The NBA trade rumors are taking more bizarre turns as the trade deadline is only days away. Now, Derrick Rose is once again a target.
Against all odds, Rose managed to play through the season. While he is no longer an MVP level player, he could still be a capable starting point guard. The defensive shortcomings are still there but he has proven that he can still do what he does best: penetrate to the basket. This was acknowledged by Ian Begley of ESPN.
"Multiple teams view Rose as a potential trade target, according to league sources.
It would be surprising if the Knicks didn't get calls about Rose as the deadline approaches. He has struggled on defense and hasn't distributed the ball well, but he has shown that he's again one of the best lane penetrators in the NBA," Begley wrote.
Even Rose himself acknowledged the fact. "I like being here but [you] never know what could happen," Rose said. "My job is to come in and play as hard as I can."
It would be hard to get value for Rose at this point since he is a free agent at the end of the season. However, the idea of re-signing him is not so far-fetched anymore as he has apparently abandoned his pursuit of a max contract. He shared his thoughts with Stefan Bondy of the NY Daily News.
"See it here and there but it doesn't drive me anymore. Like I always been driven by playing basketball and wanting to be the best. Like (money) numbers, of course you got to know it because of how I grew up," Rose said. "I grew up around the streets. Hustling. You see numbers, you can't look over them. But I'm just happy that I have an opportunity for them to see how I perform and let them see what I'm worth."
He also reminded teams that he is still loaded with confidence. "I feel like I can compete against every one of them guys when I step on the floor. It's never like it's a pushover, and that's the only thing I want people to see. It's not sweet. It's not a pushover. And I can still hoop."
There are teams in the West that have yet to find solid options at point guard. The Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings among them. The Mavs may are relying on Deron Williams and the Kings have Darren Collison. Both have also been involved in trade rumors.