Derrick Rose Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Derrick Rose’s Future With Knicks Uncertain

January 10th, 2017 at 8:25am CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of Derrick Rose‘s mysterious absence from the Knicks’ Monday night game, the team confirmed that its point guard was fine, and head coach Jeff Hornacek said that he expected Rose to rejoin the team soon. Following the unusual incident, however, Rose’s future in New York is “increasingly uncertain,” reports Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.

According to Wojnarowski, the Knicks had already been undecided about whether or not they wanted to invest in Rose beyond this season. After a Monday night that left the club “livid” and “embarrassed,” per Wojnarowski, the odds of the former MVP signing a long-term deal with the Knicks appear to have declined significantly, and even his short-term future with the franchise could be in doubt.

The relationship between Hornacek and Rose has become strained in recent weeks, according to Chris Mannix of The Vertical. Frank Isola of The New York Daily News echoes that sentiment, writing that reports of a frayed relationship between the two are accurate, particularly in the wake of a recent fourth-quarter benching for Rose. Sources tell Wojnarowski that the veteran point guard has been “privately critical” of the Knicks’ head coach, though no one in the locker room has expressed any issues with the way Hornacek has coached Rose.

Although a team source confirmed to Isola that Rose wasn’t injured or in danger when he missed Monday’s game, a source tells Fred Kerber and Marc Berman of The New York Post that the absence was “not a boycott.” Rose eventually informed team officials that he had a family situation and had returned to his hometown of Chicago, per Ian Begley and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com.

As we wait for the next development in the Rose story, here are a few more notes on the subject from some of the pieces linked above:

Rose may face discipline from the team, depending on the reason for his absence — a suspension is possible, Wojnarowski writes.
Before finding out where he was, the Knicks were concerned enough with Rose’s absence that they sent someone to his New York apartment to check on him, according to Begley.
A source tells Berman that Rose had a conversation with Knicks general manager Steve Mills late on Monday night.
Isola, who refers to Monday as the “rock bottom” point of the Phil Jackson era in New York, adds that landing a big free agent deal in 2017 has long been an “obsession” for Rose.

Derrick Rose Absent From Knicks’ Game

January 9th, 2017 at 10:36pm CST by Luke Adams

10:36pm: Per Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, Rose left without permission to tend to a family matter, but Chris Mannix of The Vertical writes that it’s still unclear where he actually is.

9:36pm: Teammate Joakim Noah has been in touch with Derrick Rose since Monday’s game finished and says “he’s okay,” tweets Ian Begley of ESPN. Noah did not elaborate further as to why the guard was absent. Rose was at the team’s shootaround this morning, per Courtney Lee via Begley. Frank Isola of the New York Daily News says there are “strong indications” that Rose returned to his hometown of Chicago.

8:59pm: Speaking after the game to reporters, Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek said that he doesn’t have enough information to pass along an update, adding that he’ll need to “wait until we hear from Derrick himself” (Twitter link via Mike Vorkunov). Hornacek did say that he expects Rose will be back with the team, per Ian Begley of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

8:29pm: The Knicks are in action tonight against the Pelicans, but starting point guard Derrick Rose is “not with the team,” as Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News writes. Rose had been penciled in as a starter 90 minutes before the game got underway, but never showed up.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (via Twitter), there are team officials, teammates, and close associates of Rose who aren’t certain why the point guard is not at Madison Square Garden tonight. At the time of tip-off earlier in the evening, the Knicks still hadn’t been in contact with Rose, and it’s unclear if they’ve been able to reach him since then, tweets Wojnarowski.

The Knicks sat Rose during the fourth quarter in Milwaukee on Friday, and he wasn’t thrilled with that move, according to Wojnarowski (via Twitter). The former MVP also played just 26 minutes on Saturday, but it’s not clear whether tonight’s absence is impacted by anything on-court related.

This sort of absence is unusual, so hopefully Rose is okay. We’ll pass along any updates as they come in.

New York Notes: Rose, Holiday, Hornacek, Nets

January 1st, 2017 at 1:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

As the Knicks ponder their decision on whether to re-sign Derrick Rose, ESPN’s Ian Begley notes that Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday could be part of the equation. Holiday will also be entering free agency this summer, and team president Phil Jackson has reportedly expressed interest in acquiring him before. New York needs just a few small roster moves this summer to create enough cap room for a max contract. Holiday 26, has played 20 games after missing the start of the season to care for his ailing wife. He is averaging 14.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per night. The 28-year-old Rose is in his first year with the Knicks after being acquired in an offseason deal with Chicago. He is averaging 17.7 points and 4.4 assists in 29 games.

There’s more news out of New York:

Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek is asking for maximum effort from his team and hints that rotation changes could be on the way, relays Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. His comments came after the team lost in Houston Saturday night to slip back under .500. “Some of the young guys can really give effort in there. We’ll have to take a look at maybe getting them in the games more, maybe giving our older guys a little bit more rest,” Hornacek said. “So that they have shorter minutes so they can put the full effort out there. We’ll take a look at everything.”
The Knicks should be happy to see a miserable 2016 come to an end, Bondy writes in a separate story. The year started with a coaching change involving Derek Fisher, followed by a 13th-place finish in the Eastern Conference, a surprise hire in Hornacek, a draft night with no picks, a possibly disastrous free-agent signing in Joakim Noah, several ill-considered comments by Jackson and the end of his engagement to Lakers executive Jeanie Buss.
Tensions boiled over for the Nets on the court and in the locker room after Friday’s loss to Washington, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn has dropped seven of its last eight games and is tied with Philadelphia for the league’s worst record. “It was emotional and a frustrating game, and guys were just venting,” said center Brook Lopez. “I don’t know what was necessarily correct or who said what, but the important thing is it happened. It’s not something we’ve had to repeatedly deal with this season. It’s something that happens with every team over the course of the year. We addressed it. It’s an emotional game; obviously emotions were running high. We talked about it as a team. We addressed it as players.”

Atlantic Notes: Howard, Noel, Sixers, Knicks, Rose

December 28th, 2016 at 2:11pm CST by Luke Adams

When he hit the open market back in July, Dwight Howard was linked to a handful of teams before he eventually landed with the Hawks, but he’s not sure why the Knicks were one of those clubs. As Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News details, Howard “strongly denied” an offseason report suggesting he considered the Knicks in free agency.

“I never said that. I love New York, the Knicks are a great team. But that was something that was a lie,” Howard said. “That was a rumor that was being put out there. Like I said, I have no issues with New York or the fans or the people there, but it’s just something I’ve never said.”

For what it’s worth, our Howard archive includes multiple reports that suggest the Knicks were considering Howard this past summer, but there’s little to suggest that interest was mutual.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

After griping about his playing time when he first returned from a knee injury, Nerlens Noel has made peace with his role – or lack thereof – in the Sixers‘ rotation for now, says Keith Pompey of he Philadelphia Inquirer. Of course, even if Noel isn’t thrilled with his situation, attempting to make the most of it is the best thing he can do for both the team and his own trade value.
Although Sixers guard Nik Stauskas has reiterated that he holds no ill will toward the Kings for trading him early in his career, he’s always motivated to show his old team that it was a mistake to give up on him, Pompey writes in a separate piece for The Inquirer. “No one wants to be given up on,” Stauskas said. “But at the same time, I think they did me a favor by sending me here. So I’m not really mad about it.”
As Ian Begley of ESPN.com outlines, Derrick Rose – who is on track for unrestricted free agency in 2017 – is having a major impact on the Knicks‘ offense this season and is one of the reasons New York looks like a potential playoff team.
We rounded up a handful of Celtics notes earlier today.

New York Notes: Motiejunas, LeVert, Knicks, Rose

December 25th, 2016 at 6:19pm CST by Arthur Hill

Donatas Motiejunas would have been a huge addition for the Nets if the Rockets hadn’t matched his offer sheet, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Having another 7-footer on the court would have helped a team that ranks last in points allowed and scoring margin. Motiejunas could also have provided a fourth scorer in the starting lineup. The Nets have given more than 800 combined front line minutes to Justin Hamilton and Luis Scola, neither of whom is having a productive season. After matching the four-year, $37MM offer sheet, Houston worked out a separate deal with Motiejunas, then waived him after his physical. That made him a restricted free agent, but he’s not permitted to sign with Brooklyn for a full year after the offer sheet was matched.

The Nets still have nearly $17.8MM in cap room and seem like obvious candidates to make some roster moves before the February 23rd trade deadline. “Will we be active? I think we’ll be strategic,’’ GM Sean Marks said. “We’re not just going to jump on something.”

There’s more news today out of New York:

Nets rookie Caris LeVert can expect to see his minutes expanded as the season wears on, according to NetsDaily. LeVert had nine points and seven rebounds in Friday’s loss to Cleveland and is making an impression on coach Kenny Atkinson. “I love how hard he plays. Good for him to see a few shots go down,” Atkinson said. “That’s a positive we get out of this game.”
The Knicks‘ winning record isn’t impressive because it was built against lower-level teams, charges Marc Berman of The New York Post. With today’s loss to the Celtics, New York is now 16-14, but just 3-10 against teams that are .500 or better. “That’s the jump we got to make,’’ shooting guard Courtney Lee said. “Just learn from it and put it all together so when we play those losing teams we’re supposed to take of, we do that, but then the plus-.500 teams we got to start taking care of that, too.”
Derrick Rose is hoping to remain healthy for the rest of the season after recovering from back spasms, Berman writes in a separate story. After appearing in 66 games with the Bulls last season, Rose has been able to play in 25 of the Knicks’ first 30 contests. “I feel good,” he said. “Not feeling my back anymore. My body is healthy — just trying to find a rhythm, just trying to play my game, either a floater or try to finish at the rim or me trying to dunk. I feel all three elements are my game.”

Bulls Executive John Paxson Discusses Roster

December 25th, 2016 at 12:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls vice president of basketball operations John Paxson says “athleticism” is the team’s most important roster issue, relays the Chicago Tribune. In a radio interview this morning on WSCR-AM 670, Paxson praised coach Fred Hoiberg and offseason addition Dwyane Wade, while asking for more out of Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic. Here are a few highlights:

On the need for more athletic players to keep up with the rest of the league:

“We’ve got some vets who know how to play and can score. But when you look around the league and the way the game is now, that’s an area we have to address. That is a part of the plan. We’ll try to do that obviously through the draft and free agency if we can. You always have the trade option. Right now, our roster is what it is.”

On Michael Carter-Williams, who has been sidelined by injuries since October 31st:

“You kind of forget that he’s even on the roster because we traded for him so late in camp and then three games in, he took a fall and hurt himself. The coaching staff was just getting acclimated to him and he was doing very well for us. We’re excited to get him back. I think he will help our depth and our rotation as well.”

On Mirotic, who is headed toward free agency but seems to have regressed during his third season, shooting just 38% from the field:

“Niko has a tendency to get down on himself to be honest with you. Sometimes as player, you have to say to yourself, ‘Enough is enough. I’m going to go out and compete and work on my game.’ A lot of this is on the individual. Niko is a great guy. He has the ability to get better.”

On the surprise addition of Wade, who left Miami to sign with the Bulls this summer:

“It’s rare when a guy like that becomes available. Dwyane was one of those players you would think would’ve been with Miami his entire career just the way it had gone. He had been through good times, He had been through rebuilding. He’s professional with his approach and his attitude. He knows how to prepare himself. At this stage of his career, he knows what he can and can’t do. We’re trying to watch him carefully to make sure he doesn’t break down. But he takes very good care of himself. He’s right around that 30-minute mark a game for us, which is what he had intended for him hoping to keep him fresh. I think he has taken some of the pressure off of Jimmy [Butler] just in terms of having to speak all the time and be the voice. They’ve formed a very nice bond together.”

On the roster overhaul that began with the trade of Derrick Rose to the Knicks:

“We rode out Derrick’s injury for a long time. We had our team built at that point. Derrick’s injury obviously was a huge blow to us. He never really got back to where he was for us. We had just paid him. We tried to plug holes. But in the meantime, you’re drafting kind of middle of the pack all the time. You’re good enough to make the playoffs but you’re picking anywhere between 14, 15 and 22. It’s difficult to get impact players unless you’re lucky like we were with Jimmy years ago. There aren’t any excuses from us. We can point back to we thought we had it going but Derrick blows out his knee and all of a sudden, that changed our fortune a little bit. Had he not gotten hurt, who knows what would’ve happened. But that’s not our reality. We have to continue to try to find a way to put better players and a better team out there on the floor. That’s what we’re trying to do. At some point this year, we may have to give our young guys opportunities that they may need to see if they can develop into players.”

Atlantic Notes: Horford, Rose, Raptors 905

December 19th, 2016 at 10:42pm CST by Austin Kent

Al Horford has enjoyed one of his best individual seasons as a professional so far this year and he owes it to increased time at the four. The big man has lined up as the Celtics power forward alongside the springier and lankier Amir Johnson.

Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe recently explored the new opportunities created by head coach Brad Stevens when he made the decision to utilize this type of lineup.

“When I was playing [center] for many years, one of the things was I wasn’t able to impact as many shots as I wanted at the defensive end, because I was always having to go against bigger guys,” Horford told Himmelsbach. “Now, I feel like I’m seeing guys more my size, and I’m able to play more freely, which just opens up my game.”

Horford’s 2.3 blocks per game, nearly one block more than he’s averaged in any other season prior to 2016/17, rank fourth in the NBA. His 5.4 assists per game are nearly two higher than he ever averaged in nine seasons with the Hawks. The Celtics currently sit third in the Eastern Conference with a 15-12 record.

There are a few more headlines from the Atlantic Division:

The Raptors are making the most of their D-League affiliate in nearby Mississauga, Ontario and point guard Fred VanVleet is a shining example of the value that having such a resource can bring. Doug Smith of the Toronto Star explains how the franchise has found success shuttling players back and forth.
Derrick Rose has emerged as a critical piece of the Knicks, writes the New York Post’s Fred Kerber. Head coach Jeff Hornacek says the team has been “scrambling” ever since the point guard went down with back spasms last Tuesday. The team expects Rose back in the lineup Tuesday.
With Rose sidelined for much of the past week, undrafted rookie Ron Baker has made the most of his time as the Knicks‘ backup point guard. Marc Berman of the New York Post writes that Baker and his coach, a late draft pick out of Iowa, see themselves in one another and consider themselves to be cut from the same cloth.

Knicks Notes: Jackson, Rose, Randle, O’Quinn

December 17th, 2016 at 9:47pm CST by Arthur Hill

Phil Jackson almost certainly would have opted out of his contract as president of the Knicks if a lockout had taken place, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday, who states that the possibility of a work stoppage was the reason the opt-out clause was included in his contract. The writer adds that Jackson now faces the choice of either returning to Los Angeles and saying he left the team in better shape than when he arrived or staying in New York and trying to make the Knicks a perennial contender.

There’s more news out of New York:

Knicks point guard Derrick Rose is sitting out games now to protect his long-term health, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Rose was inactive for tonight’s game in Denver, making it the third time in the past five contests that he has been sidelined with back pain. “I hate missing, but I have to be smart about it,” Rose said. “I want to play consistent games instead of playing one game, aggravating something and missing two games. I want to play consistent games.”
The Knicks may be forced to make a decision soon about summer league star Chasson Randle, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. Randle was sent to New York’s Westchester affiliate in the D-League after getting hurt in training camp. He had a 38-point game Friday night and has reportedly attracted interest from the Mavericks and 76ers. However, either team would have to clear a roster spot in order to sign Randle. Berman speculates that the Knicks would part with Maurice Ndour if they decide to add Randle to their roster.
Backup center Kyle O’Quinn has expanded his role this month, often playing more minutes than starter Joakim Noah, Bondy notes in a separate story. In his first seven games of December, O’Quinn has averaged 11.6 points and 9.9 rebound per night while shooting 64% from the field. He credits weight loss and new coach Jeff Hornacek’s offense for his improved numbers. “You look at some of the bigs he had [at his last job in Phoenix], and that’s where they found a home at – dunker spots, little midrange jumpshots,” O’Quinn said. “And he encourages those so we got guys like Brandon [Jennings] and Derrick Rose and they know where to find me in those spots.”

Knicks Notes: Hornacek, Porzingis, Anthony

December 13th, 2016 at 9:56pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek gets caught in the middle between Phil Jackson and Carmelo Anthony at times and he admits that it puts him in an awkward spot, as he tells Sam Amick of USA Today. “Yeah, I mean it happens,” Hornacek said of fielding questions on the Phil Jackson-Carmelo Anthony relationship. “I think that’s the understanding in New York, that things get blown up probably more than a comment here or a comment there, which is probably meaningless, turns into something big. So you roll with the punches.”

Here’s more from New York:

Frank Isola of the New York Daily News doesn’t believe Jackson’s comments will hurt the Knicks when it comes to signing free agents. Isola believes that the presence of Kristaps Porzingis will make the Knicks an attractive free agent destination regardless of whether or not Jackson is still running the show.
The Anthony-Derrick Rose combination remains a work-in-progress and Anthony believes the duo should see more action together, Al Iannazone of Newsday writes. “I think me and Derrick are still trying to figure out ways to take advantage of what defenses are doing out there,” Anthony said. “I don’t think we play together on the offense as much as we should.”

Knicks Notes: Jackson, Anthony, Bryant, Rose

December 10th, 2016 at 8:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks president Phil Jackson held a one-on-one meeting with Carmelo Anthony today regarding comments that Jackson made this week, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Jackson visited the team at practice in Los Angeles and tried to clarify his remarks about Anthony holding the ball too long in the triangle offense. Anthony said the meeting was productive, but added that Jackson has “got to be careful the choice of words he uses.” “He said what he had to say,” Anthony said. “I don’t want to tell you all what he said. The conversation was good — to hear his perspective on what happened, how it all went down.”

There’s more news tonight regarding the Knicks:

Anthony says he has talked to former Lakers star Kobe Bryant about how to relate to Jackson, relays ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. Jackson said recently that Anthony has been given the same role in the triangle that once belonged to Bryant and Michael Jordan. Anthony’s main concern was why Jackson keeps talking about him to the press. “That was my question, was just, ‘Why?’ Regardless of what was the context of the interview or conversation, just why? …. Why, every time, do I come up?” Anthony said about his discussions with Bryant. “He explained that. It’s been behind me for two days. There’s no reason to keep harping on it.”
It’s too soon for the Knicks to be talking about a contract extension for Derrick Rose, argues Al Iannazzone of Newsday. Rose’s injury history makes his too much of a risk, the writer contends, and the team should wait until he proves he can stay healthy for an entire season. Rose has missed 228 games over the past five seasons, but appeared in 66 last year with Chicago, the most since his MVP season in 2010/11. He has played 21 of the Knicks’ 23 games so far. Rose, who will be a free agent this summer, said he understands the Knicks’ caution and won’t be upset if they wait until the offseason to discuss an extension. “It’s cool,” he said. “It’s no bad blood if they were to wait until after the year, it wouldn’t matter to me. I’m not worried about money. Whatever they decide to do it’s in their hands.”