Derrick Rose, who hasn’t been in the Knicks’ rotation, wasn’t involved in a deal at the trade deadline, but it doesn’t appear Rose will seek a buyout, Zach Braziller of the New York Post writes.
Rose is content to being a team leader and mentoring the Knicks’ younger players. “It’s still the same thing. I’m still locked in with the team, talking to the guys, mentoring,” he said.
However, a source told Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News that Rose wouldn’t totally dismiss the possibility of a buyout if there was a team in need of a veteran point guard. The former MVP is signed through next season but there’s a team option on his $15,596,339 salary.
We have more on the New York teams:
- Mitchell Robinson is progressing well, but the Knicks center won’t return from his thumb injury prior to the All-Star break, Bondy tweets. Robinson, in the first year of a four-year, $60MM contract, has been out of action since Jan. 18.
- Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson were teammates at Villanova and now they’ve been reunited with Hart being traded from Portland. Brunson believes Hart will make the Knicks grittier, Braziller writes. “He’s a tough-minded guy,” Brunson said. “He doesn’t back down from a challenge and that’s how he is and that’s how he’s been. I’m not worried at all. He’s going to fit in.”
- Cam Thomas strung together three 40-point games this month but it wasn’t enough to keep him in the starting lineup, Dan Martin of the New York Post notes. Nets coach Jacque Vaughn is trying to sort through all the changes in the roster. Thomas played 18 minutes and scored 14 points against Philadelphia on Saturday. “We’ve seen him garner a lot of attention as a starter, so I don’t think that changes,” Vaughn said. “It will be great to see that against the second unit. He’s a guy we can put the ball in his hand when we need a bucket. He has confidence to come off the bench and score.”
- Ben Simmons‘ former coach, the Sixers’ Doc Rivers, believes Simmons can regain his All-Star level form with the Nets now that Kyrie Irving has been traded, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I believe he can get back to where he was with us, especially now, I think, because he will have the ball in his hands more,” Rivers said. “I thought that’s what we did that really kind of freed him up. But it’s just going to take time. Now, what has it been, a year and a half? I don’t think it’ll be overnight. But he’s working, and that’s all you can do.”
Simmons is not going to make another All-Star team unless as a reserve, or until the league changes its emphasis on shooting. Can’t imagine having Thybulle & him on the floor at the same time. Scary
You could have just stopped at “Simmons is not going to make another all star team”
Cam Thomas is shooting 31 percent from 3 over his career. Nice three games tho.
I believe Simmons best position is 3 or 4. He can do either. He should be only doing that.
He reminds me of Anthony Mason. Better ball handler and passer (Mason was no slouch), but very similar.
That’s actually good. Yes
Ben is bigger
Maze was thicker
Cam needs time to fit in. The guy is flat out a scorer. Needs to learn there are 4 guys just trying to help him.
Hart was a great pickup. Cost us nothing except money. Like Jalen. Now we are deeper and better. This team is a tough out in playoffs. Like it, direction. We are one star away from being a top team in East. Playoffs will be fun again.
Knicks will do right by Rose. ….
I agree
Got a feeling the Knicks are going to use Rose money (decline the option) on Hart next year.
Much respect to D Rose for not being a crybaby like most of the league. Has been my favorite player since he came into the league. Wish we could have seen an injury-free Rose play during those prime years.
But will we ever know who actually took his college entrance exams?
I could care less. Universities are a bunch of racketeering bastards.
I’ve never seen an NBA player so unwilling to shoot than Ben Simmons #laughingstock
Shaq?
Throughout his career Simmons has been unwilling to unload from any distance further than two feet from the rim.
Holding balls in his hands doesn’t necessarily convey him into a better shooter.
Rose is chillin. Gonna get that 14 million and save his knees. Maybe get one more contract where he can try and contribute. After that I can see him being the old vet on the bench that doesn’t play but is a good locker room guy, like Haslem.
BKN was likely trying to showcase their new additions, meaning the plan was that they see the ball now and then. Thomas’ game kind of is what it is, and it wouldn’t be friendly to that.
Ben has to regain his confidence and swagger. For this team to be good. Good young vets on this team.
They collected a lot of high end rotation talent, in particular those desirable bigger 2 way wings. Not sure how they fit. Need to find an identity and go from there. I’m thinking some reshuffling of the assets in the off season. Hopefully they don’t figure it out until next season.
Thibs loves Rose. He knows he owes him. Thibs is a loyal guy. Trust me, just old school. Knicks will accommodate Rose to wherever he wants to go. He’s been a class act in NY.
#YoungestMVP ……
To me the most interesting thing. Is how Nets react to being the 5th seed now (33-23). They are only 2 1/2 gms back of Cleveland. They have a great shot to make playoffs. That would be UUuuuuuuugggggeeee.
26 gms left. All they have to do is play .500
Nets should continue starting Cam Thomas. They need a go to bucket getter, Ben Simmons is a defensive minded pass first guy, Bridges is improving at scoring and will be a 20+ points per game but he’s the only person that is. Dinwiddie can give you 20’s but I’d be inclined to use him as the sixth man and lead that second unit.
Ben Cam Bridges DFS Claxton
Dinwiddie Curry/Harris Royce Johnson Morris
I think that starting side really is built perfectly around Ben. You’ve got Cam and Bridges as really good secondary ball handlers and your main scoring options, you have DFS as a floor spacer and Claxton is your 5. Defensively Ben Bridges DFS and Claxton that’s a very solid group and only Cam is a weakness but he’s got some of the league best defenders around him to cover for mistakes.
Then in your second unit, Dinwiddie gets a load of touches and runs that team. Some really good floor spacers and shooting options around him. Defensively it’s not a super poor unit either. Dinwiddie and Royce are both good defenders. Johnson can hold his own and it’s really down to Joe or Seth for the other guard spot. Joe is a solid defender if he’s healthy.
Think I might be alone in this take but I think this side is a playoff side at worst a playoff in side. I think of all the teams in the east they probably give Boston the most trouble too. They are so reliant on Tatum and Brown and Brooklyn can guard them with Ben and Bridges. That’s also why you have Dinwiddie on the bench to match up against Malcom Brogdan. Claxton vs Rob Williams, DFS vs Grant Will, these are good match ups. All Brooklyn would need is a couple really good shooting nights from Cam Thomas or some guys on their bench like Seth, Joe or Cam Johnson.