Rose no longer driven by prospect of monster contract in free agency

The future of former league MVP and current New York Knicks point guard Derrick Rose heading into next season is clouded in mystery, as he'll be entering unrestricted free agency for this first time since going first overall to the Chicago Bulls in 2008.

Reportedly seeking a max contract under the NBA's continuously rising salary cap, the 28-year-old will obviously try to get the most bang for his buck on his next deal, although he admits landing a gargantuan contract akin to what Mike Conley secured in Memphis isn't his No. 1 priority.

"See it here and there but it doesn't drive me anymore. Like I always been driven by playing basketball and wanting to be the best. Like (money) numbers, of course you got to know it because of how I grew up," Rose told the New York Daily News' Stefan Bondy. "I grew up around the streets. Hustling. You see numbers, you can't look over them. But I'm just happy that I have an opportunity for them to see how I perform and let them see what I'm worth."

The 2017 crop of free-agent point guards is extremely deep, with the likes of Kyle Lowry, Chris Paul, Stephen Curry, and Jrue Holiday all up for grabs. Rose may need to wait out other high-profile names securing their own respective deals before teams begin showing interest.

Whether that's the case or not, Rose - who added that he hasn't discussed leaving the Big Apple with either Phil Jackson or Steve Mills - feels his stock shouldn't be viewed any lower than that of the Paul's and Curry's of the world.

"I feel like I can compete against every one of them guys when I step on the floor," he added. "It's never like it's a pushover, and that's the only thing I want people to see. It's not sweet. It's not a pushover. And I can still hoop."

Rose is averaging 17.7 points on 46.2 percent shooting, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 32.2 minutes through 48 appearances for the Knicks, who acquired him in a trade with Chicago last summer.