There have been numerous reports over the past few weeks that the Milwaukee Bucks and Derrick Rose have met once in free agency and are trying to schedule another meeting due to mutual interest with one another.
The Bucks currently are siting at $1.6 million over the salary cap and can currently only offer $4.4 million in salary to any potential free agent, obviously a figure far below what Rose and his camp would want, as he is a coming off a max contract and an over $20 million annual salary.
In order to facilitate a trade, the Bucks are feverishly trying to find a taker for 26-year-old center John Henson and the final $33 million or so of his contract, according to ESPN’s Chris Haynes.
The Bucks could also surrender a future 1st round pick more than likely to get someone to take on Greg Monroe’s $17 million salary for the 2017-18 season.
Both moves would be very beneficial for a Bucks team already at the cap with a looming extension for Jabari Parker and the need to add more depth and talent.
While Rose will have to succumb to the fact that the money has all but dried up in free agency and he will not get big time money from any team, or if he does it won’t be on a long term basis, he is still a starting caliber point guard with a reputation and will command a sizable salary to sign with any team, including the Bucks.
Rose had his best season, since injuries started hampering his career in the 2012 NBA Playoffs, last season in New York, averaging 18 points, 4.4 assists and 3.8 rebounds on a respectable 47% shooting from the field, but the fact of the matter is that he is still damaged goods that can’t perform at a high-level on a nightly basis as his athleticism and explosiveness comes and goes, and he has never effectively altered his game to compensate for it.
The Bucks clearly need another ball handler alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Malcolm Brogdon with Matthew Dellavedova’s struggles, but one that needs the ball in his hands as much as Rose does and can’t play effectively off the ball is not the answer.
Rose is a minus defender at this point and one of the worst three-point shooters in the NBA for someone who takes about one per game, as he shot 21.7% in 0.9 attempts per game last season.
The Greek Freak is quickly becoming one of the best players in the NBA and a new level of dominance and production was unleashed with him running the offense much of the time last season, he is clearly a high-level passer and the Bucks are better with the ball in his hands to create for himself and others.
Acquiring Rose will cloud the Bucks spacing and stunt some of Antetokounmpo’s growth with his tendency to have the ball in his hands often throughout the game as he looks to create his own offense.
The Bucks clearly need a point guard and are motivated to be better and compete in the eastern conference now, but signing Derrick Rose is not the best way to do that and enable their young core to continue to develop.
