His Flexible Contract
Another reason Derrick Rose would make a lot of sense for the Lakers is the fact that his contract won’t hamstring the team’s ability to make future moves.
Rose is under contract for just the 2020-21 season and then his current contract expires.
His salary is $7.6 million — which is not pocket change, but in the context of NBA contracts, it’s affordable.
The Lakers could acquire Rose and still have flexibility to make future moves, which should make his potential acquisition even more attractive.
If Rose came with a contract that was guaranteed for the next three years, and paid him, say, $18 million a season, he wouldn’t be as good a fit financially.
But Rose is on a relatively cheap contract, and there would be no huge financial burden beyond this season. The Lakers and Rose could pursue a title in 2020-21, and then reassess after the season.
