While NBA players are off to their summer off-season vacation, now is the time where team managers work overtime, and two major trades already took place, one of which included the former league MVP Derrick Rose.
Rose, the first pick in 2008, leaves the Chicago Bulls after seven seasons and joins the New York Knicks. The new guard of New York is not afraid declaring his intentions early “Expectations are high. We will try to win every game”.
Derrick Rose was always known as a talented player, one that was marked at a young age to be the leader of the Chicago Bulls in order to restore the glory days of Michael Jordan. However, dreams and reality are two separate things.
Although the Guard was elected to be the MVP of the league in 2010/11, a repeated series of injuries prevented the Bulls from winning a championship ring, and after much thoughts, they decided to let go of the point guard.
Now, the #1 draft pick of 2008, will try to fulfill the expectations in New York, the city of disappointments in recent years. The former MVP will team up with Carmelo Anthony at the Madison Square Garden and together they will try to bring New York back on track.
“I’m coming to a city that loves basketball” Rose said in an interview to the official NBA website, “It is a culture there. They appreciate players who work hard, and I think I fit in that category”.
Earlier to this, a triangular trade was conducted between Utah, Atlanta and Indiana. Jeff Teague, the Hawks excellent point guard in recent years, was sent to Indiana, which traded George Hill to Utah.
The project built in the Knicks under the guidance of Coach Phil Jackson and new head coach, Jeff Hornacek, causes the 27-year-old player to understand that this is a great opportunity to win the title he dreams about: “This is a huge chance for me. And I’m preparing myself for this season. I improved my shooting from mid-range. Jackson’s triangle attack will fit for us.”
The new Knicks head coach, Jeff Hornask, referred the joining of the talented point guard who missed more games than he played in the last 4 seasons: “Rose adds a whole new dynamic to our roster and immediately improves the backside of our team.”
Rose is about to cooperate with the undisputed star of the club, Carmelo Anthony, and it’s still not clear how the two will connect. On this he said he said: “I have spoken with some of the players. With Carmelo I haven’t met yet, but I told him that I’ve been preparing myself. Expectations are high and everyone will try to prove themselves. Many say that there are now 2 ‘super teams’ on the NBA: Golden State and us. We will try to win every game in every possible category.”