Tom Thibodeau’s favorite son is about to leave the nest.
New York Knicks writer Steve Popper of Newsday is reporting on Saturday that the Knicks have officially decided to decline Derrick Rose’s $15.6 team option for 2023-24. Popper notes that the move gives Rose an opportunity to explore other available opportunities as a free agent.
The former MVP Rose was a Thibodeau favorite, having also played for the Knicks head coach in both Chicago and Minnesota prior to arriving in New York. But Rose had become marginalized in recent years, falling out of the Knicks rotation and appearing in only 27 games this past season (posting a barren 5.6 points in 12.5 minutes per contest).
Rose deserves credit for being a professional in accepting his demotion and offering his full support to his younger teammates. But the 34-year-old still has something to offer on the court with high-IQ play and a bit of burst left in him. It wasn’t too long ago either that Rose was drawing some interest from a contender elsewhere in the Eastern Conference.
