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Coming into the offseason, the New York Knicks had a glaring weakness at point guard, and they filled that hole and then some.
With the signing of Kemba Walker, the team appears set at the position going into the season. There was a bit of a question mark around whether he or Derrick Rose would start, but with that settled, it looks like the two players can now get comfortable in their roles.
Walker was likely a big suitor among many teams after learning he was being bought out by the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the decision came down to him.
For Walker, the decision was clear, and at NBA Media Day, he explained that Derrick Rose himself was a big reason in him picking the Knicks.
Kemba is a Big Fan of D-Rose
Kemba Walker says Derrick Rose was a big reason why he decided to come to the Knicks:
“I want to build a special rapport with him and help him lead”
Speaking at media day, Walker cites Rose as a big influence and he says that he wants to help him lead the Knicks.
“D-Rose is one of the biggest reasons I came here,” he said. “I wanted to be around him. I wanted to get a chance to see how he prepares himself every day. You know, really get a chance to pick his brain as best I can.”
To his credit, Rose has become a strong leader off the bench over the past several seasons with the Timberwolves, Pistons and now Knicks. He’s also been able to remain relatively injury-free, which was definitely a big question mark following the devastating start to his career.
Walker thinks he can learn a lot from Rose, and that’s certainly a given when you consider he’s a former MVP award winner.
“I want to build a special rapport with him and help him lead,” Walker said of Rose.
Fans likely won’t be seeing Rose and Walker in the lineup together all that often, but that doesn’t mean they can’t learn a thing or two from each other.
Walker Gets the Start
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While the Knicks haven’t given the official word, it does appear that Rose has accepted he’ll be coming off the bench in the upcoming season.
Speaking media day, he said that Walker deserves the start, and considering the fact that Rose has settled into his role as the sixth man, it makes a lot of sense.
The bench will be bringing a lot of firepower for the Knicks in the upcoming season with Rose, Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin all representing a big scoring threat with the second unit.
Whether the team will be able to replicate its success from last season remains to be seen, but the Knicks have likely done enough to at least make it back to the playoffs for a second season in a row. If everyone is able to stay healthy, they might make some big noise this season.
Of course, health is a big question mark surrounding the team, so keep your fingers crossed. The season starts in October, so there are still a few more decisions to be made, but it looks like the table is set.
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