New York Knicks Midseason Grades By Position: Point Guard

Offensively, Derrick Rose has been pretty good. He is averaging 17.9 points and 4.4 assists per game. He is shooting 45.6 percent from the field and 85.6 percent from the foul line. Rose hasn’t looked this explosive since injuries beset him, as he gets to the rim with ease. If he looked to dish when attacking the basket a couple more times a game it could help raise the Knicks offense to another level.

Unfortunately, Rose has graded out as a very negative defensive player. He ranks 73rd out of 86 point guards in Defensive RPM on ESPN. The Knicks also have a defensive rating of 105.3 when Rose is off the court, compared to 110.1 with him on the court. Rose’s inability to even slow down opposing point guards is a big reason for the Knicks’ struggles defensively.

But, the Knicks are a better team with Rose on the court. Their offensive rating is 108 with him on the court and 100.9 with him off. With him, the Knicks are -2.1; without him, they are -4.4. While both numbers are discouraging, the Knicks are better with him on the court than off.

Rose has had an up-and-down tenure with the Knicks thus far. If we graded only the offensive side of the ball, he would be in the discussion for the highest grade on the team. There is more to the midseason grades which brings Rose’s grade down, including off the court.

Rose’s incident when he went AWOL for a family emergency was bizarre, to say the least. The Knicks have continued with business as usual since, but leaving his teammates and the organization in the dark about his whereabouts negatively impacts his grade. His relationship with head coach Jeff Hornacek seems rocky as well, further diminishing the grade.