The Knicks have declined the option for point guard Derrick Rose, meaning the veteran will hit free agency this offseason, Newsday’s Steve Popper reports. Rose, who just finished a two-year deal with the Knicks, and had a team option for $15.6 million that would have kept him in New York next season.
While Rose will be a free agent, Popper reports that the Knicks would still be open to bringing him back at a lesser salary, as the organization and coach Tom Thibodeau think highly of the point guard.
New York traded for Rose midseason in 2021, the second time they acquired the veteran. Rose was solid to finish that season, averaging 14.9 points in 35 games, but, after he re-signed in the offseason, couldn’t regain that form.
Rose played in just 53 games over the past two years, and last year he averaged a career-low 5.6 points in just 12.5 minutes per game. While he spent the season on the bench, the 34-year-old former MVP provided a veteran presence for New York that Popper said the team appreciated.
