NBA Rumors: Sacramento Kings To Acquire Derrick Rose From Chicago Bulls?

The Sacramento Kings are entering an extremely important offseason this year and need to make a move or two. They are hoping to get back into playoff contention during the 2016-17 season, but an improvement of their roster will have to happen. Dave Joerger is, without question, an upgrade over George Karl as the Kings’ head coach, which is a big step in the right direction in and of itself.

Rajon Rondo is set to hit the open free agency market and the Kings have made it clear that they won’t get into a bidding war with other teams to re-sign him. That brings up the question of who the Kings could target as a replacement for Rondo at the point guard position.

Ryan Davis of the Sports Cheat Sheet opined that the Kings could look to acquire Derrick Rose from the Chicago Bulls. Could they look to make that kind of a move to replace Rondo?

Last season with the Bulls, Rose ended up averaging 16.4 points, 4.7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game. He shot 42.7 percent from the field overall and knocked down 29.3 percent from behind the three-point arc. Those numbers may not look impressive, but he was playing in a system that didn’t fit his style and he certainly didn’t get along well with Jimmy Butler on the court.

At just 27-years-old, there is still plenty of time for Rose to get his career back on track. Injuries have been a huge problem for him throughout his career, and Rose has not played more than 66 games in the regular season over the last four years. That is definitely a concern for any team considering acquiring Rose, although he still has star-caliber game when he is on the court.

Rose would fit perfectly into the type of system that Joerger is expected to run. Mike Conley was the Memphis Grizzlies’ point guard throughout the entire tenure that Joerger had in Memphis. While the two players are not that similar, they are both capable of creating their own shots, pushing the ball up the court and can create for teammates.

Sacramento hasn’t been a playoff contender in a long time, but adding Rose’s experience can help the Kings as well. He is a former MVP and has had a lot of playoff experience.

Having the opportunity to play with DeMarcus Cousins would be intriguing to say the least for Rose. His issues with Butler were well-documented this past season, but it wasn’t all Rose’s fault. Butler was a great player, but he hadn’t shown leadership and played a bit selfish at times.

That isn’t saying that Rose wasn’t involved in the problems at all, but he cannot be blamed completely. Sacramento just made things work with Rondo, who has had a long history of having issues both on and off the court.

What would the Kings have to give up in return to bring Rose on board this offseason?

Trading a first-round pick would likely be a required part of the trade package. Other pieces like Ben McLemore or Willie Cauley-Stein could be involved as well. Cauley-Stein would be a much less likely trade candidate than McLemore, but the Bulls would likely have interest in both players.

All of that being said, the Bulls will seriously listen to trade offers for Rose this coming offseason. Sacramento could be a team to watch when it comes to a trade for Rose, although they may not end up engaging in trade talks with the Bulls.

Do you think that the Sacramento Kings should try to acquire Derrick Rose from the Chicago Bulls? Would he be the missing piece that can help get the Kings back into the postseason? Let us know in the comment box below!

[AP Photo/David Zalubowski]