With the Knicks retaining two of their own in Nerlens Noel and Alec Burks, the expectation is that they will “likely” work out an extension for point guard Derrick Rose, per Marc Berman of the NY Post.
Noel signed a three-year, $32 million deal and Burks a three-year, $30 million contract at the opening of free agency, and while Rose hasn’t yet made it official, they’re looking to bring him back.
Rose could be in line for a nice pay raise after signing a two-year, $14 million deal with the Detroit Pistons during the 2019 off-season. Last season with New York, Rose averaged 14.9 points, 4.2 assists and shot nearly 49% from the field. He logged a career-high 41% from three, showcasing he still has gas left in the tank.
Without Rose, the Knicks likely wouldn’t have secured the 4th seed in the Eastern conference, and bringing him back to provide mentorship for players like Immanuel Quickley and rookie guard Miles McBride could be beneficial.
At 32-years-old, Rose played in 50 games last year, and while he doesn’t represent a long-term solution for the team, they could bring him back on a one-year deal, which would allow them to clear cap space and target a high profile free agent during the 2022 off-season. With players like Bradley Beal and Zach LaVine expected to be available on the market barring an extension, clearing as much space will be essential.
However, the three-year contracts the team signed with Burks and Noel will tie up a bit of money, but nothing they can’t overcome with the cap expected to rise over the next few seasons and plenty of youth to supplement any deficiencies down the road.
Rose has plenty to offer despite his last All-Star appearance coming in 2011.
In addition, Knicks small forward/shooting guard Reggie Bullock is preparing to sign with the Dallas Mavericks, opening up the door for a potential deal between New York and Evan Fournier.
The Mavericks are nearing a deal with Knicks free agent Reggie Bullock, league sources say.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 2, 2021
Bullock served a solid purpose last season but had limitations beyond being a catch-and-shoot specialist. He played spotty defense and was inconsistent at times. Fournier would offer a pure playmaker who can create shots for himself rather than require good floor spacing and open shots to be effective.