The New York Knicks had shown some preliminary interest in re-signing former MVP Derrick Rose earlier this summer. But with free agency set to get going this weekend, it now appears New York is backing off that possibility.
According to Stefan Bondy and Frank Isola of the NY Daily News, the Knicks view re-signing Rose as a long shot.
“Despite reports of mutual interest before Phil Jackson was fired, a reunion between the Knicks and Derrick Rose appears to be a long shot, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation,” the two scribes reported on Friday.
Rose, 28, had an up and down first season in New York. The three-time All-Star averaged 18.0 points while shooting at a 47 percent clip from the field. Though, his defense was inconsistent and the injury-plagued veteran ended up missing the final two weeks of the season with a torn meniscus.
“That’s management. I haven’t been in any of the discussions with free agency stuff,” Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek said Friday about the possibility of re-signing Rose. “So they kind of control that and look at the roster and figure it out.”
Despite those words, it seems New York is intent on going with a combination of Ron Baker and rookie first-round pick Frank Ntilikina at the point next season.