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Latest On Derrick Rose And The Knicks

February 25th, 2017 at 5:46pm CST by ChrisCrouse

B.J. Armstrong, the agent for Derrick Rose, said that his client “wants to be in New York,” Ian Begley of ESPN.com writes. Rose was the subject of trade rumors leading up the trade deadline, but his representatives believe the Knicks had his best interests in mind when negotiating with other teams. Rose told the local media on Friday that he holds “no grudges and no hard feelings” about the trade chatter.

“It was an opportunity to see what his value truly was throughout the league,” Armstrong said. “So as you can see, through all the reports, there were teams that were interested in him and what he does and what he brings to the court.” 

Begley notes that several teams contacted the Knicks regarding a Rose trade. The Knicks had discussions with the Wolves regarding a Ricky Rubio-Rose swap, but those talks stalled when New York demanded additional assets. Shortly before the deadline passed, the Knicks backed off those demands, but Minnesota backed out of talks because it feared Rose wouldn’t be open to re-signing with the club.

“I wasn’t surprised that he wasn’t traded,” Armstrong said of Rose. “Derrick is putting together, game by game, coming back and really beginning to play at a consistent level to where he’s at and what he’s going to be at this stage of his career. So I think there was a lot of rumors, his name was out there. But in the end, I think the Knicks did what they thought was in their best interests.”

Rose would like to remain in town, but it’s unclear whether or not the Knicks would like to continue the relationship past this season, according to Begley.

Rose is averaging 17.6 points while shooting 46.2% from the field this season. However, the raw numbers don’t tell the whole story, as Dan Favale of NBAMath details. Rose prioritizes scoring when he’s on the court and his decision making has hurt the team this season. New York’s assist percentage drops significantly when Rose is in the lineup and Favale believes Rose has taken opportunities away from other players, especially Kristaps Porzingis.

Earlier in the year, it was reported that Rose would seek a max deal when he hits free agency this summer. It’s unlikely that he receives the max offer, but with a plethora of teams in need of a point guard, he’ll have plenty of suitors. It wouldn’t be shocking to see him land a deal in the $12-15MM/year range, though that is simply my speculation.

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Wolves Notes: Rubio, Muhammad, Thibodeau, Wiggins

February 24th, 2017 at 7:37pm CST by Milo Taibi

Now that the dust has settled from the trade deadline, Ricky Rubio has high aspirations for the 22-35 Timberwolves.

“I believe this team can make the playoffs and we can make a push,” Rubio told Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune (Twitter link). Minnesota will have a tough road ahead to forge a postseason run. The Wolves entered Friday three games behind the Nuggets for the eighth-seed of the Western Conference, and two teams ahead of them- the Pelicans and Mavericks- made stellar deadline acquisitions to boost their chances.

Rubio spoke to reporters, including Jon Krawczynsk of the Associated Press, about the human element of being mentioned in trade rumors.

“As pros, we know what’s the deal,” Rubio said. “But yeah, this time felt a little different. It’s all rumors. Until it doesn’t go down, you don’t believe it…I know this is a business and it has to be like that.”

More from Minnesota…

  • Shabazz Muhammad will hope to stick with the T’Wolves in restricted free agency. “Come this summer I want to be Timberwolf,” the former UCLA Bruin told Darren Wolfson of KSTP Eyewitness News (Twitter link). Minnesota was “determined” to move Muhammad during the trade deadline, according to David Aldridge of TNT. Despite being linked to the Wizards at one point, Muhammad ultimately stayed put. With the assurance of staying with Minnesota through the season, Muhammad is focused on helping the Wolves enter the playoff picture. “It’s a great opportunity for us,” Muhammad said. “We’re going to finish this season out strong, and we’ve still got a lot to show.”
  • Coach Tom Thibodeau had a measured view of the trade deadline, claiming no trades really came close. “If something made sense, we would have done it,” Thibodeau told the Associated Press. “But it had to make sense and make us better. If it didn’t, just be patient, continue to work.” With trade talks in the rear-view mirror, Thibodeau discussed his approach following the All-Star break. “Before the break we laid out what we wanted them to do when they were away,’’ Thibodeau told Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune. “The first day back (Wednesday) was more activation, just to get the bodies going again. And then we had a really good practice Thursday, and shootaround today. Again, the big thing is to make sure you have a routine established in terms of how you prepare to play.”
  • A playoff chase would benefit the young Timberwolves, Jace Frederick of Twin Cities writes. While FiveThirtyEight currently gives Minnesota a 2% chance of making the postseason, it’s a breath of fresh air for Wolves fans to see their team involved in the playoff picture. “It’s a good feeling knowing that we’re in the mix,” Andrew Wiggins said. “And if we put in a good stretch, we can put ourselves in a really good position. We’re getting better every game. Some games we play bad and there’s a little setback, but we keep playing hard, practicing hard, learning a lot of new things.”
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Knicks Notes: Anthony, Rose, Porzingis, Jackson

February 24th, 2017 at 4:45pm CST by Milo Taibi

Carmelo Anthony is unsure of the Knicks‘ direction after standing pat at the trade deadline. “I think they were kind of planning on the trade deadline, whether they were trying to make moves,” Anthony said. “I think that was one plan. Now they’ve got to get back to the drawing board and come up with another plan about the future of this team.”

Anthony’s frustration is understandable. Team president Phil Jackson extensively discussed the prospect of shopping Anthony, despite ‘Melo’s no-trade clause. While Anthony wasn’t mentioned in trade rumors throughout the deadline, the team was apparently rebuffed by Minnesota on a Ricky Rubio-for-Derrick Rose swap. Anthony claimed he “kind of knew” he wouldn’t be dealt in the days leading up to the deadline, and spoke for his teammates in criticizing the front office’s lack of transparency.

“Yeah, I mean, nobody likes to be in limbo,” Anthony said. “We all want to know kind of what’s going on, especially when it’s involving you. I think there’s other players who feel the same way, that they want to be involved — not involved, but at least up to date with what’s going on.”

More from the Mecca…

  • Kristaps Porzingis will be out several days with an ankle injury, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports (Twitter link). Porzingis made an early exit from Thursday’s loss to the Cavs, and appears likely to miss match-ups against the Sixers and Raptors.
  • Frank Isola of the Daily News relayed a troubling report that Phil Jackson was difficult to contact leading up to the deadline. Isola commended Jackson for not dealing a first round pick, but chastised his inactivity on the trade market. Through three seasons as team president, Isola notes, Jackson’s only deadline acquisition has been Alexey Shved.
  • Marc Berman of the New York Post echoes Isola’s sentiments, claiming Jackson “overplayed his hand” throughout negotiations for Rubio. According to Berman, the Knicks insisted Minnesota include either a draft pick of Nemanja Bjelica along with Rubio in a trade for Rose. Now 12 games under .500, the Knicks’ “win-now-with-Rose experiment” has been doomed, Berman writes.
  • By the conclusion of the trade deadline Thursday, coach Jeff Hornacek received a text stating “we’re sticking with what we have,” from Jackson. The team’s deadline inactivity is the latest development in a “disappointing and chaotic season,” David Waldstein of the New York Times writes. While Rose is on an expiring contract, there appears to be “little momentum” for the Knicks to re-sign him, Walstein notes.
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Timberwolves Balked At Rose/Rubio Swap

February 23rd, 2017 at 3:04pm CST by Milo Taibi

3:04pm: A source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post (Twitter link) that the Wolves got “extra concerned” that they wouldn’t be able to re-sign Rose this summer, and didn’t want to acquire him as a rental.

2:40pm: The Timberwolves walked away from trade negotiations involving Ricky Rubio and Derrick Rose, Marc Stein of ESPN reports. The Knicks made a final push for a Derrick Rose-for-Ricky Rubio trade with no additional pieces, but Minnesota balked. (Twitter links).

Earlier today, the Knicks pushed Minnesota to include additional trade pieces along with Rubio. Apparently unable to receive other assets (New York was said to be interested in Nemanja Bjelica), the Knicks made a final push at a straight-up trade offer.

Ian Begley of ESPN corroborated Stein’s report, claiming the Knicks’ willingness to lower their demands came too late in negotiations. Phil Jackson had been looking for draft picks in trade talks with other teams, which may have been the sticking point with Scott Layden of the Timberwolves.

Barring a buyout, Derrick Rose appears set to finish the season in New York before testing the free agent market. Ricky Rubio, who remains ahead of Tyus Jones and Kris Dunn on Minnesota’s depth chart, is under contract through 2018/19.

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Trade Talks Between Wolves, Knicks Stalled?

February 23rd, 2017 at 1:42pm CST by Luke Adams

1:42pm: The talks between the Knicks and Wolves have “stalled significantly” with the deadline less than 20 minutes away, per Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link).

11:40am: The Knicks and Wolves remain engaged in discussions on a potential deal headlined by Rubio and Rose, reports ESPN’s Marc Stein (Twitter link).

8:35am: Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio continues to be a “significant” trade target for the Knicks today, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (via Twitter). We’ve heard in recent days that the two teams have discussed multiple variations of a deal involving Rubio and New York point guard Derrick Rose.

There had been some skepticism about the Knicks’ ability to trade Rose this week, since he has a $21MM+ expiring salary and some members of the organization were believed to be reluctant to take long-term salary back for him. However, as Marc Berman of The New York Post has noted, the Knicks have had interest in Rubio for several years, so it’s possible that he’s a player for whom the team would sacrifice summer cap room.

Because the Wolves are far below the cap, the team could trade Rubio straight up for Rose, despite a gap of nearly $8MM between their 2016/17 salaries. For Minnesota, such a move would allow the club to reach the salary floor this season and create some cap flexibility going forward. Tom Thibodeau‘s history with Rose may also hold some appeal if the Wolves view the former MVP as more than a rental.

Still, if the two sides can get something done, it may not just be a one-for-one swap. The Knicks are said to have some interest in Wolves forward Nemanja Bjelica as well, and ESPN’s Marc Stein tweets that New York’s desire to get another piece in the deal has been a sticking point so far.

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Eastern Notes: Hawks, Celtics, Butler, Knicks

February 23rd, 2017 at 1:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Whether it’s via trade or free agency, the Hawks are planning to add a third point guard to their roster, head coach Mike Budenholzer said today (Twitter link via Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution). Dennis Schroder has had a very solid season in Atlanta, but Malcolm Delaney has been up and down as his backup, and the team doesn’t really have additional depth at the position.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

  • On The Vertical’s live trade deadline show, Adrian Wojnarowski suggested that one reason the Celtics and Bulls haven’t moved forward in Jimmy Butler talks is because the Bulls would want at least a couple players capable of joining their rotation immediately, and Boston is more interested in using draft picks in a potential package.
  • The Knicks have yet to budge on their insistence that the Timberwolves add an additional player or draft pick to a Ricky Rubio/Derrick Rose swap, according to Ian Begley of ESPN.com. As Begley notes, it’ll be interesting to see if either side budges before the deadline.
  • J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic.com takes a closer look at why the Wizards targeted Bojan Bogdanovic and were willing to give up a first-round pick for him.
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Latest On Pistons Point Guard Reggie Jackson

February 23rd, 2017 at 10:23am CST by Dana Gauruder

Reggie Jackson is likely to stay put because of the Pistons’ high asking price, league executives told Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link).

The team’s front office — headed by president of basketball operations and coach Stan Van Gundy and GM Jeff Bower — has been aggressively shopping the point guard, Chris Mannix of The Vertical tweets, and is seeking a first-round pick, young player and an expiring contract in return.

The large package that the Pistons want for Jackson could indicate that they believe his inconsistent play this season is injury-related and that he’ll return to top form next season, Rod Beard of the Detroit News speculates (Twitter link). Jackson missed the first 21 games after receiving a plasma-rich injection for knee tendinitis during training camp. Jackson is averaging 15.2 PPG and 5.6 APG since his return after posting averages of 18.8 PPG and 6.2 APG last season when Detroit won 44 games and made the playoffs.

Jackson has been the subject of trade speculation for weeks, with the Timberwolves and Magic at the forefront of potential suitors. A Jackson-for-Ricky-Rubio rumor surfaced last month, though Van Gundy quickly shot it down.  The Orlando discussions involved D.J. Augustin and Jeff Green but the Magic currently have nothing cooking for either Jackson or Rubio, Sam Amick of USA Today tweets. However, Jake L. Fischer of SI.com tweets that Orlando can get Jackson if it’s willing to part with a valuable first-rounder.

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Knicks Rumors: Lee, O’Quinn, Jennings, Rubio

February 23rd, 2017 at 9:35am CST by Luke Adams

Courtney Lee has been cited this week as a possible trade candidate, and according to Ian Begley of ESPN.com, the Clippers recently displayed interest in the Knicks shooting guard. However, one team that was in touch with the Knicks didn’t get the impression that Lee will be going anywhere, says Begley.

Here are a few more notes out of New York:

  • Another team that has spoken to the Knicks said New York is seeking a first-round pick and has talked about packaging Kyle O’Quinn and Brandon Jennings together in a trade, Begley reports.
  • Although the Knicks are shopping O’Quinn, it’s unclear if they’ll be able to get equal value for him, leagues sources tell Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (Twitter link). On Wednesday, we heard that New York has been seeking a first-round pick for O’Quinn, so if the team believes that constitutes “equal value,” it makes sense that it may not happen.
  • A report earlier today indicated that Ricky Rubio remains a “significant” trade target for the Knicks. However, Sam Amick of USA Today reports (via Twitter) that the Timberwolves continue to shop Rubio to teams besides the Knicks. Jake Fischer of SI.com adds (via Twitter) that Minnesota is willing to part with Shabazz Muhammad to help accommodate a Rubio trade.
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Trade Rumors: Rose, Rubio, Okafor, Caldwell-Pope

February 22nd, 2017 at 5:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

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.
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Wolves Discuss Point Guard Swap With Knicks, Pistons

February 20th, 2017 at 10:14pm CST by ChrisCrouse

10:30 PM: The Knicks have discussed adding Ricky Rubio in talks with the Wolves, Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com reports (video link). Windhorst adds that Minnesota has had discussions with the Pistons regarding a Ricky Rubio-Reggie Jackson swap, but the Wolves are not interested in bringing Jackson aboard. A three-way trade that sends Rose to Minnesota, Rubio to Detroit and Jackson to New York could be in play, Windhorst adds. He notes that Rubio and Jackson are two of the players most likely to be traded before the deadline.

Minnesota doesn’t necessarily view Rose as a long-term fit, as the team wants to clear space for Kris Dunn and would like to get out of Rubio’s deal. The Spanish point guard has three years remaining on his contract, while Rose will be a free agent after the season.

10:14 PM: Several teams have reached out to the Knicks regarding a Derrick Rose trade, Ian Begley of ESPN.com reports. Begley adds the Wolves are among the teams to have discussions with the franchise.

It’s unclear what the Knicks would receive in return should they send Rose to Minnesota. New York acquired the point guard in the offseason with the hope that he would help the team get to the playoffs this season. The team is currently 23-34 after losing seven of their last 10 games and it appears the franchise will have a hard time achieving that goal.

Rose is averaging 17.7 points per game this season and he hasn’t missed any games because of the knee issues which plagued him over the past few years. He previously played for Wolves executive/coach Tom Thibodeau in Chicago for seven seasons.

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