Derrick Rose Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Bullock, Brown, Nesmith, VanVleet, Nets

March 10th, 2022 at 8:34pm CST by Rory Maher

Losing Reggie Bullock in free agency last summer is yet another what-if for the Knicks, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Bullock received a three-year deal worth a little over $30MM from Dallas.

New York’s front office chose to utilize the team’s extensive cap space by signing veterans Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier. The Knicks also re-signed Derrick Rose, Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel to pricey deals.

Bullock was close with Julius Randle, and Bondy wonders if Bullock’s presence might have helped uplift Randle during his struggles this season. Coach Tom Thibodeau says Bullock’s skill set is valuable to any team in the league.

“Reggie’s gonna help any team,” Thibodeau said. “That’s who he is. He’s got a skill in shooting; he spaces the floor for your best players. He’s a great defender, and he’s got length. He’s a long wing. Wherever he’s been, he’s always helped the team. He’s a team-first guy, so he’s a good player. He’s been a good player for a long time in this league.”

It’s been reported multiple times that Thibodeau urged the front office to retain Bullock, but he denies being upset that the veteran wing wasn’t re-signed.

“I love Reggie. He’s a good player. When a guy earns the right to free agency, he has to do what he thinks is best for him and his family,” Thibodeau said, per Bondy. “I got great respect for him, so I wasn’t disappointed. I know that’s part of the business. For a guy who conducts himself the way he does, you’re always happy when they get good situations.

“So, I think he was a big part of what happened last year and a byproduct of when something good happens like that, everyone’s value goes up, so that’s the case. And then you have to decide what’s best for your organization. He’s gotta decide what’s best for him and his family. And hopefully, you can find something, but it doesn’t always work out that way. It’s part of the league.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Celtics coach Ime Udoka said Jaylen Brown has no more limitations relating to his sprained right ankle, but Aaron Nesmith will be out “a while” longer as he deals with his own ankle sprain, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link). The second-year swingman is listed as day-to-day.
Fred VanVleet‘s shooting is much needed for the Raptors, but his value extends beyond that, Eric Koreen of the Athletic writes. “(VanVleet) makes it easier,” Scottie Barnes said. “It opens up a lot more space. He’s a general out there on the floor. So it helps us all when he’s out there on the floor with driving lanes being more open. When he’s there, his presence is just really big for our team.”
Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post wonders if the Big Two is all the Nets really need after the team’s 132-121 victory over Charlotte on Tuesday. “That,” coach Steve Nash said, “was about as well as we’ve played all year, both sides of the ball.” Kyrie Irving dominated the game, finishing with 50 points on just 19 shots. Brooklyn is currently 34-34, the No. 8 seed in the East.

Eastern Notes: Simmons, Oladipo, Nash, Knicks

March 6th, 2022 at 5:30pm CST by JD Shaw

Nets star Ben Simmons was seen taking shots at the team’s practice on Saturday, but there appears to be no change in his return timetable, Peter Botte of the New York Post writes. General manager Sean Marks said on Thursday he believes the best-case scenario is Simmons returning within two weeks.

“He’s still in the same boat that Sean talked about, still his individual work and getting treatment at the same time, so nothing’s changed,” assistant coach Jacque Vaughn said, according to Botte.

Simmons was acquired by the Nets in a deal involving disgruntled superstar James Harden nearly one month ago. He last played on June 20 — when the Sixers were eliminated by the Hawks in the playoffs.

There’s more from the Eastern Conference tonight:

Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel examines whether Victor Oladipo will back up Kyle Lowry at point guard for the Heat. Miami is listing Oladipo as questionable to make his season debut on Monday against Houston, but the expectation is that he’ll play. The team used him at point guard when it acquired him from the Rockets last season.
Nets coach Steve Nash said he didn’t have any COVID-19 symptoms while in the league’s health and safety protocols, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. Nash exited protocols on Saturday and coached his first game back on Sunday. Brooklyn wound up losing its fourth straight game, dropping a 120-126 road contest to Boston.
The Knicks are continuing to search for answers at point guard, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. New York has mostly played without Derrick Rose due to injury, but former All-Star Kemba Walker recently decided to shut it down after receiving inconsistent minutes. The team has also given Alec Burks and Immanuel Quickley heavy minutes. It trails the Hawks by six games for the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Eastern Notes: Rose, Harden, Knicks, Brunson, Herro

March 5th, 2022 at 1:36pm CST by JD Shaw

Knicks guard Derrick Rose isn’t expected to ramp up his activity for at least one more week, head coach Tom Thibodeau said, as relayed by Steve Popper of Newsday. Rose underwent ankle surgery in December and had a second procedure last week to address an infection.

“He can’t really do much,” Thibodeau explained. “Just got to be patient, let it clear up. That’s it . . . He’s not supposed to be doing a lot right now other than follow [medical advice]. He’s been pretty diligent with that. He can walk around. He can form shoot if he’s not leaving his feet. He can’t do a whole lot right now. Hopefully in a week or so that’ll be cleared up.”

As Popper notes, Rose was with the team at shootaround on Friday. The Knicks went 30-17 after acquiring him last season, as the 33-year-old averaged 14.9 points and 4.2 assists per game off the bench. He has only appeared in 26 games this season.

There’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Sixers superstar James Harden won’t play on Saturday against the Heat, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Harden will sit as part of his scheduled left hamstring management. Philadelphia is 4-0 in the games he’s played, which includes a 125-119 win over Cleveland on Friday.
The Knicks could benefit from the Mavericks’ crowded backcourt if they pursue Jalen Brunson in free agency this summer, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes. Brunson has averaged a career-high 16.0 points and 5.3 assists in 32.1 minutes per game this season. Dallas recently traded for Spencer Dinwiddie, who is under contract next season with a cap hit of $19.5MM.
Heat guard Tyler Herro has been surging since the All-Star break, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. Herro has averaged 25.8 points in his last five games, working to attack more than he was before the break. “I think people know I’m a shooter. I shoot the ball well,” Herro said. “But I think my best thing is off the dribble, getting in the paint, attacking, getting to the mid-range, getting to the rim. I think that’s what I do best. I think I’m hard to stay in front of when you’re playing the shot and then my handle gets me to where I want to go.”

New York Notes: Irving, Burks, Quickley, Barrett, Durant

March 3rd, 2022 at 5:29pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nets guard Kyrie Irving has picked a new agent and it’s someone close to him. He’s hired Shetellia Riley Irving, which would apparently make her the only Black woman representing a current player, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. She’s Kyrie’s stepmother and a VP of ad sales at media company BET, Ian Begley of SNY TV tweets.

Irving’s contract includes a player option worth at least $36.5MM for the 2022/23 season. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent this summer if he opts out.

We have more from the New York teams:

With Kemba Walker shut down for the season and Derrick Rose recovering from a minor procedure on his ankle, the Knicks are thin at the point. They’re currently going with Alec Burks as the starter and Immanuel Quickley on the second unit. Until Rose is ready, coach Tom Thibodeau said he doesn’t anticipate a change, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. “That’s the best we have, so that’s what we’re doing, and they’re capable,’’ he said.
Following his 46-point eruption against Miami last week, Jimmy Butler said that wing RJ Barrett was going to be “the face of the Knicks.” The New York Post’s Ian O’Connor writes that Barrett must not allow the state of the franchise to hold him back from being an All-Star player. O’Connor notes that the franchise hasn’t drafted, developed and held onto a star player since Patrick Ewing.
There won’t a minutes restriction on Kevin Durant in his return to action Thursday, Nick Friedell of ESPN tweets. However, Durant and acting coach Jacque Vaughn — who is filling for Steve Nash (health and safety protocols) — will be in constant communication during the game to monitor how he’s feeling.

Knicks Notes: McBride, Roster Flexibility, Randle, Barrett, Rose

March 2nd, 2022 at 6:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

Injuries have left the Knicks thin at point guard, but they’ve been reluctant to turn to second-round pick Miles McBride, who has been putting up big numbers in the G League, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. McBride is averaging 29.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 10.3 assists per game for the team’s Westchester affiliate. He seems like a natural alternative with Kemba Walker and Derrick Rose both sidelined, but has only played 22 NBA games so far, logging 7.0 minutes per night.

“It’s definitely been challenging,” McBride said. “Obviously growing up, never had to deal with sitting a lot. But it’s the NBA. It should be challenging. The task they’re giving me, being able to play in the G League and being able to come back to the team, it’s been fun. So just trying to enjoy every day and taking the challenge head on.”

McBride appeared to have a breakthrough game December 16 in Houston when he started the second half after Rose was injured and wound up with 15 points, nine assists and four steals. However, he tested positive for COVID-19 the next day and has barely played since. He said the coaching staff is urging him to be patient.

“The feedback is, ‘you’re young, you’re a rookie, the opportunities you get, take them,’” McBride said. “And some things happen along with it.”

There’s more from New York:

Despite their troubles this season, the Knicks may have hope for the future because they’ve prioritized roster flexibility and stockpiled draft picks, notes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Five of the six contracts they handed out last summer included a team option, and although they sent a protected Hornets’ pick to the Hawks in exchange for Cam Reddish, they still have a generous supply of draft choices remaining. Even so, rival executives are skeptical that the Knicks can turn things around quickly because they don’t have a star player already on the roster. “If they are going to give up their picks and swaps to get someone, it doesn’t matter who they are trading,” a Western Conference executive said. “But if their hope was to turn these guys into good players by themselves, I’d be hard-pressed to see a team thinking they’ll take that for a star.”
Among the Knicks’ concerns for the future is that their two best players, Julius Randle and RJ Barrett, haven’t played well together, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. In the 1,418 minutes they’ve shared the court this season, New York has a minus-6.8 net rating, and that number has fallen to minus-9.9 over the past 11 games, Bondy states.
It could be more than a week before the Knicks have an update on Rose, who had a surgical procedure last week for a skin infection on his right ankle, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv.

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.