Trade No. 3 – Detroit Pistons

New York Knicks Receive: G Derrick Rose & TOR 2021 2nd Round Pick (via DET)

Detroit Pistons Receive: G Dennis Smith Jr. & NYK 2023 1st Round Pick (Top-5 Protected)

Not only has Derrick Rose proven that he can still play at a high-level in this league after suffering some gruesome knee injuries, but he has revitalized his career and become an asset to playoff-caliber teams on the trade market. With him being in the final year of his contract with the Detroit Pistons just drafting Killian Hayes 7th overall to be the point guard of the future, they should be very willing to trade the veteran point guard for young talent and draft picks. 

In the last two seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons, Derrick Rose has played in 101 games and has averaged 18.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and shot 48.6% from the floor. While he is not the MVP-caliber player he once was, Derrick Rose can still contribute at a high-level and can make a difference for the Knicks both on and off the court as a veteran leader.

Rose is only owed $7.6M with the Detroit Pistons this season, making him very affordable for the Knicks and if they wish not to keep him after this year, they have the luxury to do so and explore other options via free agency. The best thing this Knicks organization can do right now is to find ways to win and bringing in Derrick Rose from the Pistons does so.

For years now, New York has been trying to lure All-Star level players to come to play for them and flip this franchise around from its losing ways, but no player has wanted to go there over the years because of their lack of success. If this team can prove they are on the right track to winning this season and bring in Rose to help prove that, then they will absolutely have All-Star level players wanting to come to play in the “Mecca” of professional basketball.

The biggest reason why this trade with the Detroit Pistons makes sense for the New York Knicks is that they need something to lead this young team. R.J. Barrett, Obi Toppin and Julius Randle all seem to be promising young players, but no All-Star is going to give up their current situation to play with these guys yet. This is why bringing in a guy like Rose to lay the foundation is extremely important.

Acquiring Derrick Rose from the Detroit Pistons to be the leader of the team for now and help them win games proves to other big-name players around the league that the Knicks are finally legit and as a result, New York could land a couple of All-Star caliber players via trade or next offseason in free agency and as it stands right now, the Knicks will have about $50M to spend in free agency next offseason. 

DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, Andre Drummond, Victor Oladipo and LaMarcus Aldridge are all current and former All-Star level talents that will be unrestricted free agents next year and potential targets of the New York Knicks. The most important thing the Knicks need to prove though in order to target these guys is that they can win.

Derrick Rose presents the Knicks with a great opportunity to win now at a very affordable cost, and while they would be giving up a future first-round pick, they would be getting a second-round pick in this coming year’s draft, giving them a total of six draft picks in the 2021 NBA Draft. 

This presents New York with a major opportunity to trade for a big time talent, or continue to add young talent to this roster. All-in-all, the Knicks have the draft resources to be a great team moving forward and they have the cap space to make some noise in free agency. 

All this organization needs now is to make a trade for a proven player like Derrick Rose from the Detroit Pistons to win now. Whether they make the playoffs or not, if this team can prove that they can win 30+ games this year, then there is no doubt that they will be in the running for two to three All-Star players this offseason.

Knicks fans should be very excited about the future of this organization and as long as management does not trade R.J. Barrett or Obi Toppin, then the future is extremely bright in New York.