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The New York Knicks have reached a deal on a trade to acquire Detroit Pistons guard Derrick Rose and reunite him with coach Tom Thibodeau, sources told ESPN on Sunday.
The Knicks are sending guard Dennis Smith Jr. and a 2021 second-round pick via the Charlotte Hornets in Detroit, sources said.
The Knicks and Pistons agreed to the deal on Sunday afternoon after periodic talks that spanned a few months, sources said.
Rose joins the Knicks, where he spent a turbulent 2016-17 season battling the triangular attack under Phil Jackson. Rose was the youngest MVP in league history under Thibodeau with the Chicago Bulls in 2011 and again played for him with Minnesota in the 2017-18 season.
The Knicks are enjoying a competitive uptick under Thibodeau in his first season as a coach, emerging as one of the league’s top defensive teams. Rose’s arrival brings some help to the NBA’s 25th offensive team and creates an overlap of veteran guards, including starter Elfrid Payton and Austin Rivers.
Rivers is likely to become a player sought after by contenders in trade talks as teams look to bolster backcourts as the March 25 deadline approaches.
The Pistons are heading for a rebuild and have been working to find a destination in Rose that had appealed to him. Rose, 32, has averaged 14 points and four assists on 42% shooting this season.
For Detroit, Smith – the No.9 pick in the 2017 draft – is seen as a similar claim draft to forward Josh Jackson, who signed with the Pistons in free agency. Smith, 23, recently volunteered to join the G League bubble in Orlando to find playing time.
New York entered Sunday’s game against Miami in the NBA’s 25th overall offensive standings, scoring 106.9 points per 100 possessions. The Knicks’ defense has been ranked No.6 in the NBA (107.9 points per 100).
Tim Bontemps of ESPN contributed to this report.
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