NBA Rumors: Milwaukee Bucks expected to have interest in Derrick Rose

With 2023 NBA Free Agency set to kick off later this week, rumors are already starting to swirl for the Milwaukee Bucks.

According to insider Marc Stein (Subscription required), the Bucks are expected to be among a few teams interested in Derrick Rose. The former MVP recently had his team option declined by the New York Knicks, paving the way for him to hit unrestricted free agency. The Phoenix Suns and Chicago Bulls are also expected to compete for Rose’s services.

NBA Rumors: Milwaukee Bucks expected to have interest in Derrick Rose

This news isn’t too surprising. Stein reported earlier this year that the Bucks had an interest in adding Rose at the trade deadline. Obviously, they didn’t get him, but with the guard available on the open market rather than a trade, he’d be far easier to get. Every year, the Bucks seem to have an interest in adding Rose; it’s basically a given at this point. Perhaps this is the year that they land him after a slew of failed attempts.

On the court, Milwaukee’s interest in Rose makes some sense. First off, the Bucks have no idea what is in store for Jevon Carter, who has a player option. If the guard opts out and hits the open market after the best year of his career, he could earn a raise elsewhere. In that case, the Bucks would need to find a backup point guard to fill that gap, and Rose would do just that.

The Bucks should also be looking to add a pure point guard this summer. With Jevon Carter and Jrue Holiday both serving as combo guards, the Bucks suffered from a lack of shot-creators and offensive maestros this past season, especially in the postseason. Rose would not have been the savior for Milwaukee, but he is a pure point guard who can handle the ball and run the offense in spurts. His passing and facilitating would alleviate pressure off of Holiday, who often seemed too gassed to do so efficiently in the playoffs due to the tough defensive assignments he received.

Adding the 34-year-old Rose would go against the recent youth movement the Bucks have been embracing, but he would fill a major hole on this roster. Furthermore, he’s not likely to command more than the minimum, which would be big for the cash-strapped Bucks. While he didn’t play a ton this past season due to the Knicks going all-in on their youth, Rose had been among the top bench producers in the league over the past few years.

It will be interesting to see if the Bucks go after the former MVP winner for what seems like the 10th consecutive year. There are better options via trade if the Bucks are looking for a pure point guard, but only time will tell what the front office has in store in the coming weeks.

Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis and rumors.