Derrick Rose doesn’t want to be traded

Derrick Rose won’t be asking for a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Despite the fact that – upon returning to the court – Derrick Rose isn’t guaranteed to have a significant role in the rotation, he hasn’t and wouldn’t ask the Cleveland Cavaliers to be traded to a team where he has more of a chance to put his game on display.

Quote transcribed by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin:

"“No, no, no, no, no, no. Trade? No,” Rose said. “Come on, man. I’m on one of the best teams in the league. Why would I ask to get traded? They gave me every opportunity and still are going to give me every opportunity that I would want from any other team, too, and that’s just to hoop. I just want to hoop.”"

Rose also dismissed the notion that he was motivated to return from his mental break by money.

Mind you, Rose was reportedly trying to secure a large contract in the 2017 offseason. This season, in what’s essentially a contract year, he’s talked about his chance to prove that he can still play — and play well — on the national stage, citing the number of nationally televised games the Cavs have with a defiant, prove-you-wrong attitude.

So maybe money isn’t everything but it seems like a stretch to say it’s irrelevant.

In any case, the intangible things that Rose wants are certainly relevant.

Rose, the 29-year-old point guard whose tried and tested body is juxtaposed with the fact that he was the youngest NBA MVP in league history, has averaged 14.3 points per game while shooting 47.0 percent from the field but has only made 23.1 percent of his threes this season. In addition, despite Rose’s passing ability being a point of discussion for him and the team prior to the season, he has more turnovers (19) than assists (12) this season.

When he returns, he’ll be – at best – the backup point guard with Isaiah Thomas’ return imminent. Last season, in a MVP-worthy campaign, Thomas averaged 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per game as he led the Boston Celtics to the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

However, guards Jose Calderon and Iman Shumpert have played well in the starting lineup due to their inclination to move the ball around and the threat of their three-point shot.

Dwyane Wade has played as the backup point guard and been stellar as the primary playmaker within that group.

In addition, the Cavs need to have a defensive-minded guard in the rotation (i.e. Shumpert).

Consequentially, the amount of minutes Rose will receive is up in the air.

With the depth that the Cavs have (when healthy, they could opt to go 12-deep in their rotation on any given night), Rose could average 15.0 minutes per night when he returns — or less. He was averaging 26.9 minutes per game pre-injury and before The Mighty IT returned (again, Thomas’ Cavs debut could come any day now).

Yet, for a player whose locale demands give him a set number of teams to play for and a player whose been dragged by the media at every turn since his civil court case (opinions that have diminished his contractual value), playing well in a significant role on a championship-contending team would allow him to get the “3 M’s” he feels he should: Minutes, Media respect and Money.

That’s why, rather than more media bashing, it made sense why Rose would request a trade.

Must Read: Should Cavs trade Derrick Rose?

However, interestingly enough, Rose wants to win more than he wants people to put some respect on his name. While there are some that could say he’s ring-chasing since he knows when he returns he’ll be playing what seems to be a glorified bit role, it’s hard not to respect a guy putting the team before himself or a chance to win a ring over personal stats.

This isn’t Tracy McGrady on the San Antonio Spurs though. It’s more like Paul Pierce on the Washington Wizards: the Cavs brought Rose in for a reason.

That reason? To be a dynamic point guard off the bench.

He’s done some things well, like get into the lane consistently, playing with pace and converting around the rim efficiently. Much has been made of his defense over the years and he doesn’t have the speed needed to consistently stay on a player’s hip if they turn the corner on him but he plays with effort, keeps his feet moving and uses his size and experience well.

Unfortunately, some of the finer points of point guarding, like seeing the court (not just the rim) and setting up his teammates eluded him early in the season. His outside jumper, though a small sample size (3-for-13 on three-point attempts, 4-for-17 on midrange attempts) hasn’t been effective – which is a must for guards in the modern NBA unless you’re a superior passer (John Wall), an electric athlete (Russell Westbrook) or have an effective post-up game (Dwyane Wade).

Post-MVP Rose is a solid passer and athlete which helps him remain dynamic when his jumper isn’t falling but this season he has only shown that he can still burst into the lane, not shoot or pass.

Honestly though, two stellar performances from Rose could boost his numbers to healthy levels. That’s how small those sample sizes are. Playing against backups could help him do that.

Rose just would need the opportunity.

Bone spurs could keep him out for another month or two, so Rose may not return until after the trade deadline (a time where the Cavs have a legitimate chance to swing a blockbuster deal). However, because when he returns Rose says has the same opportunity in Cleveland that he could get anywhere, he should still be able to suit up as the team’s backup point guard when he returns.

While he needs to improve in a couple of key areas, whose to say that Rose won’t?

He’s never averaged more turnovers than assists before. He was a solid jump shooter last season and has always been good from 10-16 feet away from the rim (42.6 percent for his career). This season is really an aberration but it hasn’t been spoken of that way because of the way many media members and fans perceive Rose.

Lucky for him, those naysayers and doubters aren’t named Koby Altman, Tyronn Lue or LeBron James. Like it or not, Rose is here to stay.

He may just emerge from The Land as a NBA champion and, especially for a player who may be on his last legs, there doesn’t seem to be a better way to go out.

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*Unless otherwise referenced, all stats gathered from www.basketball-reference.com