The Minnesota Timberwolves are in need of help with Jimmy Butler on the shelf following surgery to repair a meniscus injury. Since Butler went down, the Wolves have gone 1-2, but are in real danger of slipping out of the West’s tightly contested playoff picture with six games coming up against current playoff teams.
So, Tom Thibodeau has decided to turn to an old friend for help, as Minnesota has apparently decided to make the move many anticipated following the trade deadline when Derrick Rose was traded to Utah and subsequently released by the Jazz.
Free agent guard Derrick Rose is signing with Minnesota for the rest of the season, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 8, 2018
Rose began his career under Thibodeau in Chicago and the two were quite close with the Bulls, so for him to find his way back onto Thibs’ team comes as little surprise. What remains to be seen is if Minnesota can get any positive impact out of signing Rose considering how poorly he played in Cleveland and his continued injury issues.
Rose averaged 9.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 19.3 minutes per game in Cleveland in his 16 appearances on the season, but the Cavs had a net rating of -5.3 when he was on the court, which is the second worst of any Cavs player this season, only behind Isaiah Thomas.
The biggest question about this signing is that Minnesota’s biggest need in the absence of Butler is a defensive presence, and at this point in his career Rose is far from that. Any optimism about Rose’s impact has to be on the offensive side of the ball, where Minnesota is already good even without their All-Star.
