Since it appears the New York Knicks may re-sign Derrick Rose, they must decide what role he will play. If he plays any role at all, it should be off the bench.
Derrick Rose began his New York Knicks journey with much fanfare but ended the season injured, as usual. Now, as a free agent, Rose wants to come back to the Knicks and is willing to take a pay cut, according to Bleacher Report‘s Yaron Weitzman.
Questions remain about his health, athleticism, shooting and ability to run the offense in a way acceptable to Phil Jackson.
It has been six long seasons since Derrick Rose played 81 games. In his career, Rose has dealt with multiple injuries of varying degrees. He tore his left ACL once, his right meniscus twice and finally, his left meniscus this past season.
With that being said, the New York Knicks need a point guard who is familiar with the triangle. Derrick Rose may not have run the triangle well, but he did at least learn the offense. Re-signing Rose may not be the cure-all, but at a discounted rate, it makes sense.
Starting from the bench
The New York Knicks need a veteran point guard and Derrick Rose needs a team. Furthermore, it isn’t common for a player to want to join these Knicks and at a discounted rate. If Rose wants to re-sign with New York without being a major cap hit, that’s a good bet for everyone involved.
Conventional wisdom is that the Knicks will draft a point guard and that’s exactly what they should do. Furthermore, they have to start their rookie point guard from day one. This would mean Derrick Rose comes off the bench and at this point in his career, that’s where he should be.
Statistically, Rose does not have the outside shooting ability to thrive in the Knicks’ offense. In his career, D-Rose is only a 29.8 percent shooter from three-point range and a 45 percent shooter overall. This statistical discrepancy highlights the driving style of play Rose is known for.
Rose’s body, in its present form, cannot endure an entire season of driving to the basket. However, if he came off the bench as a hybrid guard paired with a quality shooter (Malik Monk?), that could be dangerous.
Preserving his career
The San Antonio Spurs have become experts at preserving the careers of their aging players. Both Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili have enjoyed extended careers because of how the Spurs staff allows them to rest.
In the last four seasons, Parker’s minutes per game have steadily dropped from 33 minutes a game to 25 minutes a game this year. Similarly, Ginobili’s minutes have also decreased from 30.3 in 2011 to 18.7 minutes a game this season.
There was also a nearly five-year stretch where Grant Hill was often injured and already forgotten. Yet, he went on to play six more seasons at high level. The sooner Rose understands he is not the MVP anymore, the better it will be for the longevity of his career.
Derrick Rose would benefit greatly from limited minutes and coming off the bench. If he does heal and regain athleticism, he will be the perfect catalyst as a Sixth Man. Furthermore, if he stays healthy and plays well, he becomes an interesting trade asset on a smaller contract.
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There is zero downside to playing Rose off the bench and someone needs to tell him that fast. Phil Jackson is not a management genius, but if he can convince Derrick Rose to be his backup point guard, it may be his best move yet.