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New York Knicks: Derrick Rose Needs To Embracing Facilitating Role

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Though he’s looked good athletically, Derrick Rose hasn’t helped the New York Knicks quite as much as the organization expected through two appearances.

The New York Knicks have invested one season and $20 million into point guard Derrick Rose. Optimism states that the gamble could pay off, but the criticisms of yesteryear have already begun to surface in 2016-17.

The question is: do the Knicks have a Rose problem? Or is this just a premature reaction?

From a physical perspective, Rose looked nothing short of explosive against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The same could be said for his preseason performance against the Houston Rockets, when he tallied 17 points and five assists.

Though it’s only been one regular season and one preseason game, Rose has already been an overwhelmingly negative influence on the Knicks.

It’s hard to argue against those numbers, but there’s context to be provided.

Rose may not have the leaping ability that made him a human highlight reel in Chicago, but his speed and agility are as impressive as they’ve ever been. He blew by the Cavaliers’ transition defense with relative ease during the regular season opener.

Thus, while his impact on the Knicks may offer cause for concern, Rose is in the midst of a progressive return to form.

From a scoring perspective, Rose has begun to look the part of a star-caliber point guard. He scored 16 points in the preseason opener and tallied 17 points against the Cavaliers in the regular season opener.

Beyond the production, Rose has displayed elite creativity as a finisher at the rim.

Encouraging as that all may be, the Knicks brought Rose to New York with the hope that they were landing a playmaker. He’s not incapable of doing so, but has appeared to be relatively inept over the past two seasons.

Rose averaged 4.9 assists per game in 2014-15 and 4.7 during the 2015-16 campaign.

The Knicks don’t necessarily need a point guard who can lead the league in assists, but Rose must be more willing to facilitate. He tallied just one assist to four turnovers against the Cavaliers, which is concerning when one considers that his usage rate was 28.9.

Rose had just three potential assists against the Cavaliers, which means just three of his 39 passes led to scoring opportunities.

Brandon Jennings and Joakim Noah combined for 14 potential assists, which is solid production from the backup point guard and starting center. Rose needs to provide a similar impact individually, however, as he projects to handle the ball more than any other player.

With his ability to collapse the defense, Rose must be more willing to kick it out to the perimeter and facilitate off the pick and roll.

Rose’s willingness to facilitate could make or break the Knicks’ season.

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