The NBA was a very different place when Derrick Rose last played for the New York Knicks during the 2016-17 season. The guard’s short time with the franchise did not exactly go as many envisioned, with the Knicks ultimately missing the postseason and Rose departing in free agency soon after.
All these years later, Rose is heading back to New York to reunite with the Knicks and his former head coach Tom Thibodeau. The Knicks and Detroit Pistons completed a trade on Sunday that sent Rose back to the Big Apple in exchange for Dennis Smith Jr. and a future second-round draft pick.
It seems that the Derrick Rose trade certainly poses more questions than it does answers for the New York Knicks
Everyone knows that Thibodeau has been a firm believer in Rose, even resurrecting his career by bringing him back into the league in 2018 for another chance. Thibodeau’s relationship with Rose dates back over a decade to their days with the Chicago Bulls, and the former Coach of the Year was likely lobbying for the front office to bring the guard in because of it.
However, that relationship does not mean that Rose’s fit with the Knicks is crystal clear. The aftermath of this move leaves plenty of questions for Thibodeau and the front office to answer in the coming weeks, but only time will tell what comes there and if this team could have more moves up their sleeve. In the meantime, here are three things that D-Rose brings to the Knicks ahead of his first game back with the team.