Phil Jackson, Knicks have high hopes for Derrick Rose
Derrick Rose #1 of the Chicago Bulls looks on during the second quarter against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on January 22, 2016 in Boston, Massachusetts. Credit: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Phil Jackson says the Knicks needed an assertive attacking guard to lead them and that Derrick Rose’s acquisition not only accomplishes that but has reinvigorated Carmelo Anthony.
The Knicks landed Rose, Justin Holiday and a 2017 second-round pick from Chicago on Wednesday for Robin Lopez, Jose Calderon and Jerian Grant. It could be the start of a franchise-changing summer for the Knicks. They have more than $30 million to use in free agency beginning July 1 and are eager to put together a competitive team while Anthony, 32, still is in his prime.
“Melo and I have talked about that, whether we’re on the right time frame with him, is he disappointed or whatever,” Jackson said Thursday evening. “I think this is a positive move. He sees that as a positive move. I think that’s reinvigorating for him. I think it’s good.”
The pairing of Rose, Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis gives the Knicks an opportunity to end a three-year playoff drought if they can stay healthy and Jackson can put the right pieces around them.
Rose, who is in the final year of his contract, has missed 244 games in the past five seasons. Jackson hopes the former Rookie of the Year and NBA MVP can stay healthy and have a long-term relationship with the Knicks.
“We know he’s had issues,” Jackson said. “That’s the unfortunate part about our game. There’s always risk/reward to everything we do in this business.
“This is about a season ahead of us. Derrick’s got a drive in him. I know he’s going to want to do well. That’s part of it. And we’ll cross that as we go along into next year. But we’d like to have it long term, and that’s certainly one of the great things about it.”
The Knicks felt they had to shake up things at point guard and didn’t think they could get the player they wanted in free agency. They haven’t had anyone in decades who can get into the paint and create for himself or his teammates the way Rose can.
“I felt the need to have a decisive attack guard moving forward,” Jackson said. “I always talk about lead guard activity, and he’s one of the guys you know that’s decisive, aggressive, and he has a very high competitive level to his game.”
New coach Jeff Hornacek added, “We’re excited to get someone as dynamic as him and I think he’ll help all of our other players also.”
The Knicks also hope Rose makes them more appealing in free agency. “I think the better players you have, the more likely the other guys will gravitate towards that,” Hornacek said.
The No. 1 pick in 2008, Rose has career averages of 19.7 points and 6.2 assists. He played 66 games in 2015-16 — his most since tearing the ACL in his left knee in the first round of the 2012 playoffs — and averaged 16.4 points and 4.7 assists.
With only five players under contract, the Knicks, who didn’t have a pick in Thursday night’s NBA Draft, will have a busy offseason. They will target Thunder star Kevin Durant, but every team with money, including the Warriors, Spurs and Heat, will pursue Durant. You can’t rule out Durant returning to Oklahoma City, which was one win from reaching the NBA Finals.
After dealing Lopez, the Knicks need a starting center. Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol (Rose’s former Chicago teammates), Houston’s Dwight Howard, Miami’s Hassan Whiteside and Atlanta’s Al Horford are the top centers on the market.
They also need a shooting guard, with Nicolas Batum, Kent Bazemore and Evan Turner among those available.
Jackson said the Knicks might have to spread the money around to fill out the roster. He said he expects to re-sign some of the Knicks’ own free agents, particularly Langston Galloway and Lance Thomas. Derrick Williams could be back.
The Knicks also could sign last year’s second-round pick, Willy Hernangomez. His agent, Andy Miller, said his “intentions” are to work out a deal with the Knicks.
“We’re looking at all the various ways to fill the roster,” Jackson said. “We have priorities, backups, secondaries, fallbacks.”
One thing hanging over Rose is that he has a sexual assault civil suit that is scheduled to go to trial Oct. 4. Jackson was asked how much the Knicks looked into that.
“Aware of it,” Jackson said. “Investigation is a big word. But aware of it, yes.”
Notes & quotes: The Knicks begin summer league practice in Orlando next week. Hornacek expects to leave to take part in free-agent visits. He said someone else will coach the team but wouldn’t say who.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
