Both Knicks fans and Pistons fans seem upset with the Derrick Rose trade. Then again, when aren’t Knicks fans and Pistons fans upset about something?
The Pistons sent Rose, a former league MVP, to New York this past Sunday in exchange for a 2021 second-round draft pick and point guard Dennis Smith Jr. Smith has been enjoying some time in the G-League with the Westchester Knicks for most of this season.
This will be Rose’s second stint in New York, where he played for one season in 2016. He averaged 18 points per game on 47-percent shooting from the field during his one year as a Knick.
The Derrick Rose trade has sparked plenty of debate within the NBA community regarding whether the Knicks or the Pistons won the trade.
Some Knicks fans believe that New York should not be giving up draft capital for veteran players. This was an organizational tendency that derailed the team’s development for much of the Donnie Walsh era. Knicks fans don’t want to see team President Leon Rose and GM Scott Perry continuing that same trend.
On the contrary, many Pistons fans believe the team could have waited to trade D-Rose for better assets. Dennis Smith Jr. is a draft bust who can’t do anything but dunk the ball. As a 6’2″ point guard, that lack of versatility won’t get you very far in today’s NBA.
Let’s Be Real, the Knicks Fleeced the Pistons.
So, who really won the trade? I say the Knicks, and I don’t even think it’s close.
Even if the Pistons are trying to rebuild, Dennis Smith Jr. can’t possibly be the type of young talent with future star potential they are looking for in exchange for their current assets. Rose is certainly past his prime as a player, but considering they only received a second-round draft pick and a G-League bum in exchange for a former MVP who can still produce at the pro level, I would say Detroit left a lot to be desired by agreeing to this trade with the Knicks.
The Knicks, on the other hand, made a much-needed upgrade at the point guard position by making this trade. The addition of Rose adds three-point shooting prowess to a team currently ranking in the bottom third of the league in three-point percentage. He can also mentor rookie second-round pick Immanuel Quickley, who the team hopes can develop into its franchise point guard in the near future.
Still, there is a silver lining for Pistons fans. Despite the Wizards having a slightly better record, things aren’t going as poorly in Detroit as they are in Washington. After trading away a 2023 first-round pick to the Rockets for Russell Westbrook this past offseason, the team has had a tumultuous start to a season for which it initially had playoff aspirations for. At least the Pistons’ front office is working to acquire draft capital, not giving it up in attempts to create false playoff hope like the Wizards have been doing.
Ride Your Hot Hand, Leon Rose. You Nailed the Derrick Rose Trade.
The Derrick Rose trade has proven that Leon Rose and Scott Perry are more than capable of negotiating and winning trades. I’ll be honest, I didn’t think the Knicks could get a bag of basketballs for Dennis Smith Jr., nevermind a former MVP.
Perhaps the Knicks should try to swindle the Wizards in a similar way they did the Pistons. I bet Bradley Beal’s league-leading 33.4 PPG average this season would look even better in a Knicks uniform. I also heard Elfrid Payton always wanted to play for the Wizards.
Just throwing it out there, Leon Rose!
