Knicks Trade For Derrick Rose

By Ananth Pandian/CBSSports.com

After having “internal discussions” about trading for Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose, the New York Knicks completed the deal on Wednesday.

Rose is the centerpiece of the trade but there are several other players involved. According to Berger, the Bulls are sending Rose, reserve guard Justin Holiday and a 2017 second round pick to the Knicks for Robin Lopez, Jerian Grant and Jose Calderon.

For the majority of last season, the Knicks have been searching for an upgrade at the point guard position as Calderon became a liability on defense and Grant was just a rookie. They now have a former MVP and three-time All-Star in Rose, who after a number of injury-plagued seasons played 66 games last year, his highest total since 2011. Rose’s athleticism has waned due to his multiple knee injuries but he played well last season and averaged 16.4 points on 42.7 shooting and 4.7 assists.

This is a big shakeup for the Bulls and signals the end of Rose’s era with the team. When Rose was at his peak, the Bulls were a championship contender and Chicago maintained that level even after he got injured, thanks to the coaching expertise of Tom Thibodeau. But the roster truly never meshed with new coach Fred Hoiberg and now Chicago seems determined to find a better fit.

Lopez is a nice pickup for the Bulls and could provide some insurance in case Pau Gasol or Joakim Noah leave in free agency. But Calderon will likely be a deep reserve and Grant will have to fight for minutes.

For the Knicks, this could just be a one-year experiment as Rose is a free-agent next summer. However, if Rose plays well the Knicks will be able to sign him to a longer contract than any other team. Rose will have to prove his worth, though, and do it under under the bright lights of New York.