Derrick Rose Trade Rumors: Lakers, 76ers, More Interested in Pistons' PG
A number of teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers, are reportedly interested in acquiring Detroit Pistons point guard Derrick Rose prior to February's trade deadline.
Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported the news Monday, noting the Lakers and 76ers in particular "are in search of point guard assistance for the stretch run." He also reported the Los Angeles Clippers reached out regarding the University of Memphis product, although he called it "more of a common exploratory talk."
According to Haynes, Rose has enjoyed his time with the Pistons and doesn't necessarily want to be traded even though the decision is ultimately up to the team.
It would make some sense for Detroit to move on and attempt to acquire assets that would help in the future considering Rose is 31 years old and is only under contract through next season. By the time the Pistons are ready to be legitimate title contenders, his contract will likely have expired.
Detroit is a mere 16-28 on the season and three games back of the Brooklyn Nets for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. That is not a situation that screams buyers at the trade deadline, especially if the team can land significant assets for the veteran.
Trading Rose this season would also be a situation of selling high because he has played beyond expectations for much of the campaign.
Entering Monday's slate, he was averaging 18.3 points, 5.9 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game after posting single-digit scoring totals as recently as 2017-18 while splitting time on the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves.
While he will never be the same explosive playmaker who won the 2008-09 Rookie of the Year and 2010-11 NBA MVP while leading the Chicago Bulls into contention prior to a string of serious injuries, he is a productive veteran with postseason experience who could step into a rotation as a scoring spark in the backcourt for any team that traded for him.
