KNICKS SEE MAGIC RUN
No Rose move in bloom yet
ORLANDO — Derrick Rose isn’t going anywhere. At least not yet.
Rose, the veteran point guard who was actively shopped prior to last Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, apparently survived another deadline on Wednesday. The NBA bylaws dictate that March 1 is the last day when a player can be waived and still remain eligible to play in the postseason with another team.
Brandon Jennings beat the deadline by two days and is headed to the Washington Wizards. As for Rose, who was mentioned as a possible buyout candidate by several league executives, he chuckled when asked if he expected to still be with the Knicks Thursday.
“You’d have to ask Steve (Mills),” Rose said, referring to the Knicks general manager. “I’m just going with the flow. My job is to play no matter where I am and play as hard as I can play.”
Rose’s one-year trail in New York, however, appears to be coming to an end. He will be a free agent this summer and despite not regaining his All-Star form, Rose could still hit it big in free agency. If Chandler Parsons can get close to $100 million from Memphis, Rose could potentially sign a comparable deal. It’s just unlikely to happen in New York.
“You have to think about all that in the offseason,” Rose added. “I’ll be a free agent. Sitting down at the table, I think we’ll have to talk about it. I really can’t think about or see how it’s going to go while I’m still playing here.”
The Knicks can sign Rose to an extension prior to July 1 but with Jeff Hornacek, under order from Phil Jackson, committing himself to running the triangle offense, retaining Rose doesn’t make much sense. As recently as this week, Rose expressed frustration with his role in the offense. He even admitted he hasn’t fully grasped the triangle.
Rose’s strength is running high pick-and-rolls as opposed to handing the ball off and running into a corner. He doesn’t appear to be the right fit for the system.
“I do whatever Coach tells me to do,” Rose said. “I’m not fighting with anyone. I don’t dislike anyone on the team, not even with the coaching staff.”
Rose was optimistic when the Knicks acquired him in June, going as far to say that the Knicks, just like the Golden State Warriors, are a “super team.” Not exactly. The Warriors have already won 50 games and have clinched a playoff spot. The Knicks will need a minor miracle just to hit 41 wins and qualify for the postseason.
“Of course (it’s tough), winning all your life winning ever since grammar school and won all the early years in the league to have my first losing season in the NBA, in any profession that’s hard,” Rose said. “You have to find a way around it. I can’t control what’s out of your hand and circumstances you can’t control. The work ethic is the only thing I can control. And being professional.
“We had extremely high expectations for this team. The reality is, I can’t get mad at it. If anything it’s a learning experience. I have to learn from it.”