Western Conference Rival ‘Always Had Interest’ in Knicks PG Derrick Rose

derrick rose

Getty Derrick Rose could be on the move.

The New York Knicks haven’t been playing former MVP Derrick Rose a whole lot as of late, and one such reason could be they are holding him back for a potential trade down the road.

Rose dealt with injuries last year that caused him to miss a huge chunk of the season, and his presence was missed in a big way. With Jalen Brunson now in town, Rose’s minutes were expected to take a hit, but not quite as steep as this.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Knicks are listening to calls on both Rose and Immanuel Quickley.

“The Knicks have shown a willingness to discuss Derrick Rose and Immanuel Quickley in trade talks, league sources say, as a way to sort out the team’s glut at the guard position over the course of the season,” he wrote.

Both players are likely to draw some interest as Quickley is still a young prospect while Rose is a seasoned veteran. An Eastern Conference executive speaking to Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney names the Los Angeles Lakers as a team who have interest in Rose, but it’s not clear if they’d ever be able to hit any sort of asking price for him.


Lakers Interested in Rose

The Lakers are not having a great year so far, and it’s clear they could use more pieces on the roster to make things work in their favor.

Rose isn’t exactly known for his shooting, and that’s certainly what the Lakers would be coveting at this stage. The executive doesn’t believe Rose might even want out, but if he does it’d likely be in chase of a championship.

“He is always going to be the good soldier and he might not even want out of New York just because he and Thibs are so tight,” the exec told Deveney. “But he’s going to want to play at some point and he is going to want a chance to win. The Lakers have always had interest but there is no way to make that deal work now with the contracts they have.”

The Lakers might not have a shot at winning a championship this season, but if they make some moves, something could happen there. LeBron James already teamed up with Rose during his second stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the point guard only lasted 16 games with the franchise before moving on.


Knicks Have to Make a Decision

It’s no secret that Rose and coach Tom Thibodeau have a good relationship with each other. Thibodeau has been Rose’s coach in Chicago, Minnesota and now New York, so the two have always found a way to be with each other.

At this stage in Rose’s career, he might be better off being the veteran who passes on wisdom to the youngsters, and that’s sort of what he’s doing with the Knicks. If he wants to find a bigger role and perhaps win a championship, that option will also be available for him, but it likely won’t be with New York.

If Rose is actively shopped, there are definitely going to be suitors for him as he still has a bit left in the tank as a sixth man or spot starter.

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