Derrick Rose

Pistons send Derrick Rose to Knicks for Dennis Smith Jr plus 2nd rd pick

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New York Knicks, Derrick Rose

Shortly after the New York Knicks suffered a tough 109-103 loss to the Miami Heat on Sunday, help is on the way.

The Detroit Pistons have agreed to send former NBA MVP Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks in exchange for Dennis Smith Jr. and a 2021 second-round pick (via Charlotte Hornets).

ESPN’s NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to report the completion of the trade that escalated quickly over the weekend.

Reunion and Redemption

Rose will be reunited with Tom Thibodeau, who made him the league’s youngest MVP 10 years ago in Chicago.

The trade will also provide Rose a chance to make up for his controversy-filled one-season stint with the Knicks in 2016. On top of his playoff experience, Rose is also expected to take Knicks’ quick-rising rookie guard Immanuel Quickley under his wing.

Thibodeau also coached Rose in Minnesota in 2018, helping resurrect his career as a sixth man.

Smith joins Pistons’ youth movement

Meanwhile, the Pistons hope that a change of scenery will help resurrect Smith Jr.’s flailing career. The former ninth overall pick was the central piece in the Kristaps Porzingis blockbuster trade.

Smith Jr. has requested the Knicks to send him to the G League after only seeing nine minutes this season. Smith is expected to leave the G League Bubble and join the Pistons’ youth movement.

With the worst record (5-18) in the league, the Pistons have pivoted to rebuilding.

The Pistons, under new general manager Troy Weaver, was also able to squeeze a second-round pick in next year’s Draft, which is viewed as one of the deepest class in years.

$15 million cap space left

Despite the Knicks tumbling to 11-14 after Sunday’s loss to the Heat, they are still in the playoff hunt, momentarily occupying the Eastern Conference’s seventh spot.

Rose is averaging 14.2 points and 4.2 assists in 15 games this season. The Knicks will also acquire Rose’s Bird rights giving them the advantage to re-sign him in the offseason.

With $17 million in cap space, the Knicks will absorb the remainder of Rose’s $7.5 million salary this season. After sending out Smith Jr.’s. $5.6 million salary, the Knicks will still have around $15 million in cap space for future moves as the trade deadline nears.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Report: Pistons, Knicks nearing deal on Derrick Rose for Dennis Smith Jr, draft pick

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New York Knicks, Derrick Rose

Will the third time be a charm?

Ten years removed from becoming the league’s youngest MVP, Derrick Rose is nearing full circle with the man who made him such.

Rose is set for a third reunion with Tom Thibodeau as the New York Knicks are close to re-acquiring him, according to multiple reports.

Dennis Smith Jr., instead of Frank Ntilikina, whose name was first floated Sunday night, will be the key piece in the reported swap.

The Detroit Pistons are seeking additional draft compensation. But it will likely be a future second-round pick, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post.

Rose, 32, will return to New York no longer viewed as a savior, unlike in his first stint in the 2016-17 season that ended in an ugly divorce. But at the minimum, he is expected to bring a scoring punch off the bench and mentor the Knicks’ quick-rising rookie guard Immanuel Quickley.

Change of scenery

Meanwhile, the Pistons hope that a change of scenery will help resurrect Smith Jr., a former ninth overall pick and the integral piece in the Kristaps Porzingis blockbuster trade.

Smith Jr. has requested the Knicks to send him to the G League after only seeing nine minutes this season. If the trade is consummated, he is expected to leave the G League Bubble and join the Pistons’ youth movement.

With the worst record (5-18) in the league, the Pistons have pivoted to rebuilding.

Rose fits Knicks short-term goal

The Knicks, on the other hand, are in the playoff hunt after a surprisingly strong start under Thibodeau.

Rose is averaging 14.2 points and 4.2 assists in 15 games this season. The Knicks will also acquire Rose’s Bird rights giving them the advantage to re-sign him in the offseason.

With $17 million in cap space, the Knicks can absorb the remainder of Rose’s $7.5 million salary this season. After sending out Smith Jr.’s. $5.6 million salary, the Knicks will still have around $15 million in cap space as the trade deadline nears.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Knicks: Pistons eyeing two young players in potential Derrick Rose trade

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New York Knicks, Derrick Rose

The New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons are gaining traction with a potential trade involving veteran point guard Derrick Rose. Rose is currently on a two-year, $15 million deal that expires after the current season, which makes the idea of New York trading away a young player very interesting.

With Elfrid Payton playing well and Immanuel Quickley making an instant impact on offense, trading for Rose could be tumultuous for the young point guard’s development and disrupt Payton’s run of consistency.

However, you could also view Rose as a mentor for Quickley, who has the potential to be one of the next big players at the position in the NBA. This season, Rose is averaging 14.2 points over 22.8 minutes. He has yet to start a game, having played in 15 at 32 years old.

The New York Knicks have a long-lasting relationship with D-Rose because of Tom Thibodeau:

Rose and head coach Tom Thibodeau have a fantastic relationship, which is likely why the two are connected. Reports have indicated that the two teams are close to striking a deal, and Detroit is reportedly eyeing Frank Ntilikina and Kevin Knox as two players they would like to acquire. I highly doubt the Knicks let both of them go, so Detroit will have to pick one or the other.

Frank offers an elite defensive presents that but has failed to realize his offensive abilities. He’s averaging just 4.5 points per game this year over four contests, while Kevin Knox is averaging 6.1 points over 18.2 minutes. Neither player is making a significant impact, which is likely why President Leon Rose is OK sending them on their way.

With the Pistons looking to utilize more youth on the court, this deal makes sense for them. Adding younger players who they can develop and with untapped potential is a positive move, especially for a player like Rose, who’s on the last year of a deal and isn’t seen as a future benefactor.

Rose would join Thibodeau in New York, with 2015 being the last time they played together. Thibodeau is credited for the rise of Rose, but there’s also a belief that he overworked him, which led to injuries.

The obvious connection between the two must have some sort of meaning, and Detroit desperately needs more point guard help, with Killian Hayes dealing with a hip injury. Adding Frank Ntilikina would be a good move for them and give them some defensive proficiency at the position.

New York Knicks: Tom Thibodeau might be striking gold with a Derrick Rose trade

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New York Knicks, Derrick Rose

The New York Knicks have gone down the Derrick Rose path before back in 2016 when he played 64 games for the team at 28 years old. He averaged 18 points per contest and 4.4 assists, providing his usual offensive spark, but the union lasted just one season.

Fast forward five years, and the Knicks are once again considering Rose as a potential trade target. Every off-season, the Knicks are connected to a bevy of high profile players, and while Rose is undoubtedly past his prime following multiple knee injuries, he can still provide value in specific ways. It also doesn’t hurt that him and head coach Tom Thibodeau are friends and get along very well.

“Every now and then, you find someone who matches your personality,’’ Derrick Rose’s agent Armstrong said, via the NY Post. “Tom and Derrick just hit it off. They’re peas in a pod. They’re basketball junkies. They love the game. They both love to compete. They had a unique understanding amongst themselves.’’

The New York Knicks have PG depth, but Rose can only help:

Currently, on the roster, the Knicks have Elfrid Payton and Immanuel Quickley as their primary point guards. Quickley has played more of a wing role, coming off the bench in his rookie season trying to adapt to the NBA. Payton offers a more defensive style, which Thibodeau prefers in the starting lineup.

The acquisition of Rose would be an interesting move for the Knicks, dating back to his early days when Thibodeau helped him rise to league MVP status. With $18 million in cap space remaining, they can easily take on Derrick’s contract without having to give up a player. Rose has just one more year on his deal and will be a free agent after the 2020-2021 season.

At this point in his career, his experience is the most beneficial — he’s averaging a career-high 1.3 steals per game, indicating a focus on defense. He’s averaging 14.8 points per game and connecting on .430% of his shots from the field. He no longer is a starting point guard in the NBA but rather comes off the bench and adds a bit of experience and spark on offense. If the Knicks don’t want to trade for him in a salary dump move by the league-worst Pistons, they can always wait until he’s a FA after the season.

However, there is one alternative reason I think Thibodeau believes Rose would be a perfect fit with New York. His ability to help mentor Quickley into becoming an even better player. Quickley is averaging 10.7 points per game and 2.5 assists over 18.1 minutes, earning a career-high 31 points a few nights ago against the Portland Trail Blazers.

If Rose can help Quickley develop his court vision and defensive skills, the Knicks could have their point guard for the future, thanks to a bit of assistance from a past legend. I’m not completely opposed to this move, given the available money the Knicks do you have and that Rose will be off the books after this season.

New York Knicks: PG whisperer Tom Thibodeau wants to build Dennis Smith Jr. and Frank Ntilikina’s confidence

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New York Knicks, Dennis Smith Jr.

The New York Knicks are looking to salvage Dennis Smith, Jr. and Frank Ntilikina. Can Tom Thibodeau save them?

When Derrick Rose revived his NBA career, Tom Thibodeau was the biggest voice in his corner.

“He was the only coach that believed in me,” Rose said.

Two years since Thibodeau helped the former MVP regained his footing in the league, he now faces another reclamation project in New York with Dennis Smith, Jr. and Frank Ntilikina.

If Kenny Payne has built a reputation as a big man’s whisperer in Kentucky, Thibodeau had the same effect on point guards since he became a head coach in Chicago.

Thibodeau made Rose the youngest MVP in league history in 2011.  He was able to squeeze every ounce he can get from rental guards D.J. Augustin, Nate Robinson, John Lucas III, and C.J. Watson.

Augustin credited Thibodeau for reigniting his love for the game during his lone season in Chicago in 2013-14, where he averaged a career-high 14.9 points in 30.9 minutes.

“Not only did he give me the opportunity, he actually brought my love for the game back,” he said in 2014. “You kind of lose that a little bit, your passion for the game, throughout the years in the NBA depending on playing time and different situations you may be put in. Coach Thibs, I owe him a lot. I give him credit for bringing my passion for the game back and wanting to learn and play hard.”

Robinson, meanwhile, swore by Thibodeau in a July interview with Ian Begley of SNY.

“One of the best men, honestly. He’s a student of the game and he’s a teacher – he’s both. He’s like Yoda,” Robinson said. He knows his stuff, he really gets after it, he watches a lot of film. He preaches defense-first and if you play defense, you get offense. That’s the reward. I learned a lot from coach Tom Thibodeau over the years when I was in Boston with him for a year and when I was in Chicago for a year. If (there’s) anybody that can change the Knicks, it’s probably him.”

Robinson averaged 13.1 points in his one season in Chicago in 2012-13, the most since he posted a career-high 17.2 points in New York in the 2008-09 season.

The Knicks are hoping Thibodeau can have the same effect on Smith and Ntilikina.

Both young point guards are entering the final season of their rookie contracts, and no Knick rookie has been extended since Charlie Ward in 1999.

“I’m getting to know both guys. I like what they’ve done so far. They got to continue to work,” Thibodeau said in a zoom call with reporters on Friday. “There’s oftentimes ups and downs for young players there’s, you know — there’s a learning curve they have to go through. Some experiences will be better than others.”

Smith is on the same spot when Rose and Augustin were looking to regain their confidence.  After a promising start to his NBA career, Smith rammed into a wall last season while dealing with an assortment of injuries and coping up with the loss of his stepmother. He was in and out of the lineup.  With his confidence shattered, he averaged a career-low 5.5 points.

On the other hand, Ntilikina has never lived up to his billing as a lottery pick.  The French point guard showed flashes of brilliance on the defensive end, but his limited offensive skillset has made him ill-suited for a roster lacking in shooters and floor spacers.

Thibodeau has already plotted his bounce-back plan for both young guards.

“They both have had some good moments in the league. You want to build consistency. And how do you get there? You have to do it through your work, you have to learn from the experiences and you have to be disciplined. And so, hopefully, we can get there this is a very important offseason for both players,” Thibodeau said. 

The gift of Thibodeau is he’s a basketball lifer, a teacher.  He empowers his players by harnessing their strengths and covering up their weaknesses.

“You look at the things they do well and try to build off that and try to add things to their game,” Thibodeau said.  “That’s why I think offseason is important because you can zero in on those things and help build confidence.  I think that’s where your confidence comes from.  Your confidence comes from your preparation. Your willingness to work on those things and see that you can be successful in doing them.  But you never want to take a guy away from what his strengths are.”

Smith and Ntilikina are at a crossroads.  All they need to do is follow Thibodeau’s lead.

This is why players do not want to play for the New York Knicks

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New York Knicks, James Dolan

Former New York Knicks center Enes Kanter is back in the news regarding the team.  He was a guest on The Full 48 podcast on Bleacher Report.  The reason that players will not go to the Knicks has everything to do with ownership.

This comes as no surprise as to Knicks fans.  The Knicks have had a tough time luring big name free agents to New York, case in point, this summer.  There is constant attention on the ownership thanks to social media.

Kanter went on to say that ‘players talk’ and they ‘do not want to deal’  with Knicks ownership.  This makes all the sense in the world.  No wonder, Kevin Durant decided to go to the Brooklyn Nets over the Knicks.

The Nets ownership and front office is what teams should be modeled after, not the Knicks.

Another former Knick, Derrick Rose, also had comments towards the front office recently.  These comments were directed more towards Phil Jackson as compared to the owner.

Rose thought the team of himself, Carmelo Anthony and Joakim Noah was going to be special.  Until Jackson forced the team to run the triangle then Rose realized the team was “sh-t.”

There always seems to be constant problems surrounding the Knicks ownership and front office.  Former players are finally coming out and voicing their opinions about their tenure with the Knicks.  Maybe, players were ‘scared’ to speak up because they have scene how the owner treats fans and former players.

Things are not going to change with the Knicks unless they fully clean house.  New personnel is doing their best to bring about that change fans are urging for.  It is not going to happen unless there is a change at the very top.