The New York Knicks picked up an impressive victory over the weekend, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 92-81 on Sunday evening, then followed it up with a blowout victory over the Atlanta Hawks. However, they remain a team to watch at the NBA trade deadline.
It was a nice bounce-back stretch after the Knicks blew another big lead on Saturday afternoon against the Dallas Mavericks. New York led by as many as 15 points against Dallas before they were hit with a 3-point barrage in the second half. The Mavericks steamrolled the Knicks in the second half, powered by a 41-15 third quarter and ended up winning the game 121-100.
Looking to shake things up and seeking a spark, head coach Tom Thibodeau made a change to his rotation against the Cavaliers. Veteran point guard Derrick Rose and wing Cam Reddish both found themselves on the outside looking in of the rotation.
While Thibodeau said part of the reason for Rose being sat was that it was the second night of a back-to-back, this move seems like it will be a more permanent one. According to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, Thibodeau is going with a nine-man rotation for the time being with Rose and Reddish both being removed from it.
This was a surprising move, but one that fans have been waiting for. With Rose no longer a part of the rotation, the Knicks are moving forward with a rotation that Julius Randle, who is 28, is the only player older than 26 years old. This is the kind of youth movement that people have wanted and they are now getting their wish.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Derrick Rose, Cam Reddish & New York Knicks Updates
The removal of Reddish from the rotation makes little sense as he was cementing himself as one of the best perimeter defenders on the team. His combination of size and athleticism seemingly fit well into Thibodeau’s scheme on defense. Offensively, he was one of the only players capable of consistently breaking down his defender and getting to the rim.
After trading away a future first-round pick for him, it is certainly disappointing that Reddish isn’t getting a chance to play more. In addition to that, the front office should be held accountable for how much money they used to sign Evan Fournier, Rose, Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson in 2021. All of them are either out of the rotation or cost draft capital to move in a trade.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Derrick Rose, Cam Reddish & New York Knicks Updates
Speaking of trades, there are likely some being worked out. December 15th is the unofficial opening of trade season in the NBA as players who signed contracts in the offseason are eligible to be traded.
Rose is someone that would likely draw a lot of interest from contenders. He is capable of leading a bench unit and can still score at a nice clip while bringing playmaking and leadership to a roster. Reddish’s market is tougher to figure out, but at 23, he still possesses the tantalizing tools and potential teams franchises are willing to take a chance on.
