There are six athletes that I’ve seen in person and couldn’t believe: Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James, Odell Beckham Jr, Russell Westbrook, and Derrick Rose.
Messi for his impossibly fleet feet in non-existent spaces, Ronaldo for the force of his acceleration, James for the juxtaposition of his size and speed, Beckham for his preternatural awareness and Spider-man hands, Westbrook for his power and strength at the rim.
When I saw Derrick Rose at Madison Square Garden in 2012, he belonged on this list. All the great ones have their idiosyncratic trademarks, and Rose’s was his ability to contort himself in unreasonable ways around the hoop.
He sprinted down the court with a handle that seemed loose and reckless but always appeared to work, hesitated for a moment, and then put his head down and accelerated with a speed that only Westbrook could touch. Where Westbrook used force at the rim, Rose – while admittedly not afraid of using violence at the hoop from time to time – used guile and a middle finger to gravity.
He would leap into the air, be met by a thicket of arms and have nowhere to go. But like the man in Chicago he was supposed to succeed, he would hang in the air for a duration that seemed impossible, double clutch the ball, and loiter in the air long enough to find a way to make the geometry work.
The geometry no longer works for Rose. The degeneration of his knees has led to his athleticism slipping from ‘generationally transcendent’ to ‘not that different from everybody else’. The intelligence in Rose’s game was always underrated, but it hasn’t been enough to nearly make up for his loss of pace and force.
Without the lightning first step or the threat of a jump-shot, which he’s never developed (and if you look at his form – it always looks like he’s shooting from half-court – likely never will), Rose can’t reliably get to the rim anymore, shooting just 2.7 free throws per game last season, compared to 6.9 in his MVP season.
Too often he descends into a deluge of mid-range pull-ups, which never feel like they’re going in, and typically never do. He offers little on defence, and last season the Bulls were significantly better with Rose riding the bench. And yet, the Knicks’ decision to trade for this wilting Rose, his balky knees, his broken jump-shot and broken identity, was an excellent one.
In Chicago, Rose’s adversity stretched beyond his physical maladies. He was stuck in the shadow of Michael Jordan, and then last season, the shadow of Jimmy Butler, who clearly supplanted him as the Bulls’ best player.
More than anything, he was stuck in the shadow of Derrick Rose. Every time he took the court it was like a bleak Russian novel, a protagonist desperately trying to remember who he once was, and whether he could be that way again. In Chicago, he was the chosen one, the hometown hero, the heir apparent to Air Jordan.
In New York, all he has to be is an upgrade on Jose Calderon. He’s a collapsed stock, a fading point guard who averaged a 16-4 last year on poor percentages. Expectations are low. No longer the co-lead dog haunted by memories of his MVP self in Bulls red, Rose will be the third banana in New York blue and orange.
Where his fit with Butler, another ball-handling guard who lacked killer shooting, was awkward, his fit with the Knicks should be smoother. He’ll be able to run pick and pop to death with Kristaps Porzingis in Jeff Hornacek’s spread out offence. Even in his reduced form, Rose has a dynamism that no Knick ball-handler had in pick and roll last year, and that can only be good for Porzingis’ development.
While the floor tended to be perpetually cramped in Chicago, obsessed for so long with playing two non-shooting big men at the same time, in New York there will be more space for Rose to operate thanks to Porzingis. Such space will give Rose advantages he hasn’t had, to compensate for his diminished speed.
The fit with Carmelo Anthony is less fluid, as all fits with Anthony tend to be. But unlike Butler, a younger, ball-dominant guard keen to prove himself as a star, Anthony will benefit from a lesser load. 32, with damaged knees and an appetite that has never tasted meaningful success in New York (losing in six to the Pacers in the second round doesn’t count), Melo has to see that deferring a little to Rose can only be good for him.
Anthony spaces the floor in ways that Butler didn’t, and is much more capable of playing off-ball. Line-ups with Melo and KP at the four and five, with Rose running pick and roll surrounded by two other shooters, might give us the closest look we’ve ever had at ‘Olympic Melo’ in New York.
If trading for Rose was an all-in move, it would be a disaster for the Knicks. But they’ve given up very little. Jerian Grant is a lottery ticket, Robin Lopez is a below average starting center, and Jose Calderon is effectively dead money at this stage. The commitment to Rose is only for a year, and in a barren point guard market, Rose for a season, with everything to prove, is one of the savviest bets that the Knicks could have made.
Being the Knicks, they could still screw this up by throwing max money at Dwight Howard and believing that they’re a contender, in the confusion that the world is five years past 2011. But if they act prudently, focus on adding depth on the wing (of which they currently have zero) and a cheap option to spell Porzingis at center, the Rose trade will look almost inspired.
Trent Kyle
Roar Rookie
Sounds like Noah is gonna team up with Rose but wow Phil Jackson is investing in guys with not much upside outside of the next few years. This team would have been fire 4 years ago. Headed for 5th or 6th in the east in my opinion.
Sam Walker
Roar Guru
I think the Knicks throw money at Joakim Noah as opposed to Howard. The trade was not a win for the Knicks but it was not a loss either they have Rose for one season and that gives them a chance to see where he is at and then ultimately re-sign him if he helps them out. Really for the Knicks what is one more bad season in the grand scheme of things. Losing Lopez hurts them as he is quite underrated for what he brings to his team but Noah could be a ready made replacement for him if they go this way.
Kingcowboy
Guest
I disagree, I think a lot of teams would take him on with the Cap going through the roof. I think the main one being the heat! I think it would be a silly move personally to take but IMO there would be a lot of takers.
astro
Guest
Technically, NY traded JR and Shump for basically nothing. They acquired Lou Amundson, Alex Kirk and a 2019 second-round draft choice from Cleveland and Lance Thomas from OKC...in other words, nothing. If their intention was to make these trades to tank, they did a rubbish job of that also. The Knicks infamously went on an end of season winning streak and put themselves ahead of Minny in the wins total, thereby lowering their own chances of winning the draft. Worse still, Minny would go on to win the draft and Karl Towns...maybe the best rookie in the last 5 years. Go knicks!
Daniel Jeffrey
Editor
I think a lot of Knicks fans wouldn't mind seeing Melo head for the exit, but the fact is it's going to be nigh-on impossible to do considering his contract. With that in mind, I think the deal's a good one for pretty much each of the reasons Jay mentioned, but mainly because Rose only has a year left on his deal. If he doesn't work out, they cut him loose.
Celtic334
Guest
I'm a Knicks fan and not impressed with this trade. I just can't see the point of signing a player like rose. i can't also see him combining with melo well. Ultimately I'd like melo to go as well, plus have kept Lopez.
Cee
Guest
He's a solid starting point and was elite before the injuries but the question will always be how good could he have been and that's what throws the whole thing out the window for me. I agree if he can get a team into playoff contention and steal a title for sure he's HOF too bad it wont be for Chi-Town but for now the sample size is way too small to automatically guarantee it but he's got a few years in him still to prove he belongs.
Swampy
Guest
No MVP has ever missed the HOF is all I'm saying & up til his knee injuries he was heading to Springfield. He had a pretty good cv up to his injuries, high school record is great, lost the NCAA tourney final in OT after leading Memphis to the most wins in NCAA history, Rookie of the Year, 3 time All-Star and youngest ever MVP. His college record will be a bone of contention of course. If Rose could become a solid starting point guard in a good team and (God forbid) snatch a title before he retires then he'd definitely be a chance for the HOF
Cee
Guest
No way Rose was close to a hall of fame career. Even before the injuries he was a top tier player who lost in a conference final. He was fast and an elite finisher at the rim but his jumper was horrible. If he can get a solid jumper and some of that athleticism back he can get back to all star level but with a different game. I'm rooting for him hopefully he doesn't become a Deron Williams and Dwight. High profile names that used to be good but big egos who think they're still worth a max contract.
Kingcowboy
Guest
Raro I think that was more out of good fortune rather then good luck. They were going to be having a lottery pick anyway if I remember correctly.
Rarojuice
Guest
New York got Porzingas for that trade. It was a move totally fuelled by tanking.
Swampy
Guest
It's almost destiny for the Knickerbockers to sign Howard. The Knicks gave up a good piece in Lopez. Not too many guys who are happy to just play D and get rebounds. Dwight Howard certainly isn't. I feel sorry for Rose - basically a hall of fame career (I guess he'll still get there as a league MVP but his field of work will be incredibly short) - a generational talent just taken away from him. He's still fairly young though and he has time to improve that mid-range or 3 pt jumper. If he can do what Jason Kidd did with a truly awful looking heave then he could contribute to a good team. The Knicks would be better off trying to get a Chandler Parsons type player than Dwight Howard. Rose, random 2 guard, Parsons, Melo & KP would be a nice lineup. Can someone remind me what the Knicks got in return for trading Shumpert and JR Smith? Is it the worst trade in NBA history? (By the way it was Alex Kirk, Lance Thomas, Lou Amundsen & a 2019 2nd Round Pick - marvellous stuff)
astro
Guest
Not really a Knicks fan...just like it when the Knicks are relevant. Same for Lakers and Celts...just fun teams to watch.
Kingcowboy
Guest
As a Celts fan, nothing would make me happier then seeing the Knicks sign Howard to a max contract. I honestly don't see Jackson seeing out the year and who knows, they might bring Isiah back as GM.
smell the fear
Guest
may i ask, what made you a knicks fan?
astro
Guest
Thanks Jay. Not too worried about Rose, but giving up Lopez could come back to haunt the Knicks a little. He's cheap, and effective and was working well with the Zinger. Finding a center who fits as nicely as Lopez did with the same contract will be tricky... Guess the big question is whether Porzingis is a true 5 and can play extended minutes in that role...Will have to wait and see. But nice that there's some interest in the Knicks again!
peeeko
Roar Guru
By far the best writer on the Roar. i do wonder how Rose (a good guy) will get on playing with 2 jerks in Howard and Anthony?