Derrick Rose Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Rose, Cavaliers, Noel, Bucks

February 27th, 2022 at 8:35pm CST by JD Shaw

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau refused to answer whether he expects Derrick Rose to return in March from a minor ankle procedure, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post (Twitter link). ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Friday (via Twitter) that Rose could return in one or two weeks.

“Yeah, I wish I could answer that, but I can’t,” Thibodeau said. “Obviously, he needs some time right now. You just have to sort of let him go through it and be patient with it.”

Rose’s procedure addressed a skin infection in the area of his December ankle surgery, according to Wojnarowski. Rose has only played in 26 of the Knicks’ 61 games this season. The team ranks 12th in the East with a 25-36 record and has lost five straight games.

There’s more from the Eastern Conference tonight:

The Cavaliers are looking to re-establish their defensive identity entering March, Kelsey Russo of The Athletic writes. Cleveland most recently put forth a strong defensive performance against Washington, winning the contest 92-86. “To be honest with you, I was less concerned about the results and more concerned about the effort and the performance,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “If we do the things and play the way that we play, I can live with whatever the results are. I just thought that our past two games, we weren’t ourselves. So win or loss, if we’re ourselves, and the best version of ourselves, we can live with that.”
Knicks center Nerlens Noel has been dealing with plantar fasciitis since before the All-Star break, Tim Bontemps of ESPN tweets. Noel hasn’t played in the team’s last six games. He’s appeared in 25 games this season (11 starts), averaging 3.4 points and 5.6 rebounds in 22.5 minutes per outing.
The Bucks season-long struggles showed up against the Nets on Saturday, Eric Nehm of The Athletic writes. Nehm believes the team’s third-quarter performances have been a major issue. Milwaukee lost the third quarter 43-34 and dropped the contest 126-123. “To be honest, man, sh–, they just kicked our butt in the third quarter,” Bobby Portis said. “They scored 43 points. I mean we scored enough just to keep it close, but I mean that’s been our kryptonite the whole year. I’m kind of just tired of talking about it, bro. I don’t know what we can do, what we’re going to do. … we’ve been talking about this since December, man, and in a couple of days, it’s gonna be March, so we gotta figure that out, and soon, man. The season’s about to be over.”

Derrick Rose Undergoes Another Procedure On Ankle

February 25th, 2022 at 7:02pm CST by Luke Adams

7:02pm: The procedure was performed on Friday and addressed a skin infection on his right ankle, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. There’s optimism that Rose will be able to return to action in one or two weeks, Woj adds.

1:39pm: Knicks guard Derrick Rose will undergo another procedure on his right ankle, the team announced today (via Twitter).

The Knicks’ announcement is scarce on details, simply referring to the procedure as a “minor” one and noting that no timeline has been set for Rose’s return. The ankle is the same one that the former MVP underwent surgery on in December.

Rose, 33, has appeared in 26 games (24.5 MPG) for New York this season, averaging 12.0 PPG, 4.0 APG, and 3.0 RPG on .445/.402/.968 shooting. He last played on December 16.

Recent reports had suggested Rose was nearing a return to action, but it now seems unlikely he’ll play anytime in the short-term future. As of this Sunday, there are just six weeks left in the regular season, so there’s no guarantee we’ll see him again before 2022/23, especially if the Knicks continue to fall out of play-in contention.

With Rose still on the shelf and Kemba Walker shut down for the season, Alec Burks will likely handle be the Knicks’ starter at point guard, with Miles McBride and Immanuel Quickley potentially in the mix as well.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Defense, Raptors, Knicks Injuries

February 24th, 2022 at 4:03pm CST by Rory Maher

Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated explores how the Celtics have turned their season around and evolved into contenders. Mannix admits he thought the Celtics were toast in December, but since Jan. 1 they’ve gone 17-7, including winning nine of their last 10 games entering the All-Star break.

The Celtics have been dominant defensively, especially the starting unit. Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford and Robert Williams hold a 88.8 defensive rating, which is the top mark among all five-man groups that have played at least 150 minutes, Mannix writes.

“I’ve had a lot of good teams here defensively. But this group has a chance to be unique,” former coach and current president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said.

The Celtics have also drastically improved their ball movement and are averaging far more passes and assists per game since the start of 2022, Mannix notes.

Here are a few more notes from the Atlantic Division:

Head coach Ime Udoka says the Celtics are excited to add Malik Fitts and Kelan Martin (both on 10-day deals), but will continue to monitor the buyout market in order to see who might become available (Twitter link via Keith Smith of Spotrac).
There’s no telling where the Raptors might finish in the standings, and head coach Nick Nurse doesn’t mind that unpredictability, writes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. “It wouldn’t surprise me if we finished in the top three and it wouldn’t surprise me if we finished seventh and I wouldn’t care about either of those spots, to be honest,” Nurse said Wednesday. He actually thinks there might be an advantage to finishing in seventh place and participating in the play-in tournament. “There’s a little, maybe, benefit of playing in that seventh spot,” Nurse said. “Get a couple games before you actually get into the (playoffs) and I think it might give you a game or two buffer of not giving one away right away.” The Raptors are currently 32-25, seventh in the East, only a half-game behind the sixth-place Celtics.
RJ Barrett (left ankle sprain) and Nerlens Noel (sore left foot) are both listed as questionable Friday for the Knicks, while Derrick Rose is doubtful as he continues to recover from right ankle surgery (Twitter link from Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel). Rose was a full participant in practice Wednesday and is inching closer to a return.

Knicks Notes: Walker, Rose, Barrett, Burks

February 23rd, 2022 at 7:30pm CST by Rory Maher

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau isn’t sure whether Kemba Walker will be around the team moving forward, stating that those conversations were between Walker and management, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv (via Twitter). Walker did not attend Wednesday’s practice.

It was announced Wednesday that Walker won’t play for the remainder of the season and will work out in preparation for 2022/23. He’ll be on an expiring $9.2MM contract this summer, which might make it easier to trade him.

“We knew there was risk involved (in signing Walker with his balky knee),” Thibodeau said, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “We thought it was worth it. There were some good moments. If he’s healthy, he’s good. So, that’s about it.”

Here are a few more notes on the Knicks:

Derrick Rose and RJ Barrett were full participants at practice Wednesday and will be evaluated Thursday, Thibodeau said (Twitter link via Begley). It was Rose’s first day taking contact.
Although Rose’s return to action appears imminent, Thibodeau indicated he’d likely start Alec Burks at point guard, Bondy relays. “Digging into the numbers and stuff, Alec has been our best option so far,” Thibodeau said.
Barrett had no qualms about being on the court at the end of a blowout loss when he sprained his ankle earlier this month, Begley reports (via Twitter). Barrett said he always wants to be on the court and an injury like the one he suffered can occur at any stage of a game. “To sprain my ankle like that, it could happen in the first 10 seconds of the game,” Barrett said.

Knicks Notes: DeRozan, Rose, Starters, Offseason, Rosas

February 19th, 2022 at 9:29am CST by Rory Maher

A source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post that DeMar DeRozan would have signed with the Knicks instead of the Bulls last summer if New York had matched Chicago’s contract offer. The Bulls inked DeRozan to a three-year, $81.9MM deal via sign-and-trade.

DeRozan’s top choice was the Lakers, but the team never made him a formal offer, the source tells Berman. Nor did the Knicks.

GM Scott Perry was interested in DeRozan, but president Leon Rose and executive VP William Wesley were sold on Evan Fournier. Perry believed that signing DeRozan could have led to Damian Lillard down the line, as the two stars are close friends, Berman relays. Obviously, the Knicks ultimately acquired Fournier.

Here’s more from New York:

The return of Derrick Rose could provide a needed boost to the struggling Knicks, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. “When you look at Derrick when he’s on the floor and you look at the plus-minus of the players, he impacts it in a very positive way,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “And he’s always been that way. Because he gives you the transition game, he gives you the pick-and-roll game, he can play on the ball, he can play off the ball, so it adds a lot to our team.”
In Zach Lowe’s latest ’10 things’ column for ESPN (Insider link), he writes that New York’s starting unit has been a disaster all season, and has been outscored by 14 points per 100 possessions, one of the worst marks in the league. He points to Kemba Walker, Fournier, and Julius Randle as the weak links on defense, with Randle’s regression from last season being especially disappointing. Lowe says to “expect everything to be on the table for the Knicks in the summer.”
In a separate article for The New York Post, Berman explores what the hiring of Gersson Rosas means for the Knicks’ front office. Rosas has multiple ties to the organization, Berman notes, as he shares the same agent as Thibodeau from Creative Artists Agency. Rose was a longtime agent at CAA prior to becoming the Knicks’ president. Rosas and Thibodeau also worked together for several years in Houston.

Knicks Notes: Thibodeau, Rose, Barrett, Noel, Samanic

February 17th, 2022 at 8:28am CST by Luke Adams

In their last game before the All-Star break, the Knicks had one of their worst losses of the season, letting a 28-point lead slip away against a Brooklyn team that was playing without Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons.

Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News contends that the ugly loss will only intensify the scrutiny on head coach Tom Thibodeau, who mismanaged his timeouts earlier in the week against Oklahoma City and faced criticism for keeping RJ Barrett on the court in the final moments of an out-of-reach game last Tuesday (Barrett injured his ankle with less than a minute left and the Knicks down by 15).

While Bondy says “the temperature on the coach’s seat only got hotter” on Wednesday, forward Julius Randle dismissed the idea that the players are tuning out Thibodeau’s message.

“Coach is amazing. I’m riding with Coach every day,” Randle told reporters after the game (video link via Ian Begley of SNY.tv). “He challenges us and prepares us very well every day. His message is still ringing clear in the locker room. We’ve just got to execute.”

Here’s more on the Knicks:

There’s optimism that point guard Derrick Rose will be able to return to action for the Knicks immediately after the All-Star break next week, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Rose has been unavailable since December 16 due to an ankle injury, but Wojnarowski says it looks like the former MVP should play next Friday vs. Miami, barring any setbacks.
Thibodeau expressed confidence on Wednesday that Barrett will return right after the All-Star break too, telling reporters that the forward was “pretty close” to being ready but that the team wanted to give him an extra week to get back to 100%, per Steve Popper of Newsday.
The prognosis wasn’t as positive for Nerlens Noel, who has been bothered this season by knee soreness and has missed the team’s last five games. Asked if Noel may ultimately require surgery, Thibodeau didn’t rule out the possibility, as Popper relays. “Yeah, it’s ongoing, so they’re checking that,” Thibodeau said. “Hopefully it responds better as we go.”
Thibodeau is viewing the All-Star break as a “chance to reboot” for the Knicks, according to Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post. “Everything is on the table now. Everything has to be merit-based. You earn what you get,” the head coach said. “You look at everything. How are we going to manage this. If a guy is playing good, he plays. If the team is functioning well he should play. The team has to come first for everyone.”
The Knicks’ signing of Luka Samanic to a two-way contract hasn’t worked out, as the big man’s season has been marred by a left heel injury, Marc Berman writes for The New York Post. With Samanic still sidelined, it’s unclear if the team will consider making a change to that two-way slot for the rest of the season, says Berman.

Atlantic Notes: White, Theis, Durant, Claxton, Knicks

February 10th, 2022 at 7:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Celtics’ flurry of action prior to the trade deadline has left them with a handful of open roster spots. They’ll fill them by signing free agents to 10-day deals in the short term, then explore the buyout market as players become available, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe reports.

The trades that they made were done to improve the second unit, Himmelsbach adds. They view Derrick White as an upgrade in a sixth-man role, while Daniel Theis has already shown during his previous stint with the Celtics that he can mesh with this group. That deal with Houston for Theis came together at the last minute, Himmelsbach tweets.

The trades will also open up playing time for Payton Pritchard and Aaron Nesmith.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

How does Kevin Durant feel about the James Harden trade? In a TNT interview (hat tip to the Washington Post’s Ben Golliver), the Nets superstar said, “I’m excited for our team and looking forward to finishing the season out with this new group … The playoffs are right around the corner and we’ve got to fast track and get used to each other. I think everybody got what they wanted.”
The Nets explored trades involving Nic Claxton, Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News tweets. Andre Drummond was added in the Harden deal and LaMarcus Aldridge is expected to return in the near future from an ankle sprain. Those developments will presumably eat into Claxton’s playing time.
The Knicks, who didn’t pull off a trade on Thursday, still want to compete for a play-in spot, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. They still believe they made an upgrade in adding Cam Reddish last month, even though coach Tom Thibodeau has played the young wing sparingly, and they’re expected to get Derrick Rose back in action from ankle surgery later this month.

Eastern Notes: Dragic, Olynyk, Rose, Grimes

January 30th, 2022 at 7:02pm CST by JD Shaw

The Raptors are receiving a great deal of interest in veteran point guard Goran Dragic ahead of the February 10 trade deadline, Doug Smith of The Toronto Star writes. Smith reports that Dragic will most likely be traded — not bought out — in the near future.

Dragic, 35, is set to make $19.4MM this season. He’s spent the past six-and-a-half seasons with Miami, who sent him to Toronto last offseason as part of a sign-and-trade for Kyle Lowry. Since then, he has only played five games with the franchise, the last of which was on November 13.

Dragic has been away from the Raptors due to personal reasons. In August, he suggested that he didn’t want to stay in Toronto, a comment that he later apologized for making. He started for Miami just over a year ago on its run to the NBA Finals, averaging 19.1 points in 17 playoff games.

There’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Pistons big man Kelly Olynyk has cleared the NBA’s health and safety protocols, Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press tweets. Olynyk recently returned from a knee injury, but he only played in two games before entering protocols. He’ll miss Sunday’s game against Cleveland (return to play conditioning).
Knicks guard Derrick Rose revealed that his December ankle surgery was a regular scope and removed a bone spur from his deltoid ligament, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Rose is hopeful to return shortly after the All-Star break. “I felt relief right away after the surgery,” Rose said. “I felt the relief. I’m just being very, very appreciative of where I am at and how much I did just to get to where I am right now.”
Steve Popper of Newsday examines why starting Quentin Grimes could help change the Knicks‘ fortunes. Grimes has shown potential at just 21 years old, connecting on 40% of his attempts from deep this season. He was drafted No. 25 overall last year.

Atlantic Notes: Rose, Reddish, Raptors, Watanabe, Schröder

January 25th, 2022 at 12:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

Derrick Rose is traveling with the Knicks on their three-game road trip and there’s optimism that he will be able to resume playing next month, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Rose had surgery on his right ankle on December 22 and was projected to be sidelined about eight weeks, which would have him returning right after the All-Star break.

“I hate to speculate,’’ coach Tom Thibodeau said. “I know he’s doing everything according to plan and there hasn’t been any setback. The swelling’s all gone and he’s feeling a lot better. That’s the important thing.”

Thibodeau added that Rose hasn’t been cleared to run or jump yet, but he is doing workouts in a pool. The loss of Rose, combined with knee issues for Kemba Walker, have left the Knicks short-handed at point guard, although Walker returned to the starting lineup Monday night.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

After playing five minutes Sunday in his Knicks debut, Cam Reddish didn’t get off the bench at all Monday, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv. There’s no obvious candidate to be removed from the rotation to give Reddish more minutes, so Begley wonders if a trade is in the works, noting that it wouldn’t make sense for the Knicks to give up a first-round pick for Reddish if they didn’t intend to use him.
The Raptors aren’t interested in trading core players Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and Scottie Barnes, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Instead, Toronto will focus on acquiring other pieces who can complement that group going forward. One obvious move involves finding a taker for Goran Dragic‘s $19.4MM expiring contract. Dragic was acquired from the Heat in the Kyle Lowry deal, but hasn’t played since early November while tending to personal matters, which Grange said the Raptors didn’t expect.
The Raptors have assigned Yuta Watanabe to their G League team, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports. As a fourth-year player, Watanabe would have needed to give his approval to the move. He has played in just 19 games this season.
The Cavaliers may be the Celtics‘ best option in working out a deal for Dennis Schröder, John Hollinger of the Athletic says in a discussion with Jay King about Boston’s trade prospects. Hollinger proposes sending Schröder to Cleveland for Kevin Pangos, Ed Davis and a 2023 second-round pick in a trade that would leave both teams under the luxury tax.

Knicks Notes: Walker, Randle, Toppin, Grimes, Reddish

January 20th, 2022 at 6:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said earlier this week he didn’t want Kemba Walker to return to action until the point guard was confident he could play on a regular basis. Even though Walker returned on Tuesday and scored 19 points in 30 minutes against Minnesota, the veteran guard didn’t make any promises about his future availability, according to Peter Botte of the New York Post.

“We’ll see. We’ll see down the line,” Walker said. “It really just depends on how I feel.”

We have more on the Knicks:

The team and star forward Julius Randle haven’t lived up to expectations and it’s unlikely that will change, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps writes. Randle hasn’t come close to reproducing the offensive efficiency he displayed last season, the defense has been subpar, and difference-maker Derrick Rose is out with an injury. As one Eastern Conference executive told Bontemps, “Everything fell into place for them last year, and they haven’t been able to repeat it.”
Obi Toppin has seen his playing time plummet in recent games, Botte notes. Toppin, the team’s 2020 lottery pick, has averaged just 11.3 MPG over the past eight contests. He’s averaging 7.7 PPG and 3.7 RPG in 15.8 MPG during his second season.
Quentin Grimes has earned more playing time even with several veterans returning to action recently, Steve Popper of Newsday writes. Grimes doesn’t put up big stats but Thibodeau has played Grimes a minimum of 17 minutes in all but one game this month. “Grimes has been playing great basketball,” Thibodeau said of the first-round rookie guard. “But it’s just step by step. You earn your minutes here. What you do in practice. You have to wait for your opportunity and when your opportunity comes, be ready to go.”
Newly-acquired Cam Reddish is close to making his Knicks debut, Marc Berman of the New York Post tweets. Thibodeau said Reddish will be ready to return from an ankle sprain “any day now.”