The Derrick Rose Roller Coaster never stops. Thankfully for Bulls fans, it relocated from Chicago to New York last spring. In the wake of his recent mysterious disappearance earlier this week, Rose’s name has been plastered on headlines nationwide. We’ve learned that he experienced some kind of emotional breakdown and flew home to Chicago to be with his mother.
He returned to New York on Tuesday and met with the media at the Knicks’ practice facility. Derrick didn’t give any further details about what happened, just that he needed to be with his family. The Knicks fined Rose but did not suspend him, and coach Jeff Hornacek said that he plans to start the former MVP in their game against Philadelphia Wednesday night. Rose denied in his media session that there’s a growing rift with his coach, despite recent reports that he was upset about a recent 4th quarter benching.
After all that, the PR nightmare continues for Rose.
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Earlier today, ESPN Knicks reporter Ian Begley published a column that revealed a dirty secret about Rose; one that couldn’t have come at a worse time from a PR perspective.
Here’s an excerpt from that report:
“Before this incident, Rose made it clear he’d welcome a long-term deal with New York. The Knicks were said to be keeping an open mind about a long-term relationship with Rose, but the trust that has eroded between the point guard and the organization will surely factor into any decision the club makes. And then there is the potential price tag. Some close to Rose have told friends he will seek a max contract this summer. For Rose, that pact would be for five years and nearly $150 million.” – Ian Begley
5 years and $150 million? Even with the extreme spike in the salary cap this season, and another expected jump to $102 million next season, everyone knows Rose isn’t worth that kind of money. The Knicks don’t have an abundance of cap space. Signing Derrick to a max deal would eat up almost all of what they project to have available this summer. As Knicks fans look at their team’s money situation and Rose’s mediocre production on the court this season, they must be laughing at such a ridiculous idea. To quote Dr. Evil, “How ’bout no?”
Speaking of Knicks fans, another ESPN analyst weighed in on the Rose situation today, and he made it perfectly clear what will happen next for the former MVP. [USE ARROWS ABOVE TO CONTINUE READING]
