Celtics could target former MVP following blockbuster Kristaps Porzingis trade
Celtics president Brad Stevens may have a few more tricks up his sleeve.
Dealing away starting point guard Marcus Smart in the Kristaps Porzingis trade has left the C's with a void in their backcourt. According to Steve Popper of Newsday , Derrick Rose could be a player to help replace Smart in Beantown.
“There are contending teams — the Lakers, Suns and Celtics or even a return to his hometown Bulls — who could have minutes available at point guard for Rose,” Popper wrote.
Rose becomes an unrestricted free agent on June 30 since the New York Knicks declined his $15.6M team option for next season.
Still the youngest player in NBA history to be named MVP (22), Rose is now 34 years old and far from the perennial All-Star player he was earlier in his career. Yet, he's altered his playing style enough to allow him to age gracefully.
Once one of the most explosive talents to grace the hardwood, Rose has become more lethal from beyond the arc in recent years, knocking down at least 38.8% of his three-point attempts in two of the past three seasons. Since being selected No. 1 overall in 2008, Rose has averaged 17.7 points and 5.3 assists.
In Boston, Rose would add both experience and depth to a backcourt that will be reliant on Malcolm Brogdon and Payton Pritchard. The former was initially set to join the Los Angeles Clippers in the three-team Porzingis deal that fell apart, namely due to the Clippers' concerns about Brogdon's health. Pritchard, 25, has flashed potential over his career but is mostly unproven in a prominent role, averaging just 15.7 minutes per game since entering the league in 2020.
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