New York Knicks Trade Rumors: Derrick Rose Traded To Wolves Soon?
New York Knicks trade rumors now indicate that the Minnesota Timberwolves are showing a lot of interest in a certain veteran point guard. Could Derrick Rose get traded to the Wolves soon? That would certainly be a surprising result for the Knicks, but possibly a welcome endeavor in order to make sure Rose doesn’t end up with a rival team in the Eastern Conference.
A report by NBC Sports confirms that negotiations have already taken place between New York and Minnesota. At the center of these NBA trade rumors is that Rose played for Timberwolves president/coach Tom Thibodeau with the Chicago Bulls. It means that there is a lot of familiarity in the situation, with Thibodeau possibly feeling that Rose could add something important to his roster packed with young players.
On the other end of these New York Knicks trade rumors is Phil Jackson, who may be forced to take his franchise into a full rebuilding effort over the next few months. While it may begin with a Derrick Rose trade, it could also end with All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony getting sent to a new team. For now, though, the focus is on a team that is trying to pry Rose away from the Knicks at an inexpensive price.
The easiest way for a deal to get done is for the Minnesota Timberwolves to offer point guard Ricky Rubio and a future first-round draft pick. That would certainly convince the New York Knicks to part with Derrick Rose and take on the salary of Rubio. But is it important enough for the Wolves to acquire Rose for just the remainder of the 2016-17 NBA season? He becomes an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.
Rubio is under contract through the 2018-19 NBA season, with all his years guaranteed. He makes $13.55 million this season, $14.25 million next year, and then $14.8 million the following season. It would be an expensive transaction for the Knicks to absorb, but he might be the type of point guard that Phil Jackson has been looking to acquire. Rubio is a pass-first guy who handles the ball well but has been a liability at times on defense.
In 51 games this season, Ricky Rubio is averaging 8.9 points, 8.4 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game. This is his sixth NBA season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, meaning he has seen a lot of bad basketball during his career. That might mean he has the right temperament to put up with a Knicks’ franchise that may be going into a rebuilding effort of its own.
There are going to be a lot of fresh New York Knicks trade rumors as the February 23 deadline draws closer. It is very clear that the team is looking to make deals, but it has never been evident what the team is looking to acquire this season. If the ultimate plan is to deal Carmelo Anthony, then there is no reason to keep any of the veteran players on the current roster. Dealing players like Derrick Rose and Brandon Jennings in order to get more younger assets could be the best way to construct a new-look roster around center Kristaps Porzingis.
On the surface, this potential deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves makes a lot of sense for both teams. The Knicks would be able to acquire a point guard to lead the team next year, as well as a draft pick that could help add depth to the roster. The Wolves could get a veteran player in Derrick Rose for the remainder of this season and get out of paying the rest of the money owed to Ricky Rubio. The Wolves aren’t the only team interested in acquiring Rose, though, so expect several more New York Knicks trade rumors about that situation to come up this week.
[Featured Image by Mike Stobe/Getty Images]
