Report: Multiple teams view Knicks' Rose as trade target
Carmelo Anthony is the one player many have pegged to be shipped off by the New York Knicks ahead of the Feb. 23 trade deadline, but that shouldn't imply he's the only member of the roster being made available.
Several teams around the Association view point guard and former league Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose as a trade target, according to ESPN's Ian Begley.
Rose himself has openly acknowledged that he could be sent away, especially if the franchise elects to blow things up and head into a rebuilding period.
"I like being here but (you) never know what could happen," he said Wednesday. "My job is to come in and play as hard as I can."
What could turn buyers at the deadline off Rose is the fact that he'll be an unrestricted free agent this summer, so he would end up being a rental should he elect to take his talents elsewhere in 2017-18. Trading for his bird rights and the opportunity to offer the 28-year-old a fifth year on a new contract could help matters, though.
Related: Rose no longer driven by prospect of monster contract in free agency
The Knicks enter the All-Star break 11 games under the .500 mark at 23-34, good enough for 12th place in the Eastern Conference. Even with such an inferior record, the team finds itself just four games back of the eighth seed and a possible playoff berth, which would be New York's first in three years.
Through 48 appearances with New York, Rose - who will reportedly seek a max contract - is averaging 17.7 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.9 rebounds in 32.2 minutes per game. The Knicks also perform 6.7 points better offensively per 100 possessions when he's on the floor.