“Derrick Rose jumps out to me as a comeback player”: Jamal Crawford opines about new Memphis Grizzlies guard
Derrick Rose, who's coming off arguably the worst season of his career, signed a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this offseason.
Via nba.com, former player Jamal Crawford was recently asked about the comeback players to watch out for in the next season. The three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year was quick to name Rose.
"Derrick Rose jumps out to me as a comeback player," Crawford said. "He wasn’t hurt last season, but he didn’t get a lot of playing time. I believe he’ll have an amazing opportunity in Memphis, especially at the beginning of the season, with Ja Morant suspended."
Rose, who played his last three years with the New York Knicks, was rumored to return to the Chicago Bulls this summer. Instead, he's headed back to the city where he played his college ball at.
The Chicago native played his lone collegiate season starring for the Memphis Tigers, leading the school to the 2008 national championship game.
34-year-old Rose will serve as a mentor for Grizzlies star Ja Morant, who will miss the first 25 games of the 2023-24 campaign because of conduct detrimental to the league.
Will Derrick Rose have a bounce-back season with the Memphis Grizzlies?
Derrick Rose had a subpar 2022-23 season with the New York Knicks. The three-time All-Star fell completely out of the rotation, playing only 27 games and averaging 12.5 minutes per contest. As a result, he produced a career-low 5.6 points and 1.7 assists a night.
Rose is known for his memorable 2010-11 season in which he won an NBA MVP award as a member of the Chicago Bulls. While the veteran guard isn't the superstar he once was, he can still be a solid contributor off the bench for the Memphis Grizzlies.
There is no Ja Morant without Derrick Rose.
At 23 years old, Derrick Rose was already a 3x All-Star, made All-NBA First Team and became the youngest MVP ever. It was also the age he suffered the ACL injury that took it all away from him.
Ja Morant is 23 years old today, and… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… pic.twitter.com/moBQAKb6wp
With Ja Morant suspended, Rose will likely back up fellow newcomer Marcus Smart at the point guard spot. He could emerge as a Sixth Man of the Year candidate if he manages to stay healthy.
Depending on how well Rose plays, he might continue to be in the rotation even after Morant returns to the court.
Rose will have a great influence on Morant and he's primed for a bounce-back season in Memphis.