The New York Knicks are reportedly interested in retaining the service of former All-Star point guard Derrick Rose, according to Marc Beerman of the New York Post.
Rose, who averaged 18.0 points, 4.4 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game during the 2016-17 season, will become an unrestricted free-agent for the first time in his career this summer.
Phil Jackson, the Knicks president of basketball operations, said during the exit interviews that he's not ruling out the possibility of giving Rose another chance at running the show in the Big Apple.
"We had a good conversation with him today,'' Jackson told the media via New York Post. "He expressed that he wants to be back. We talked about him going through rehab and work and whatever he has to do. And he's chosen to go back to Chicago to do that.
He'll also be in L.A., but he also took the time out to say he really he enjoyed playing here even with the losses, which of course surprises us because he's been on some very successful teams. But he wants to redeem himself as a player, which I like that attitude. I like who Derrick represents as himself. He's very direct about taking on a big challenge.''
The Chicago Bulls traded Rose to the Knicks last summer in exchange for Robin Lopez, Jose Calderon, Jerian Grant and draft picks. Jackson pulled the trigger on the trade with the hope that Rose would recapture his MVP form.
The former All-Star showed a glimpse of his former self in some games, but injuries and the distraction caused by the sexual assault case limited him to just 64 games last season. Rose ultimately missed the last two weeks of the regular-season after suffering a torn meniscus. He already underwent surgery in early April, and is scheduled to begin rehab in the first week of May.
