In the midst of his 14th season, former league MVP Derrick Rose believes he still has a lot of basketball left to play. Though Rose is respected in the locker room, he’s not playing much for the Knicks, who’ve turned their season around.
Rose was removed from the Knicks rotation on Dec. 4, but he tells The Athletic that he’s being kept in the loop.
“The team is keeping communications open with me,” he said, adding, “They know that I have a lot left, and they love my connection and relationship that I have with all of the players on the team.”
At 18-14, New York is firmly in the Eastern Conference playoff race, and the 34-year-old’s locker room presence continues to be invaluable to its young squad.
However, with the trade deadline just over six weeks away, what is the best approach to handle Rose’s situation?
Perhaps the Chicago Bulls (13-18) will ponder a reunion with the former franchise icon and city native. They selected Rose with the first overall pick in 2008, and he played his first seven seasons for the franchise.
In 2011, Rose led the Bulls to a 62-20 record, becoming the youngest MVP in NBA history at age 22.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports that there is dysfunction in Chicago’s locker room, stemming from their stars Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan’s disconnection. As their season appears to be slipping away, could a great leader like Rose be able to control their locker room?
It would surely ease the fanbase, who still hold Rose close to their hearts.
