Derrick Rose to Knicks: Takeaways From Star's Introductory Press Conference

The New York Knicks officially introduced point guard Derrick Rose in Friday's press conference at Madison Square Garden following the 2011 NBA MVP's arrival in a Wednesday trade from the Chicago Bulls.

The Knicks' official Twitter account posted an image of Rose holding up his new No. 25 jersey: 

Asked why he chose the number as opposed to the No. 1 that matched his slot in the 2008 draft, Rose said, per Rob Perez of Fox Sports: "For Chicago. They made me the man I am today so I wanted to bring 'em with me."

Damon Salvadore of the New York Daily News wrote that Rose wore the No. 25 jersey in high school "to honor slain Chicago hoops star Ben 'Benji' Wilson." 

At the outset, Rose acknowledged he had mixed feelings regarding his move from his native Chicago, per the Wall Street Journal's Chris Herring:

But it's also evident Rose has moved on and is focused on producing results in the Big Apple.

"I just want to win. That's the only thing I want to do," said Rose toward the beginning of his presser, per the Knicks' Twitter feed. He added, regarding how he's preparing for the 2016-17 campaign, "This summer is all about conditioning [and] catching that rhythm again."

The 27-year-old explained how he felt stronger in recent years but acknowledged he wasn't quite himself after suffering multiple knee injuries.

Asked how near he feels to returning to his prior MVP form, Rose said, per the Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson: "I feel like I'm close. But me sitting up here and saying it isn't going to do anything."

How close Rose gets to approaching that level of play may determine his future. He's essentially a short-term rental, and if he doesn't spark the Knicks right away, he could find himself searching for a new team next summer in free agency.

Although he's only under contract for this coming season, Rose made it clear he wants to make New York his new, permanent NBA home when he said, "I hope I will be able to play the rest of my career here."

That may bolster his efforts to lure former Bulls teammate Joakim Noah to New York, which he admitted to doing Friday. He said of Noah, per Herring: "I want him. He know that. His family know that."

So for now it appears Rose intends to be with the Knicks for the long haul.

Further elaborating on his abrupt departure from Chicago and how he's embracing his new team, Rose said, per Johnson: "I don't know why I was traded. But I would like to tell them thank you. Giving me another start. I'm grateful to be where I'm at." He added, "I feel like [the Knicks are] going to appreciate me a little bit more."

When describing his performance from 2015-16 when he averaged 16.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists, Rose said: "Last year, I feel I had a helluva year coming off three injuries. And I think it's only going to get better."

While the expectations should be tempered for Rose's arrival, no one can question his resiliency amid an adverse stretch of what would have been his prime.

Some of the frustration over how the end of his time with the Bulls played out boiled to the surface when the competitive three-time All-Star spoke about watching the most recent playoffs from home, per the New York Daily News' Stefan Bondy (warning: NSFW language):

Speaking about joining Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis to form New York's new marquee trio, Rose said, per Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv, "[Porzingis is] somebody I would die to play with and now I got [two] of those guys [with Melo]."

During Friday's session with the media, Rose was quite candid and didn't hide the impact Chicago had on him, but he also seemed reinvigorated by his fresh start with the Knicks.

Rose forms a decent core in New York alongside a perennial All-Star in Anthony and a uniquely gifted big man in Porzingis. However, for the Knicks to be a factor in the East in 2016-17, they need to land another big name in free agency.

Unless the unforeseen development of Rose returning to his MVP heyday right away unfolds, New York is still a piece or two away from being a viable challenger to the reigning champion Cleveland Cavaliers in the East.

Team president Phil Jackson and the Knicks' big market should help their cause in recruiting this summer. Whether it's enough to persuade any of the better free agents to join the team after last season's squad posted a 32-50 record is another matter.