New York Knicks: Pros and Cons of potentially re-signing Derrick Rose

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Mar 14, 2017; New York, NY, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) drives to the basket against New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose (25) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /

Con: Defensive Inconsistency

One of the primary reasons behind the decision to select Frank Ntilikina at No. 8 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft was the desire to improve on defense. New York finished 2016-17 at No. 23 in points allowed per game and No. 25 in points allowed per 100 possessions.

Although the addition of Ntilikina should help the Knicks discover stability, Derrick Rose was one of the primary culprits behind New York’s defensive inconsistency.

Rose finished the 2016-17 season at No. 77 amongst point guards and No. 442 overall in Defensive Real Plus-Minus. That’s a fair indication of Rose’s status as one of the worst and most unreliable defensive players in the NBA.

It’s admittedly understandable for Rose to struggle on defense after enduring multiple knee surgeries, but it’s a weakness New York must consider.

In the modern era, it seems as though every NBA team has a point guard who can do some damage on offense. To have a lead guard who’s incapable of defending their position would be tough to justify without a legitimately elite defender at the 2.

Rose could work well with Ntilikina, and he was starting to develop chemistry with Courtney Lee, but he must be accepted as a defensive liability.