Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks want Derrick Rose back in New York next season, just not at the $15.6 million he was owed. It’s why they declined his option for next season, but the Knicks hoped to re-sign him.
They are going to have a lot of competition.
The Chicago Bulls are interested in a reunion, reports Marc Stein in his latest Substack newsletter. With Lonzo Ball expected to be out for the season, the Bulls are thin at point guard and might be able to offer Rose more minutes than anywhere else.
The Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks also have interest in Ball, Stein adds. The Lakers and Celtics also are interested, reports Steve Popper at Newsday.
Rose, 34, fell out of the Knicks rotation by mid-season and played sparingly behind the Knicks’ impressive young guard core. He evolved into a veteran leader off the bench, a respected voice in the locker room helping guide the Knicks to their best season in years. There are a lot of veteran teams who would love to have that voice in their locker rooms.
It won’t be about the money, all of these teams can and will offer Rose the veteran minimum. It’s about what Rose wants, where he wants to be and where he feels most comfortable. The franchise factors into that, but so do family and lifestyle. It’s about where Rose wants to close out his legendary career.
Rose has options and can take his time choosing one.
