New York Knicks: Trade for Rose Means No Conley
The New York Knicks have traded with the Chicago Bulls for point guard Derrick Rose. This indicates that they will not pursue Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley in free agency this summer.
The New York Knicks effectively went all-in for 2016-17 with the trade for Derrick Rose. By upgrading the point guard position with Rose, the Knicks plan to target others areas of the team to improve. This Rose trade may only be a quick-fix and removes the possibility of signing Mike Conley in free agency this summer.
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Rose will be playing for the Knicks on a one-year deal. His contract expires next summer, and he has mentioned that he is looking for a big payday next summer. However, this summer is when Grizzlies PG Mike Conley is on the market. The Knicks decided to test Rose for a year rather than pursue Conley in free agency. They chose the Band-Aid over the long-term solution.
Comparing the two, Rose has a higher potential, even with his knee issues factored in. Last year, Rose played in 66 games and averaged 16.4 points, 4.7 assists, and 2.7 turnovers per game in 31.8 minutes per game. On the other hand, Conley played in 56 games and averaged 15.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 1.5 turnovers per game in 31.4 minutes per game. Their numbers were very similar even though you might have expected Conley to play better.
Unlike Rose, Conley regularly plays in at least 70 games throughout his career. He’s had two seasons in which he played below 60 games, whereas Rose had three. Since his 2010-11 season, Rose has played in 39, 10, 51, and 66 games in each season. This should raise some concerns for some Knicks fans who expect him to play close to as many games as he did in his MVP season.
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Conley is a better fit in the triangle offense if coach Jeff Hornacek decides to incorporate that into his system, but Rose adds potential for the offense to be explosive. Conley is a better shooter than Rose, but Rose can finish around the rim better. Conley is a better passer, but Rose makes the flashy passes. The bigger difference can be seen on defense. Conley is a significantly better defender than Rose, and this weakness will be exploited by opposing teams next year.
The Knicks are banking on Rose to have a contract year in 2016-17. This trade freed up some cap space for next summer, when the Knicks may go after Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, and/or Kevin Durant (if he signs a one year deal this summer).
This Rose trade also means that Carmelo Anthony isn’t being traded this offseason. Why trade for a win-now PG when you want to deal your star player? Phil Jackson proved he is trying to make the playoffs in 2016-17 with the Rose move, but it won’t be enough to seriously contend for a championship.
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Jackson could go add a Nicolas Batum or Chandler Parsons rather than Dwight Howard or Joakim Noah this summer, but the main focus of next season should be to develop Kristaps Porzingis.
The Rose gamble could either be brilliant or pointless, but it has already crossed off one big free agent from the Knicks’ offseason list. Hopefully for Knicks fans, players won’t cross New York off their lists.