Since Derrick Rose was traded to the New York Knicks in June, the partnership has looked like a convenient one, but not necessarily a long-term one. Rose needed a fresh start, the Knicks wanted someone who could get into the paint, excite the fan base and maybe help them get back into the playoffs.
With Rose heading into a contract year, the acquisition always seemed risky from New York's perspective -- should he exceed expectations, the front office might have to overpay to keep him. Should he play poorly, or simply decide he would rather go elsewhere, then the Knicks gave up quality players for a one-year rental.
Judging by Rose's recent comments to SLAM's Peter Walsh, at least part of this equation is knowable: He wants to stay in New York, if possible.
"We're building the culture," Rose said. "We're building the foundation now. I'm under a one-year contract so of course I want to play the rest of my life here. But it takes time, it takes patience to figure out how every one is going to fit, if it is going to fit and going from there."
A few thoughts:
- It sounds like a strong statement, but ... is it? In this context, simply mentioning that he's on a one-year contract seems like an acknowledgement that he doesn't know what the front office will do. He mentioned at last season's media day that he was already looking forward to his next contract, and it's unclear how the league and the Knicks value him. One way to interpret this is that Rose's preference is to stay where he is, but the money has to be right. Another way is that he'd like to re-sign, but it depends how the rest of the season goes. Either way, it shouldn't be seen as a sure thing.
- In January, Rose said he didn't want to play for any franchise other than the one that drafted him. When ESPN's Nick Friedell asked him if he still wanted to retire as a member of the Chicago Bulls, he said, "For sure, for sure." I'm not bringing this up to suggest that his words are meaningless -- after all, he didn't decide to leave, he was traded -- but rather to illustrate that things can change quickly in the NBA. This is why Dwyane Wade, who has taken over Rose's role as the Bulls' hometown hero, said Thursday that "you never know what happens in this game" and "people should never say never on anything."
- The weird part about this quote is that Rose was not even asked about his contract situation or his future. The question he was responding to was about a recent matchup with Russell Westbrook being a measuring-stick game. Often, players will do whatever they can to avoid discussing free agency; this time, Rose took the conversation there. It must be on his mind.
