New York Knicks Acquire Derrick Rose in Bulls’ Trade

New York Knicks Acquire Derrick Rose in Megatrade With the Chicago Bulls

It’s official, Phil Jackson is a changed man. First, he shocked us when he chose Jeff Hornacek as the team’s new head coach. Not that it was a bad decision, it’s actually a very nice pickup, but we are all patiently waiting to see how he performs in the Knicks’ triangle offense.

On Wednesday, Phil Jackson gave Hornacek a little bit of help with that. A big part of the triangle offense is having a quality point guard who can keep everyone where they need to be. With the team’s latest trade — which saw Robin Lopez, Jerian Grant and Jose Calderon all leave New York — they brought in Derrick Rose from the Chicago Bulls. It was a bold move, considering Derrick’s recent injury-prone status.

However, this just gives Rose that much more to play for. Not only is he trying to prove everyone wrong for thinking his career is at an end, but now has to prove to New York that he can bring them a championship. A lot of pressure, but this is a player who can handle that pressure very well. The concern comes when you ask, “Will he be healthy?”

Optimism is Finally Here

At first, Rose wasn’t told who he had been traded to. He knew he had been traded, but wasn’t sure where. Either way, the point guard said that he was hoping it was New York the whole time. That’s something that should — and did — make new teammate, Carmelo Anthony, very happy.

Let’s not get carried away with the criticism, though. Rose actually turned in a decent season last year. In 66 games, he averaged 16.4 points per game, 4.7 assists per game and 3.4 rebounds per game. If he can stay healthy and get his consistency back and running, then all of those numbers could see a spike.

Hornacek seems to be excited, as well. “This is an exciting day for New York and our fans,” said Hornacek. “Derrick is one of the top point guards in the NBA playoff-battle-tested. He adds a whole new dynamic to our roster and immediately elevates our backcourt.”

Now, if the Knicks can find a solid replacement for Lopez, they would be ready for the season — of course, with the addition of role players too. With a lot of big name forwards and centers on the market this free agency, that’s a high possibility.

New York Knicks’ fans should be excited for this season and the seasons coming up.