Getty Derrick Rose of the New York Knicks against the Indiana Pacers.
Though Derrick Rose’s New York Knicks teammates may have nothing but boastful and complementary things to say about him, the former MVP’s time in the Big Apple appears to be approaching its conclusion.
Considering the veteran guard has been removed from the club’s active rotation entirely, coupled with the fact that his contract holds a $15.5 million team option for 2023-24, it is a rather realistic possibility Leon Rose and company will wind up declining the third season of his current deal which, in turn, would relegate him to the free agency market.
Should this become a reality, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report discussed in a recent piece that he believes the 34-year-old’s career will wind up taking a story-book turn of events, as he projects Derrick Rose will wind up inking a deal “with his hometown Chicago Bulls.”
LOUD chants for Derrick Rose to enter the game from the fans at MSG
The crowd goes WILD as he enters the game 🧡
As noted in Buckley’s piece, since signing his three-year, $43.5 million contract back in 2021, Rose has only managed to suit up for a combined 53 games out of a possible 236.
That said, when he has suited up, he’s still shown flashes of being a quality contributor on the NBA stage. Over the last two seasons, per 100 possessions, Derrick Rose is still posting solid averages of 23.7 points, 7.6 assists, and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 42.3% from the field and 36.1% from distance.
Though his time as a perennial NBA All-Star and as a franchise cornerstone may be over, the veteran is still viewed as a player many teams have expressed interest in acquiring.
Should he not head to a ready-made contender if he’s available on the free agency market this coming summer, assuming he will still want to play, seeing Derrick Rose return to Chicago, the place his basketball journey began, would be a feel-good story for any sports fan to see.
Josh Hart ‘Excited’ For First Playoff Experience With Knicks
Derrick Rose may be in his last season as a member of the New York Knicks, but fellow veteran Josh Hart finds himself taking part in his first and, as a result, is also gearing up to participate in the first playoff run of his professional NBA career.
Despite having six total years of experience under his belt, the 28-year-old has not managed to be a part of a team that has qualified for the postseason until now.
In a recent media session, the wing discussed his feelings heading into New York’s upcoming quarterfinals matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers, noting that he’s “super excited” for what’s to come while also praising the overall makeup of this current Knicks squad.
“[I’m] extremely excited. I wish Saturday was coming a little sooner but [I’m] just super excited with the guys that we have in the locker room with the coaching staff, the front office, and that we have a great group of men here and we’re excited, we’re focused, and we’ll continue to get ready,” Josh Hart said.
“I wish Saturday was coming a little sooner. We have a great group of men here.”
Josh Hart is looking forward to the playoffs getting underway:
Since being traded to New York from the Portland Trail Blazers prior to the February 9 deadline, the Knicks have gone 17-8 with Josh Hart while he has posted impressive per-game averages of 10.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.4 steals while shooting 58.6% from the floor and 51.9% from deep.
RJ Barrett Sounds Off on Knicks Being Underdogs in Playoffs
Heading into their first-round matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York is viewed as the series underdogs by several different sportsbooks.
In a recent media session, when asked by a reporter how he feels coming in with the odds of winning against them, Knicks wing RJ Barrett clapped back by stating the team has been viewed as the underdog seemingly all season.
“Are you surprised by that?” Barrett asked. “Like I said…we have believed in ourselves since day one. And we’re gonna continue to believe in ourselves. At the end of the day, you gotta go on the court, show it and prove it. So that’s what we’re gonna try to do.”
RJ Barrett is asked if he feels like the Knicks are being counted out against the Cavaliers in the first round:
“We’ve believed in ourselves since day 1”
Barrett’s statement certainly seems to carry some weight, as the Knicks ultimately surpassed their preseason record odds by about nine wins, accumulating a record of 47-35 and finishing with the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference standings.