New York Knicks: How Derrick Rose Will Help NY Contend

1. Attack Mode

The skills that Derrick Rose bring to the table have been addressed. The new element that will have the strongest impact on the New York Knicks, however, has less to do with what he does than how he does it.

In stark contrast to the Knicks’ point guards from the 2015-16 season, Rose is always in attack mode.

In 2015-16, Jose Calderon was passive, Jerian Grant was tentative, and Langston Galloway picked his spots. Rose can be aggressive to a fault, but it’s easier to win with a player who’s too aggressive than it is with one who isn’t aggressive enough.

Thus, while Rose may be more prone to turnovers and unfavorable shot attempts, he’s also more likely to create something spectacular.

With a point guard who’s always on the attack, the Knicks now have a floor general whom teams must actually account for. Rose may not be the slasher that he used to be, but the fact that he’s as persistent as he is means his opponent cannot consistently cheat on defense.

If they do, then Rose can hit the openings he’s given and exploit the opposition for a quick two points.

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Though the Knicks have improved on many fronts, no positional upgrade will be more important to the team’s postseason aspirations than landing Rose at point guard.