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New York Knicks: The Derrick Rose trade should challenge Tom Thibodeau

By Chip Murphy

PHOENIX, AZ - JANUARY 30: Derrick Rose #1 and head coach Tom Thibodeau of the Chicago Bulls during the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center on January 30, 2015 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Bulls 99-93. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ - JANUARY 30: Derrick Rose #1 and head coach Tom Thibodeau of the Chicago Bulls during the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center on January 30, 2015 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Bulls 99-93. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Derrick Rose, New York Knicks
Derrick Rose, New York Knicks /

Derrick Rose, New York Knicks Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

How the trade can work for the New York Knicks

Thibodeau’s flexibility — not a word you often hear associated with the Knicks coach — is the key. Like most coaches, change isn’t an easy thing to ask of Thibodeau.  He prefers sticking to his habits. As of this writing, the Knicks starting five is the most commonly used five-man lineup in the NBA, per NBA Stats. It’s one of only two 5-man lineups to notch 300+ minutes this season. There’s something to be said for consistency, but there’s also something to be said for shaking it up when your team has been bad on offense all season.

It’s not an easy task for any coach to balance winning games with developing young players, but for Thibodeau, it’s a challenge even to try Thibodeau gained a reputation for hating rookies when he buried Tony Snell, Nikola Mirotic, and Doug McDermott — in hindsight, meh — during his time with the Chicago Bulls. His refusal to play Tyus Jones over Jeff Teague in Minnesota — despite even Teague himself suggesting it — didn’t help matters. History is repeating itself with Immanuel Quickley and Elfrid Payton. If only Elf would pull a Teague. Probably wouldn’t matter this time either, though.

Making this trade work involves using Rose correctly, and no one knows how to do that better than Thibodeau. In theory, anyway. He coached Rose during his season as the youngest MVP in NBA history. When Thibodeau coached Rose for a full season in Minnesota, the former MVP averaged 27.3 minutes per game. But this is a different Derrick Rose even just a couple of seasons later.

Pistons head coach Dwayne Casey had the 32-year-old on a minutes restriction this season. In 15 games, Rose is averaging 22.8 minutes. He only went over 30 minutes in a contest one time. If Thibodeau wants to maximize Rose’s success in New York, playing him in limited minutes seems like the way to go. Unfortunately, a long history of Thibodeau doing things one way suggests he’s incapable of doing that.

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