Former NBA MVP May Resolve Point Guard Woes Of Pistons This Summer

The Detroit Pistons managed to make the NBA playoffs but failed to get past the first round after they were swept by the Milwaukee Bucks. Heading into free agency, the Pistons could find themselves short of a point guard in the event that Ish Smith opts to take his act elsewhere. One player they could consider is Derrick Rose.

The potential scenario cropped up following Smith’s interview after their NBA playoff exit. While the 30-year-old guard did speak fondly of his time suiting up for Detroit, pundits feel that there was an air of finality in his words, the Detroit Free Press reported. Aside from that, the Pistons could consider looking at the available talent in the NBA Draft or free agency.

“When you’re with one team for those three years, you’re kind of able to see that process to see things through and it allowed the city to kind of embrace you,” Smith said.

The Pistons have first and second-round picks in the 2019 NBA Draft. Depending on how everything goes, there is a chance they could find a guard who could be the sleeper of the mix. If that doesn’t produce anything, the free agent market has lots of talented guards available. And that includes Derrick Rose who has proven that he still has the hops to play in the pro league.

Looking at his performance this NBA season, his numbers are something to consider. The one-time NBA Most Valuable Player averaged 18 points and 4.3 assists in 51 games before an elbow injury ended his season abruptly, Sporting News reported.

One thing that the Pistons will be immediately checked is the malleability of D-Rose. His history of injuries leave a lot to be desired, one reason why he has been having a hard time completing an NBA season. Also up for consideration is how Detroit plans to utilize him during games. They could always manage his minutes – depending on his health and performance. Should this be considered a minimal issue, Rose could be a big boost to the charges of head coach Dwane Casey.

Rose could also fit in nicely with the limited resources Detroit has. They only have the mid-level exception ($9.2 million), bi-annual exception ($3.6 million) and veteran minimum salary for next season. This would depend if D-Rose gets offers from other teams.

As mentioned in a previous post, one team that could consider Rose is the first team where he blossomed - the Chicago Bulls. The 30-year-old’s agent, BJ Armstrong, revealed that Chicago has always been dear to the heart of his client. However, a reunion would depend largely on the direction of the Bulls – not to mention the plan of Jim Boylen who was recently given a contract extension.