat and Nets made bids for Rose. But, as reported by The Post, Rose wanted this second stage to be with the Knicks. It is his third with Thibodeau.
“I think the move surprised a lot of teams,” said another NBA scout. “They were expecting him to be changed to a title candidate. Definitely, he still has a lot to contribute.