Stephon Marbury says the Cleveland Cavaliers are committing a crime by signing Derrick Rose to a veteran minimum contract. Starbury tweeted on Thursday that Rose, who left the New York Knicks for the Cavaliers when he signed a deal earlier this week, will be criminally underpaid.
Rose joins a Cavaliers team in flux with Kyrie Irving trade rumors swirling, but Marbury says no matter what happens to Rose this year, he should be making more.
I think it's a crime that Derrick Rose is being paid this amount of money, when you have guys that can't chew gum and walk making more.
— I AM PEACE STAR (@StarburyMarbury) July 27, 2017
First of all, I do love that the baseline for NBA competence is chewing gum. But Marbury’s point is something that was covered by a few media reports when the Rose deal was finally reached. The market for him quickly dried up, and injuries were a significant factor.
While Los Angeles wanted to bring him in to mentor Lonzo Ball, Rose wanted to play for a team that’s likely to make the playoffs. Doing that means going to a more established group, and that often means they’re less willing to take a big money risk on an injury-prone veteran.
WTF is going on in the NBA. I've watched guys that shouldn't be in the game let alone the money their getting. Drose is a Monster! https://t.co/I93tuBElF6
— I AM PEACE STAR (@StarburyMarbury) July 27, 2017
The deal could certainly end up being a steal for the Cavs, especially if Rose stays healthy and sees significant playing time should Irving get traded. If he plays well, he’ll earn a much bigger contract when he becomes a free agent again. But this is the NBA, where players are generally positive about the earning potential of their peers. Rising tide raises all boats and all that, even if the vessel sinks well before the season ends.
