Getty Derrick Rose, who the Golden State Warriors were ready to target, and Russell Westbrook, now of the New York Knicks and LA Clippers.
Former NBA Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose will become a free agent in July after the New York Knicks elected to decline his $15.6 million team option for the 2023-24 season. Per Fred Katz of the Athletic, there is still a chance Rose could return to the Knicks on a more team-friendly deal during the free agency period.
“The Knicks are declining Derrick Rose’s $15.6M team option, league source confirms to The Athletic. I’m told this doesn’t close the door to a potential return for Rose on a cheaper contract. He’ll now enter unrestricted free agency this summer,” Katz tweeted on June 24.
However, Steve Popper of Newsday, who was first to report that the Knicks would be declining Rose’s option, says several teams could be interested in the former All-Star’s services, including the Phoenix Suns.
“There are contending teams — the Lakers, Suns, Celtics, or even a return to his hometown Bulls — who could have minutes available at point guard for Rose,” Popper writes.
Suns Need a Playmaking Point Guard
Rose has not been an MVP-caliber player for quite some time now. Last season he appeared in just 27 games and averaged 5.6 points, 1.7 assists, and 1.5 rebounds. But with the offensive firepower of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and the recent addition of Bradley Beal to the roster, the Suns do not need Rose to be that.
The only point guards the Suns have under contract for next season are Cameron Payne and Jordan Goodwin. For reference, Payne averaged 8.1 points per game in the playoffs and Goodwin, who was acquired in the Washington Wizards trade and did not make the playoffs last season, averaged just 6.6 points per game. Rose could be a significant upgrade.
After trading Paul, the Suns do not have a true starting point guard. That could become problematic because despite Beal, Durant, and Booker being top-class scorers, they are not particularly known for their playmaking ability. For his career, Rose averages 5.3 assists per game. Although he is no longer among the elite point guards in the NBA, it is worth the Suns taking a chance at Rose on a veteran’s minimum deal.
Suns Free Agency Options Will Be Scarce
With the free agency period approaching in July, the Phoenix Suns are still looking to build out their roster in hopes of becoming a title contender. They have already made several key moves since being eliminated in the second round of the playoffs.
They fired Monty Williams and hired former Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel to replace him. They also traded Paul in a blockbuster trade that landed them Beal. But the next task may be among the most difficult for the Suns’ front office as they turn their attention to building around their stars.
Here is the reality: players like Rose are not the most attractive in the free-agent pool. But other cream-of-the-crop free agents such as Kyrie Irving, James Harden, and Fred VanVleet won’t be available to Phoenix unless they are willing to take a significant pay cut. This is due to the fact that the Suns have already utilized most of their cap space on their All-Star trio. It will be interesting to see how they build out their roster.
