Will the Knicks regret trading for Derrick Rose?
The New York Knicks needed a point guard. Derrick Rose needed a fresh start.
These are the things that lasting relationships are made of, a former MVP arriving to start the rebuilding process in New York. But as the season approaches, Rose has been in the news again for the wrong reasons, making his acquisition this summer another questionable move in the history of a franchise that has done that so many times.
Monday, Rose’s deposition in a civil suit brought by an ex-girlfriend who has accused Rose and two friends of rape was released. While he does not admit to the charges, his words are troublesome and bring to mind the ugly and very public Knicks’ stories of Isiah Thomas being accused of sexual harassment by then-Madison Square Garden senior VP Anucha Browne Sanders and the franchise being hit with an $11.6 million settlement.
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To this day, Knicks owner James Dolan and Thomas — back in the MSG fold as the president of the New York Liberty — deny any wrongdoing. But the stink lingers. And as the Knicks try to turn the page on their struggles, having that sort of mess back at the Garden is problematic.
The Knicks knew about the charges when they acquired Rose. Asked if the Knicks had investigated the allegations before making the trade, Knicks president Phil Jackson said, "Aware of it. Investigation is a big word. But aware of it, yes."
As the testimony of Rose has gone public, perhaps a big word like investigation should have been a priority for the Knicks. He’s here on a one-year contract before hitting free agency, and the team deciding whether he’s worth the trouble, with his injury history and this public embarrassment.
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Rose has maintained his innocence, but this is a civil suit and there is no need for the plaintiff to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Whether Rose wins or loses, tabloid headlines for all the wrong reasons are just another sad turn for Jackson’s tenure with the Knicks.
Before Rose has had a chance to prove himself on the court, before this rebuilt roster has joined up for even one practice, this rebuild has been subjected to the sort of mud that has clung to the Dolan years. As usual, there is more trouble than wins.
Steve Popper writes about the Knicks and NBA for the Bergen Record, part of the USA TODAY Network.