Knicks Rumors: Five Reasons To Love The Derrick Rose Trade

The New York Knicks have reportedly traded for 2011 NBA MVP Derrick Rose. Here are five reasons you should love this trade.

New York Knicks have been longing for a move that would genuinely alter the trajectory of the organization. Carmelo Anthony is a nine-time All-Star at small forward, and Kristaps Porzingis is on the rise down low, but there was a glaring void in the backcourt.

Team president Phil Jackson has addressed that void in a significant way.

The Chicago Bulls have been weighing the option of trading high-profile point guard Derrick Rose. Ian Begley of ESPN New York reported the Knicks’ interest in being the team to trade for Rose, but no one knew what to make of that possibility.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, the Knicks have acquired Rose in exchange for Jerian Grant and Robin Lopez.

Per Shams Charania of The Vertical, New York will also send Jose Calderon to Chicago.

New York will also receive Justin Holiday and a 2017 second-round draft pick from the Bulls.

The response to this trade has been as expected: divided in nature. Many Knicks fans are enamored with the idea of having Rose on the roster, but there are also those who fear this was a poor decision.

The concern is understandable, but here are five reasons to love the Derrick Rose trade.

Next: Trial Run

5. Expiring Contract

The New York Knicks have committed a great deal of money to Derrick Rose becoming a star again. He’ll make $21,323,252 in 2016-17, which isn’t very far from what a max contract will be for a player with Rose’s experience this summer.

The imperative information: the Knicks’ investment has been made with great caution, as Rose is currently in the final year of his contract.

The best case scenario is that Rose comes to New York and provides consistent production and athleticism. For perspective, Rose averaged 17.3 points on 44.9 percent shooting during his final 49 games—a stretch that coincides with the removal of his protective mask.

If that’s what Rose offers the Knicks in 2016-17, then New York would have a legitimate opportunity to make the playoffs.

The worst case scenario is that Rose either struggles or falls victim to the injuries that have plagued him before. Thus, the Knicks would lose the point guard whom they acquired to lead the backcourt attack.

The reason you shouldn’t be worried: the worst case scenario is that this low-cost trade doesn’t work out, and New York lets Rose walk in free agency after just one season.

Next: Opportunity Cost

4. Acceptable Cost

Robin Lopez is one of the better two-way centers in the NBA, and his mere presence has helped Kristaps Porzingis improve as a player. Jerian Grant has a bright future as a potential starter in the NBA, and Jose Calderon is a great locker room presence.

All things considered, that is well below the expected cost for Derrick Rose.

Lopez is a tough player to lose, but the 2016 free agent market is flush with high-quality—and even star-caliber—centers. Furthermore, Porzingis projects as a center in the long-term, and Lopez’s departure opens the door for the 20-year-old to spend more minutes at the 5.

Lopez will be missed, but Rose’s ceiling is high enough to justify the move.

As for Grant, he has potential at point guard, but one can only dream that he’ll become the player that Rose is and was. Even if this move doesn’t work out, and Grant does develop into a star, it’d be a risk work taking.

For the icing on the proverbial cake, New York now projects to have significantly more cap space in 2017 than it would’ve before this trade.

Next: The Void

3. Addressing The Void

The New York Knicks had a very obvious void at point guard. Derrick Rose may or may not be the answer at the position, but it’s quite clear that he’s capable of playing starting-caliber basketball.

Love the move or hate it, one cannot deny that it’s addressed the most significant void on the roster.

Jose Calderon is a quality passer and 3-point shooter, and a respected locker room presence, but he was a defensive turnstile in 2015-16. Jerian Grant had potential, but there was no guaranteeing that he’d succeed in the short-term.

Tony Wroten has upside, as well, but he’s more of a long-term project than an immediate impact player.

By trading for Rose, the Knicks now have an answer to the question of, “Who will start at point guard in 2016-17?” That’s something that should create comfort, as the Knicks were preparing to potentially overpay for a point guard this coming summer.

Rose’s contract may seem big, but it’ll likely be smaller than that given to the top free agent point guards in 2016—and shorter.

Next: The Void

2. Free Agency Flexibility

The New York Knicks were about to enter a period of free agency without a single point guard worthy of a max contract. After Mike Conley—who’s battling tendinitis in his achilles—and Rajon Rondo—who has a history of agitating coaches—was a glaring absence of star-caliber talent.

By trading for Derrick Rose, the New York Knicks have dodged the bullet of overpaying for a point guard in 2016.

The Knicks will now have Rose, Carmelo Anthony, and Kristaps Porzingis locked in as starters in 2016-17. New York will also have roughly the same amount of cap space as it was was projected to possess before trading for Rose.

In other words, New York will have roughly $30 million to spend with three potential star-caliber players already present.

New York no longer has to dodge the star-caliber big men who dominate the 2016 class of free agents. The Knicks can also define what they need out of a shooting guard instead of merely going for a talent who may not fit a year from today.

This move may seem like a gamble, but it actually creates more flexibility than the Knicks would’ve possessed without this exact trade for Rose.

Next: Calculated Urgency

1. Sense of Urgency

The New York Knicks have a long history of investing overwhelming amounts of money in players who may not be worth it. New York also has a history of trading its future assets for a single player who may or may not be the answer.

The Knicks did the unthinkable with this trade: displayed a sense of urgency without remaining true to either of the previously alluded to dreadful tendencies.

The Knicks have a 20-year-old rising star in Kristaps Porzingis, but Carmelo Anthony is 32 years of age. Thus, while the long-term window may be vast, the short-term opportunity to win a title isn’t quite as open.

If the Knicks hope to win a championship with Anthony, then low-cost, high-reward moves like this are the way to go.

When one considers the cost of the trade, as well as Rose’s expiring contract, this was the perfect move to display Phil Jackson’s savvy and sense of urgency. He’s aware of the need to be financially cautious, and is just as cognizant of the need to acquire impact players.

must read: The only free agents worth a max contract in 2016

Whether or not this move works out, a low-cost trade for Derrick Rose is a sign of smarter and brighter days in the Knicks’ front office.