Obi Stays, Rose Won't Go: Knicks Keep Embattled Vets Away From Trade Deadline
Per Ian Begley of SNY, Obi Toppin and Derrick Rose of the New York Knicks each drew interest as the NBA trade deadline loomed, but each is destined to remain with the team after 3 p.m. ET has come and gone.
The Knicks, perhaps surprisingly, stood pat after kicking off the home stretch of the NBA transactional period with a bang, namely one that sent Josh Hart over from the Pacific Northwest. Those bound for the Portland Trail Blazers (exiled Cam Reddish and 12th men Ryan Arcidiacono and Svi Mykhailiuk) were believable casualties but it's perhaps a surprise to see both Toppin and Rose still on board now that the transactional dust has settled.
Toppin in particular was viewed as a potential commodity: the eighth overall pick of the 2020 draft (whose first-round counterpart from six picks prior, James Wiseman, found a new home) has still struggled to find a lasting role in the Knicks' rotation, averaging just over 15 minutes in 41 appearances (no starts) this season.
Toppin's role could become even more precarious upon the arrival of Hart, a swingman averaging a career-best 8.2 rebounds so far this season. He was reportedly drawing interest from several teams, including Indiana and Utah.
Rose, who has not touched the floor in the new calendar year, lingers on the New York roster but could be primed for a contract buyout before all is said and done. Even brief injuries to Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett weren't enough to get Rose back on the floor, those emergency frontcourt minutes instead going to Evan Fournier (who was likewise retained). Milwaukee and Sacramento were listed as potential landing spots for Rose and some believed a Chicago homecoming could've been staged had the Knicks pursued Zach LaVine further.
With the trade deadline having passed, the Knicks (30-26) return to action on Friday night in Philadelphia (7 p.m. ET, MSG).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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