Derrick Rose 'Can Move the Needle' for the Knicks, Says Erik Spoelstra

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra praised the New York Knicks' recent acquisition of ex-Detroit Pistons point guard Derrick Rose, calling him "a heckuva player" who "can move the needle" for his new team, per Marc Berman of the New York Post.

The Knicks acquired the 32-year-old Rose for a 2021 second-round draft pick and point guard Dennis Smith Jr. on Sunday.

Rose has already made an impact off the court with a few of his new teammates, as Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press noted Tuesday.

"Derrick Rose had dinner with new teammates Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin last night, sharing his cell number and letting his young Knicks know that he's happy to share knowledge whenever they want," Reynolds tweeted.

Rose, whose 13-year NBA career includes a one-season stint with the Knicks in 2016-17, has averaged 14.2 points and 4.2 assists in 22.8 minutes per game for Detroit this campaign.

Spoelstra's Heat, who beat the Knicks 109-103 on Sunday, are set to play New York again Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Knicks announced that Rose will be available to play. He was a game-time decision with a few protocol- and physical-related hurdles left to leap.

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters that the plan is for Rose to "initially" come off the bench, expressing satisfaction with the team's current starting five.

Elfrid Payton is the starting point guard, and rookie Quickley, who sometimes closes games, is the backup floor general.

Rose's return to New York also signals a reunion with Thibodeau, who coached the point guard from 2010 to '15 with the Chicago Bulls. Rose won the 2010-11 NBA MVP as Chicago earned the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed after a 62-win season. The Bulls fell to LeBron James' Miami Heat in the conference finals.

Now Rose is on a Knicks team that's looking to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2012-13 campaign. New York is staying afloat despite an 11-14 record, which is good for ninth in the East, although the team sits just 1.5 games behind the Indiana Pacers for fifth.