D-Rose to Big D? Best, Worst, & Most Likely Scenarios
One thing is clear when it comes to the curious career of Derrick Rose: either his days in Chicago are numbered, or that of his running mate, Jimmy Butler, are coming to a close. The Bulls missed the playoffs this season and have made it clear that they are looking to move one of their two star guards, and go into, what looks like, the beginning of a rebuilding phase. The former MVP is 27 years old, has played in 127 of the last 246 games due to a lengthy list of 15 different injuries, and put up 16.4 points, 4.7 assists, and 2.4 rebounds in this past season. His backcourt teammate is 26, has never had a surgery in his 4 years in the NBA, averaged 21 points, 4.8 assists, and 5.3 rebounds in the 2015-16 season, was an All-Star his past two seasons, AND has made the NBA All-Defensive Second team three years running. So now the question Chicago's front office is forced to answer is which of these two they would rather build around. Based on the recent stats, the injury history, and even the one year age difference, it should be clear that Jimmy Butler is the man you have to stick with. Derrick Rose still has trade value, so if I'm the Bulls, I'm dealing him while that value still remains.
The newest rumor bouncing around the internet is that there is a deal in the works to send Derrick Rose to Dallas. Well, according to Mavericks insider Mike Fisher, those rumors were used as an attractive headline to get some views on some website.
Could it happen? Sure. Have either of the two teams even contacted each other about a trade? Not that we know of. Should we kick around the idea? Absolutely.
The Mavs currently have two point guards on contract for next season: JJ Barea and Devin Harris. Deron Williams, the Mavs starter for the majority of the 2015-16 season, will most likely opt out of his contract and search for a bigger deal, and Raymond Felton, who really proved his worth this past season, will also be looking for a pay raise somewhere. Devin Harris and JJ have both proved to be quality starters in the NBA, but they're both aging, and if Dallas wants to make any kind of run in the playoffs, they're going to need an upgrade. Whether it's back to Deron Williams, a move for Derrick Rose, or picking up someone out of this summer's free agent pool, something must happen for Dallas.
BEST CASE SCENARIO
Now if the Mavs can string together a trade for the former MVP, what would be reasonable and ideal for Dallas?
Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Both of Chicago's backup point guards, E'Twaun Moore and Aaron Brooks, will be free agents this summer, and if Derrick Rose is traded, that leaves them empty at the one. Unless of course, they trade for a quality guy who can run the point. Enter Devin Harris. Harris put up a respectable 8 points, 2 assists, and 2 rebounds per game as a backup in Dallas, and his defense was always above par. The veteran will still have two years left on his contract after this season which allows Chicago to continue to rebuild with a proven man running the show. Whether he's backing up a new, young guard, or he's thrusted directly into the starting lineup, Harris will hold his own.
Now since Chicago is in rebuild mode, they are going to want at least one young player. The Mavs are running low on those, but one guy that comes to mind is Dwight Powell. Powell is a restricted free agent this summer, but a sign and trade would allow Chicago and Dallas find a way to make the money work and bring a young big into a lacking front court in Chicago. Of course it wouldn't be easy for Dallas to part ways with the up and coming four, but if they want Rose, they're going to have to give up something valuable. Now, throw in say a Jeremy Evans or JaVale McGee, who are both young and on partially guaranteed contracts, and a future second round pick, and I think this is a very formidable trade for both teams.
What happens to Rose when he gets to Dallas is the real question. Like I said, this is the BEST case scenario. Dallas' training staff has always been regarded as one of the top two in the league and is known for pumping life back into worn down veterans or injury prone players such as Vince Carter, Brandan Wright, Tyson Chandler, among many others. Could they bring back MVP Derrick Rose? Doubtful. Could they keep him healthy for a majority of the season and put him back on the brink of All-Stardom? YES. If Dallas snags Rose for this cheap price, keeping him healthy will be priority number one. Put Derrick Rose into a lineup up of Wesley Matthews, Chandler Parsons, and Dirk Nowitzki, and all of the sudden the Mavericks become a very attractive destination for free agents. Maybe it could even attract a Dwight Howard or Hassan Whiteside. If this best case scenario becomes a reality, Dallas is immediately a top four team in a tough Western Conference.
WORST CASE SCENARIO
This scenario could make the Bulls look like complete geniuses. In this trade, Chicago's asking price goes up and Dallas happily obliges. Like it's been mentioned before, Chicago is looking to get younger and the Mavs just so happen to have a rookie that proved himself in the NBA playoffs last year.
John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
Of course we're talking about the fiery, athletic kid out of Virginia, Justin Anderson. He quickly became a fan favorite this season with his highlight reel blocks and dunks in crunch time, and the rest of the NBA took notice. If another team begins to get in a bidding war with the Mavs for Derrick Rose, the most valuable asset that the front office could offer a team in the position Chicago happens to be in, is an up and coming rookie like Anderson. No one in Dallas wants to see the Mavs part with their first great young talent to come out of the draft since Josh Howard. He may need to be a bit polished, but we've already seen that this kid is a quick learner.
The next puzzle piece in this disastrous scenario would be one JJ Barea. The sub six foot Puerto Rican has been loved around Mavs Nation since 2011 and continues to grow on the hearts of fans every season. Barea is two years younger than the other point guard, Devin Harris, on Dallas' roster and put up 11 points, 4 assists, and 2 rebounds in arguably his best season yet. The Mavericks definitely overpaid the veteran point guard after the DeAndre Jordan fiasco, but trading him away instead of Devin Harris would be a mistake.
Let's say teams continue to go higher for Derrick Rose and Dallas just does not want to let him slip away. Now falls the final domino. Sending away yet another first round pick. Dallas has traded away first round picks that turned out to be very valuable in two of the most disastrous trades in recent history. One was for Lamar Odom, who played a grand total of 50 games in a Dallas jersey and averaged 6.6 points. And the other was for Rajon Rondo. The starting point guard who quit on Dallas in the middle of a playoff series. Now, the first rounder would be worth it if Rose returned to All-Star form, but that just is not the case in this scenario. Here, Derrick Rose suits up for less than half of the season (very likely with his past of health issues) leaving Dallas with a depleted bench and no hope for the future.
MOST LIKELY SCENARIO
So, as Mavs fans, we know what we want to happen, what we dread will happen, but what is likely to happen is a totally different story. Nothing has been discussed among either team as far as we know, Dallas is running low on young players that they're willing to part ways with, and Chicago will most likely get better offers elsewhere. Derrick Rose may be traded, but at this point, it is doubtful that he winds up in Dallas. At the end of the day, Dallas will most likely pay a proven point guard in free agency, such as Deron Williams or Mike Conley (please), and Chicago will continue to shop Butler and Rose until they snag an offer full of good, young talent or multiple draft picks. Until we see a report from Mike Fisher, Marc Stein, Adrian Wojnarowski, or any other NBA insider, don't believe anything you read from a sketchy website telling you that a deal is in the works to get Derrick Rose in a Dallas jersey.
As Mavs fans, we'll keep our fingers crossed that Cuban and Donnie can finagle a trade as beneficial as the first one mentioned, and we can only hope that something as disastrous as the second scenario never comes true. Just don't hold your breath for this rumor to become a reality.
