Knicks' Derrick Rose Says He Hasn't 'Even Thought About' Buyout amid Suns Rumors

New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose denied interest in a buyout despite falling out of his team's rotation.

"No, I haven't talked to anybody about that. I haven't talked to anyone," Rose said Saturday, per Peter Botte of the New York Post. "I haven't even thought about it. I'm locked in to my thing right now. It's kind of hard to think about something that I've never pursued and never talked about with them."

Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes reported Rose would be a "primary candidate" for the Phoenix Suns if he agreed to a buyout with the Knicks, although Haynes noted it "feels unlikely."

The veteran has a $14.5 million salary for 2022-23 plus a $15.6 million team option for next season.

Rose earned his three-year contract after a quality first season with the Knicks, averaging 14.9 points and 4.2 assists across 35 games in 2020-21. He was a major reason the squad earned the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference that year, the team's only playoff appearance since 2013.

Injuries limited the point guard to just 26 games in 2021-22, while he has barely seen the floor this season.

The 34-year-old is averaging just 12.5 minutes in 27 games this year, scoring a career-low 5.6 points per game. He played two minutes in a blowout win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday, but it was his first appearance since December 31.

Rose scored zero points on 0-for-4 shooting in the win.

Even with the reduced role and pending free agency, it seems the two sides are not heading toward a buyout.

The Suns have emerged as a legitimate NBA title contender after adding Kevin Durant to a squad that already has Chris Paul and Devin Booker, but they might need to look elsewhere for backcourt depth.