Getty Head coach Tom Thibodeau of the New York Knicks direct his players in overtime against the Toronto Raptors.
The New York Knicks may be viewed as an organization likely to make a roster-bolster addition during this year’s trade season, but, from other teams’ perspectives, they’re also a club in possession of several intriguing talents that could be worth pursuing on their end as well.
From youngsters such as Cam Reddish to veterans like Evan Fournier, the Knickerbockers have a bevy of expendable players on their roster that, come February 9th, could be heading outbound and, with this, Coty M. Davis of FanNation’s Inside the Rockets believes that the Houston Rockets should strongly consider dialing Leon Rose and company to inquire about Derrick Rose.
Regarding disparaging comments made by former Rockets point guard John Wall about the “bad habits” developed by the team’s younger players, Davis believes that adding on a trusty veteran could be an idea worth considering for GM Rafael Stone, and the 34-year-old Rose is viewed as an optimal option to pursue a deal for.
“Rose is far from the high-flying point guard who once took home league MVP honors as a member of the Chicago Bulls in 2011. But he remains an impactful player during the twilight years of his career due to his mentorship. And given the star potential of Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr., Rose could be a resource to Houston’s young backcourt.
“Rose has excelled in a similar role with the Knicks over the previous few seasons. And when his number is called, he has provided New York with modest on-court production. Thibodeau described Rose as a player who always cared about his teammates. And after watching Rose go from the youngest MVP in league history to a non-rotational player, Thibodeau said the former All-Star point guard has handled every phase of his career brilliantly,” Davis wrote.
“I talk to him all the time. He’s always been a consummate pro, he’s always put the team first, & that’s what I love about him. Whether he’s been the MVP, & now the later stages of his career”
— Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau on Derrick Rose being removed from the rotation
Now in his 15th season in the association, as Davis noted Derrick Rose may no longer be the perennial All-Star and former MVP that he once was, but he’s proven to be the epitome of a professional throughout the entirety of the 2022-23 campaign as a member of the New York Knicks.
Though he has seen his minutes per game averages dip to a career-low of 12.9–which, subsequently, has plummeted his other averages to career lows as well–and has been inactive or sequestered to the back of the bench on all but three occasions since Christmas Day, he has remained an outspoken mentor for his teammates despite these obvious hardships.
With a move to the Rockets, not only could he bring his established leadership to the table but, considering their lacking desire to win this year, perhaps he’d also be able to come across an uptick in playing time which, as a result, could help raise his value for a possible trade to a legitimate contender during this coming offseason.
Knicks, Rockets Have Been Linked Before
This isn’t the first time the Knicks and Rockets have been tabbed as possible trade partners this season, as New York has had reported interest in pursuing the likes of veteran scoring guard Eric Gordon since the early stages of this year’s campaign.
Now in his 15th season in the association, the 34-year-old has established himself as a trusty scoring threat, particularly when coming off the pine where he won the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award back in 2016-17 and has finished within the top 2 in such a race twice.
Eric Gordon splits the defense! 💥🔨
As things currently stand, the Knicks find themselves ranking a middling 14th in points per game, 24th in true shooting percentage, and 26th in effective field goal percentage, thus suggesting that they may be open to adding on some extra offensive weapons to their arsenal as they look to make a playoff push during this second half of the season.
A proven scoring savant, Gordon holds impressive career averages of 16.2 points on 37.0% shooting from distance.
Considering his offensive prowess and his ability to fill in at any position from the one to a small-ball four, by adding the veteran the Knicks would boost their underwhelming scoring production while simultaneously strengthening the depth on the roster to allow for more rotational experimentation, which could come in handy down the stretch.
Knicks Urged to Trade Center
Although the New York Knicks just saw their starting center Mitchell Robinson go down with a right thumb injury, Bleacher Report writer Mo Dakhil discussed the idea of the team trading free agency acquisition big man Isaiah Hartenstein before this year’s deadline, as he believes that, by doing so, it could help create more diversity and experimentation within Tom Thibodeau’s rotation.
“The trade would make them thin at center, but the Knicks should look to spread his minutes around. Give more minutes to Jericho Sims, whose per-36 numbers are comparable to Hartenstein’s. Experiment with playing Obi Toppin and Julius Randle. Playing small would not be a bad idea for New York,” Dakhil wrote.
NBA Exec: “Knicks have engaged in talks with the Pacers revolving around a potential trade for Obi Toppin”
“The executive would continue by stating that Indiana has some extra first-rounders that could be available for the taking in this year’s NBA Draft”
(via Sean Deveney)
In Dakhil’s eyes, trading Hartenstein would allow for someone like sophomore big man Jericho Sims to receive more action while helping Obi Toppin get more run as well, particularly in lineups consisting of both he and Julius Randle which, should it prove to be successful, could lessen the rumblings that he could be a potential trade asset for the Knicks this season.