New York Knicks: One Change Every Starter Must Make After All-Star Break

Derrick Rose: Facilitate

Position: Point Guard
Age: 28 (10/4/1988)
Experience: 8th Season
2016-17 Slash Line: .462/.241/.865
2016-17 Season Averages: 32.2 MPG, 17.6 PPG, 4.5 APG, 3.9 RPG, 1.1 ORPG

Derrick Rose is playing on a team that has a scorer who’s better than he in Carmelo Anthony. He’s also playing on a team that has a scorer who’s not only more versatile than he, but more important to the future of the organization in a scorer’s capacity in Kristaps Porzingis.

Thus, if the New York Knicks are going to realize their potential, it’s on Derrick Rose to make one crucial change: he must become a true facilitator.

Rose’s ability to break a defender down and attack the rim is nothing short of an invaluable strength. True as that may be, that’s a situational skill that only benefits the Knicks when the offense is otherwise struggling to find its rhythm.

If the Knicks are going to become a truly consistent threat on the offensive end of the floor, then the only way to achieve such a result will be for Rose to play a sustainably positive style.

For the time being, Rose’s scoring should be something that helps bail the Knicks out; not the foundation of the offense. It’s clear that he has room for improvement, but even if that improvement is made, he must be able to identify opportunities to facilitate.

Rose may continue to develop into an All-Star again, but until that transpires, he must play within the flow of the offense and help facilitate for his teammates.