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When the Cavs signed Derrick Rose, GM Koby Altman and owner Dan Gilbert talked about how Derrick Rose wanted to win. Rose’s agent, B.J. Armstrong, has said the same thing. And now, it appears that that stated desire part of the reason why Rose parted ways with the Knicks.
According to a story from Marc Berman of the New York Post, Rose did not want to mentor rookie point guard Frank Ntilikina and did not want to play in a rebuilding situation. From his story:
“Did we miss something?,” Rose’s agent B.J. Armstrong asked The Post. “Is there something going [on] in New York we didn’t see? We all would agree they are on a different timeline than Derrick — a young team with great young talent there and trying to build something for the future. They’re not on the same timeline as players who are a little older and experienced.
“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out Derrick’s best basketball is right now. The Knicks aren’t ready to compete at that level right now. It could be three, four years.”
“You’re a mentor when you no longer can play,” Armstrong said, per the Post. “This league you get paid to perform. You don’t get paid to be a mentor.”
With where the Cavs are at, they are certainty not asking Rose to mentor a young point guard. Prior to Kyrie Irving’s trade request, he was seen as a backup. Now, depending on how the Irving saga unfolds, Rose could be in line for a substantial role with the three-time defending Eastern Conference champions. It will be also interesting to see how Rose adjusts to a potential backup role if the Cavs acquire another point guard or if, somehow, the team’s relationship with Irving is repaired.
Rose signed with the Cavs for a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum. Per Berman, the Knicks never formally offered Rose a real. They recently replaced Rose with ex-Cavalier Ramon Sessions.