Derrick Rose makes odd statement about “penitentiary work outs”

Sometimes Derrick Rose phrases things poorly. Or at least oddly.

The latest in a long line of those phrases came Saturday. Tuesday the Knicks tip-off their preseason schedule in Houston, but also Tuesday the civil trial where a woman is accusing Rose and some companions of rape starts in Los Angeles. Rose plans to fly with the Knicks to Houston, and it is possible this just gets settled out of court (it would be far from the first case settled at the last minute).

Rose was asked about staying in shape if he has to spend time in Los Angeles at the trial, and that’s where the odd answer came, in, via Marc Berman of the New York Post.

“No, I do penitentiary workouts, bro. I be in my room doing pushups, sit-ups. I got it from Lamar Odom. From when I played in my first World Championship team. The way he prepped himself before games, it was kind of like mini-workouts before the game.”

Anyone who travels and wants to stay in shape gets what Rose is trying to say — there are plenty of exercises that can be done in a hotel room. You don’t need much room for planks. Stretching and flexibility work can be done anywhere.

This reminds me of the “I want to walk at my son’s graduation” comment — his underlying meaning makes a lot of sense, but the phrasing of it seems odd.

One other thing we know about Rose: He doesn’t read about or care what anyone thinks of what he says. He’s not obsessed with his image. He knows who he is.

We’ll see if Rose is playing in Houston on Tuesday. Rose and the Knick are going to be one of the more interesting teams to watch on the court — and how all those pieces fit together — this season.