New York Knicks: How Much Is Derrick Rose Worth?

Contract Cost: Sixth Man

The cost of signing quality players is higher than it’s ever been. Though the stars undoubtedly benefited from the drastic rise in the salary cap, it was the role players who truly cashed in during the 2016 NBA offseason.

Thus, while signing Rose to be the team’s sixth man may be more ideal from a financial perspective, it will still carry a heavy cost.

In order to determine the ideal cost for a sixth man, there are three players worth evaluating: Jamal Crawford, Eric Gordon, and Tyler Johnson. All three players were signed to be sixth men during the 2016 offseason.

All received contracts in a similar range of cost, which could offer insight into the type of contract that Rose will be offered in 2017.

Johnson, the least established player of the three, signed a four-year deal worth $50 million with the Miami Heat. Crawford, then a 36-year-old guard and three-time Sixth Man of the Year, signed a three-year deal worth $42 million.

Gordon, the most injury-prone player of the group, signed a four-year deal worth just under $52.9 million—a telling sign that Rose will command at least $12.5 million per season as a sixth man.