The Timberwolves have reached out to the Knicks about a possible Derrick Rose deal, reports Marc Berman of The New York Post. Rose has fallen out of favor with Knicks president Phil Jackson, who is disappointed with the veteran guard’s effort on defense. Rose is entering free agency and sources tell Berman that New York would rather move him now than give him a long-term deal. He won MVP honors in Chicago in 2011 under Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau.
The proposed deal is believed to involve Ricky Rubio, whom Thibodeau has never believed in as his long-term point guard, according to Berman. Rubio still has two years and more than $29MM left on his contract and has been the subject of trade rumors since Minnesota drafted Kris Dunn last summer.
The Knicks contacted the Wolves about Rubio at last year’s deadline, Berman writes, and have been interested in him since he entered the league in 2009 because of the recommendations of their European scout, Kevin Wilson, who is based in Barcelona.
New York also reportedly likes Minnesota’s Nemanja Bjelica and inquired about his availability as part of the Rose discussions, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link).
There’s more on the trade front as Thursday’s deadline inches closer:
- The Rockets have asked about Wolves guard Shabazz Muhammad, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News in Minneapolis. Wolfson doesn’t believe the teams are close to a deal.
- The Pistons refused an offer from the Sixers involving Jahlil Okafor and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, tweets Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated. Philadelphia offered to bring a third team into the trade, but Detroit still wasn’t interested. The Pistons reportedly have hesitations about giving Caldwell-Pope a maximum salary after his contract expires at the end of the season. The Sixers have been calling around the league trying to make a deal for Okafor, with the Pacers and Bulls as the most frequently mentioned potential trade partners.
- The Suns are looking for someone to take Brandon Knight‘s contract and might be a fallback option for an Okafor trade, according to Fischer (Twitter link). A former starter in Phoenix, Knight in is the midst of a disappointing season, averaging 11.0 points per game and shooting less than 40% from the field. He still has three seasons and nearly $43.9MM left on his current deal.
- The Thunder and Clippers remain in pursuit of Nuggets swingman Wilson Chandler, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today.
Soon, Phil’s Knicks will be ready to win the Euroleague!
Why won’t the Bulls just get Knight already. They need shooting and a point guard
Because Brandon Knight is a terrible shooter and not a good point guard
He’s a better shooter than Rondo and MCW. And he’s shooting better from 3 than Wade.
Besides jimmy can run point. Honestly I wouldn’t mind Brandon knight. He can be explosive scorer something we don’t have outside of wade and butler
Giving up Rubio and getting the ghost of Derrick Rose in return is a Kahn-raw move.
Wolves get out of Rubios contract
It’s not a bad contract. Not sure why everyone thinks so.
Heavily agreed, he makes $13 million a year.
Any chance the Knicks and Wolves get this one done without a third team? Not much salary available – could Pekovic be a make weight?
Pekovic is a 12mil doorstop, but clearly could be used as filler as long as he hasn’t formally retired yet. Then Phil can try to talk him out of retirement to play the Triangle, LOL.
Phil, Phil, Phil…what games were YOU watching with the Bulls where Derrick played defense? Please, you are tarnishing your legacy, just admit you assembled the team that you could even though it isn’t what you need — hmmm, maybe you can go out for drinks with GarPax, I think they may need an assistant!
If the Wolves contacted the Knicks, then they must have offered Rubio as part of the deal. If so, the Knicks should just do it straight up. No matching contracts needed here, as Minn has actual cap space and a bunch of it. Jackson will have to find some other way to complicate it.
Tommy Thibs, he likes him some Derrick Rose…seems like this would actually help the Wolves, shift from an all-pass point to a [backup] former MVP mostly-shoot point, hand the reins to Dunn for the future. Rose like Thibs and always performed well under him, when he wasn’t limping off of the court for months-long rest periods.
Am I the only one who thinks Okafor to the Spurs would be a great idea? He can take one or two years developing under Popovich and staff, learn from Gasol and Aldridge, and be ready to lead with Kawhi Leonard in a few years. If ever there’s a team who could develop a top draft pick to their potential, is the Spurs, and they don’t have any big men developing on the horizon for Gasol’s retirement
What can they offer Philly is the question?
Rights to some unsignable Euro league guys?
A first round pick, or maybe a veteran guard that would be valuable to the 76ers backcourt.