In 2023 he had still never set foot on the field, but the match dominated by New York against New Orleans was too tempting an opportunity even for a absolutist in picks like Tom Thibodeau: in the end, the uncompromising Knicks coach (who has always been at Derrick Rose’s side, but who has now decided to put him on the sidelines of the rotation) granted a couple of abundant minutes on the court to the youngest MVP in NBA history – who awaits the buyout and above all the offer of some team aiming for the playoffs and which could give him minutes on the pitch and responsibilities that nobody in the Big Apple is willing to give him anymore. The response from the public, however, tells how the affection for a player like Rose goes far beyond the plays, the talent or the baskets – overwhelmed by the roar and greetings of the Madison Square Garden crowd, happy to see him again (perhaps for the last time) on the field in a Knicks jersey.
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Phoenix doesn’t stop: the goal is Derrick Rose
Support for the youngest, a veteran to rely on, a wise man to turn to even for those who at the moment like Immanuel Quickley, Jalen Brunson, Quentin Grimes (and others) are stealing the place on the field. A contribution that is anything but obvious, as Julius Randle explains – who is the Knicks’ leader on the pitch, but who relies on Rose’s words: “He manages to follow us and direct the group like very few others, he’s a leader even without playing. He always talks to me, he gives me directions. And then let’s not forget that he is D-Rose: he is a legend of this game and this league ”. Even if he was only on the pitch for two minutes in 2023: you can be a useful guide using other means at your disposal, waiting to understand if a call will really come from another franchise that wants to bet on him.