Derrick Rose.Getty Images
Three days after the NBA Finals, the NBA’s offseason is already in full swing with some massive trades.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania of Yahoo, the Chicago Bulls are trading Derrick Rose, Justin Holiday, and a 2017 second-round pick to the New York Knicks in exchange for Robin Lopez, Jose Calderon, and Jerian Grant. New York Daily News’ Frank Isola also confirmed the report.
The Knicks have been in the market for a point guard. Calderon, 34, proved ineffective last season at running the Knicks’ offense or defending opposing guards. Grant, a rookie, showed promise but only received limited minutes as he, too, struggled to run the offense and spread the court.
It’s believed that the Knicks will look to run a faster-paced, point-guard-driven offense under new head coach Jeff Hornacek, who ran such a system with the Phoenix Suns. Trading for Rose gives the Knicks an opportunity to do so, though it is a huge gamble.
The 2015-16 season was the first time since 2010-11 that Rose played over 60 games, as the former MVP has struggled with injuries. Rose averaged 16 points and nearly five assists per game, but he struggled with his efficiency, shooting just 42.7% from the field and 29% from three. Rose is owed $21 million this season and will become a free agent in 2017.
For the Bulls, the trade is clearly a departure from a former era. They missed the playoffs in their first season under head coach Fred Hoiberg, and reports indicated there was strife within the locker room. This offseason, both Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol will become free agents, and many feel they will not re-sign with the Bulls. With Rose gone, too, the Bulls look to be building around a younger core, centered on Jimmy Butler.
As Isola notes, moving Lopez, whom the Knicks signed to a four-year, $52 million deal last summer, also opens them up to centers in the free-agent market. Big names such as Noah, Hassan Whiteside, and Dwight Howard are all available.
It’s a wild, blockbuster trade that seemingly appeared out of thin air, and it shows two high-profile teams moving in different directions.
NOW WATCH: CRISTIANO RONALDO: Here’s how the world’s highest paid athlete makes and spends his money
Leave a Reply
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
