Should Knicks’ Derrick Rose want to be traded to lowly Lakers?
The New York Knicks have a logjam at guard that must be addressed before the trade deadline, and Derrick Rose seems to be the likeliest player to be dealt. The 34-year-old is still in search of his first NBA title and could play a key off-the-bench role for a contender.
There’s been a rumor going around that there’s a certain Western Conference team that’s interested in trading for Rose, but it isn’t a team that’s a contender. Instead, it’s a team that sits at the bottom of the conference with a 8-12 record. But then again, trading for a veteran guard sounds like something that the Los Angeles Lakers would do.
The Lakers being linked to Rose is nothing new. After his 2016-17 season in New York, he entered free agency and LA was on his list of possible destinations, but he ended up signing with Cleveland. And recently, a three-team trade between the Knicks, Lakers, and Jazz was discussed during the Donovan Mitchell saga that could’ve seen Rose land in Los Angeles.
The 2022-23 season is over a month old now, and the D-Rose to the Lakers rumors have started up again due to Shams Charania reporting that New York has made the veteran available in trade talks. But if Rose wants to have a shot to win a championship, it isn’t going to happen in LA this season.
Knicks point guard Derrick Rose continues to be linked to Lakers in trade rumors
Although he entered the season 100 percent healthy, Derrick Rose is averaging 13.6 minutes per game, which is the lowest for him since he played in only nine games for the Timberwolves after being traded in the 2017-18 season. To be frank, the Knicks don’t have a need for Rose.
As the trade deadline draws nearer, teams will start to show more interest in players that have been made available in talks. D-Rose would be a nice bench threat for a contender that’s hoping to make a deep playoff run, not a team that will be watching from the couch.
If he were to be dealt to Los Angeles, Rose may not even make it to the play-in tournament. The Lakers’ issues go beyond making a big midseason trade due to Rob Pelinka’s hand in constructing their current roster. Even LeBron James’ efforts haven’t been enough for a team that looks even worse than they did last season. Trading for D-Rose would do next to nothing.
But perhaps after all these years, we’ll finally see Rose playing for the Lakers come to fruition. However, even if Los Angeles is interested in acquiring D-Rose, better teams will come calling.
