Getty Derrick Rose isn't getting his usual minutes.
The New York Knicks were able to even up their record at 1-1 with a win over the Detroit Pistons, and that could be a good indicator of the season to come.
This Knicks roster is currently projected to be a play-in team, and if they finish with a record of 41-41, it’d be right around the expectations many people have set for them.
Jalen Brunson has been solid for the Knicks and even has zero turnovers through two games. Obviously, that won’t stay that way, but the early returns have been very promising for New York.
Something that Brunson’s arrival has done is cut into Derrick Rose’s playing time. Rose is coming off an injury-plagued year that held him to just 26 games played last season, so it could take a bit for him to get back into the swing of things.
It might be too early to worry about playing time, and Rose seems to agree with that sentiment.
Rose Sounds Off
When he’s healthy, Rose typically plays around 25 minutes a game as the anchor of the second unit, but that hasn’t been the case through two games. Instead, he’s averaged 14 minutes a game, a number that would be a career-low if that keeps up.
Rose isn’t concerned about it, and said he hasn’t even brought it up to Tom Thibodeau.
“I’m letting Thibs dictate that,” he said, according to the New York Post. “I didn’t talk to him at all about it. My job is to just be vocal and try to express what I see on the court. As far as minutes, I don’t worry about it because of the saying, ‘if you stay ready, you don’t got to get ready.’ That’s my mindset.”
The former MVP is a big part of the team’s success this season, and Brunson won’t be able to play every minute of a game, and that’s where Rose comes into play. He’s a player that would be valued on every team around the league, so the Knicks will look to get what they can out of him.
This is a 34-year-old point guard we’re talking about here, so it might take longer for him to get back into the swing of things, especially with him coming off an injury like he is.
Knicks Have to Fit Many Players In
There are a few players on the roster who will be fighting for minutes once the team is up to full power. Quentin Grimes has been out with an injury to start the year, and it’s allowed Cam Reddish to get more of an opportunity.
He’s been solid so far, with his most notable moment coming in the closing moments of regulation in the season opener when he drained a game-tying three pointer to send the game into overtime against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Obi Toppin is also a name to look out for because he’s behind Julius Randle in the depth chart. He’s a player who could flourish with a bigger role, but Randle has been blocking him through pretty much his entire tenure in New York.
These three players are all looking for playing time, and it’s tough to envision a world where they all get enough needed for their development.