I found this to be a well written article. Balanced enough but also with a nice touch of optimism.
How the Knicks’ newest Bulls duo will impact the teamAside from having better pizza and being a way better setting for sit-coms (many people have said so), New York has one-upped Chicago yet again, nabbing its two former All-Stars.
Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose have been together for just about the entirety of their respective careers. They began in the Windy City as two shining beacons of hope, two young men determined to add banners to the hallowed collection from the 90’s. Guard and center, small and big, beauty and beast.
It’s a tale as old as time.
Noah came into the NBA in 2007 as a young buck donning a suit that has comfortably settled into the official NBA Draft Suit Hall of Fame. Eccentric and unique, teams knew what they were getting in the New York native. He had established a reputation at the University of Florida as a boisterous, passionate big man that always played with his emotions on his sleeve. His defensive prowess was indisputable. As an integral member of a back to back national championship team, he had the “winner” label slapped to his list of intangibles before he played a second in the NBA.
Rose, on the other hand, entered the Association in 2008 as a mild mannered kid from Chicago stepping into a spotlight he didn’t necessarily want. He has been quiet throughout his NBA career, content lurking in the shadows off the court while soaking in the limelight when the lights flip on above the hardwood. The Bulls had insanely low odds to win the lottery, but managed to get the #1 overall pick, and gladly snatched Rose up. They won because the lottery is, of course, rigged. (PATRICK EWING SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN A KNICK! FROZEN ENVELOPES!! EAST COAST BIAS!!!*)
(*Note: This is not true. Proceed with your “theories.”)
Much like Noah, Rose led his Memphis Tigers to the national championship game, only to be on the opposite side of glory. Rose missed two big free throws that would have sealed the game for the Tigers and their season ended in OT. Nobody was calling him a “loser,” but the “choker” label was thrown around. He wasn’t a “winner” and he definitely didn’t have the intangibles that Joakim had. The narrative was set.
While their paths to the NBA were drastically different, Rose and Noah have been hitched on the same train since 2008. This year, that train makes its way to the streets of New York City and the historic Madison Square Garden. Joakim came to New York because Derrick was traded to the Knicks. They have experience together and clearly love playing with one another. Can they channel their prime Chicago form to bring the Knicks back to relevance this season?
It’s a nice luxury to bring in two brand new players that know each other as well as these guys do. While the new Knicks squad may take a while to completely coalesce, Rose and Noah shouldn’t have much of a problem hopping right back into the swing of things. We haven’t seen them at their greatest over the last few years due to injuries, but if their aging frames can hold up for a year here, they could be a perfect fit around the rest of this revamped Knicks roster. The proof is in the pudding and they have had great success together before.
For a center, Joakim Noah operates incredibly well on the elbows. This makes playing with him as a point guard just heavenly. When Noah sets screens, he becomes a threat the second his body leaves the defender. It’s not a coincidence that Rose shot 46 percent from the field off of Noah screens over the last two seasons, higher than his 42 percent off of any other screener (via WSJ). When Joakim sets a screen, he pummels the defender — surprising considering his personality, I know.
He can pick and pop and set himself up for a jumper (granted, he hasn’t been firing this off as much in the last couple years, but it’s still somewhere deep in his arsenal). He can also pick and slide to the elbow, where he becomes a threat with the ball in his hands. His first step is faster than most opposing centers can handle, which allows him to get to the hoop in two or three strides right from the top of the key:
His ability to see the open man as soon as he gets the ball on the elbow keeps the offense in constant motion and provides the rest of the team with easy looks. In a Knick offense that is expected to operate at a faster pace and run more screens than last season, a healthy Noah should be a nice gear to stick in the middle of the machine and watch it spin.
Everyone loves playing with a big man that can facilitate. While his injuries slowed him down last year, he maintained an AST% in stride with his previously healthy seasons. Noted by Chris Herring, every third(!) assist of his led to a three-pointer. While Rose isn’t much of a threat from beyond the arc, this skill could open up plenty of space for the likes of Kristaps Porzingis, Carmelo Anthony, and Courtney Lee. I’m cautiously optimistic that Rose can be a league average three-point shooter this year, but I digress. Kicking the ball out to those guys opens up the floor for a cutting Rose or a diving Noah to get some clean looks near the hoop.
Defensively, Noah is more of a roamer than Robin Lopez. He relies on his mobility and length to stop opposing offenses, and as such, he defends the pick-and-roll quite well. His rim protection leaves something to be desired, but overall, his presence on the defensive side of the ball should help each and every member of the Knicks. It’s also important to note that Joakim Noah is an absolute lunatic on the floor. I have no doubt he will endear himself to the Garden crowd in a matter of games and become a fan favorite. He feeds off of the energy of the crowd, and the Knicks as a team will do the same. He will constantly be yelling at everyone to make sure they are on their assignments. The fellas had best be prepared for that.
Derrick Rose’s skill set is still remarkable. We’ve talked enough about what to expect from him, but it’s important to make sure that those expectations are kept at a completely reasonable level. You still see the Derrick Rose from 2010 inside of that battered body that has undergone so many surgeries. You know he’s in there somewhere, dying to get out. He’s just buried beneath a sea of torn ligaments and suits on the sideline that can’t quite open up enough to let the underlying beast emerge.
Watch a highlight reel of Rose from this past season (here’s a good one!) and you’ll see him do the things that he used to do. They’re just a bit devoid of the reckless abandon and unbelievable athleticism that were previously associated with his game. He still attacks the tin with a ferocity that not many can match. The crossover that made him famous peeks its head out from the shadows every once in awhile (Brandon Knight is just always getting abused, poor guy):
That classic push floater is still a weapon he uses. Since returning from surgery, he has loved using the bank shot. (I talked about Rose back in June, so you can check that out here if you want my thoughts from back then.) The bottomline with Rose is that he needs to keep discovering himself post-surgery. It’s like a pitcher that gets old and has to discover himself as the fastball loses five miles per hour; some can keep going out every five days and be effective, while others can’t seem to adjust. We’ll see if Rose can pick up the pieces and leave the injury bug in his wake.
The health of these two guys is going to be the driving factor behind the success of the Knicks this season. I truly believe that, and a lot of fans feel the same. ‘Melo is going to be ‘Melo, Porzingis is going into a new season with a year of experience under his belt, Lee is a proven veteran, and the bench pieces are full of potential. It’s tough to be optimistic about Noah and Rose playing even 70 games apiece. If we choose to think optimistically, a Noah-Rose combo can be the duo that they were once upon a time and propel the Knicks to heights that may surprise many. If we go the pessimistic route, the Knicks are paying for what was, not what is.
The difficult thing when evaluating what to expect from the former Chicagoans is that we need to project forward. Most of the best moments from these dudes come from a time where Robb Stark was still the King in the North and LeBron was forging a legacy in Miami. Their reputations are well established, and the Knicks are paying for those reputations. They mean nothing if the dynamic duo can’t stay on the floor.
No one can know exactly what Noah and Rose will bring to the table in terms of games, but one thing is for sure: I’m excited to see what this season brings for the Knicks.
— Matt Spendley, senior writer
8/10/2016 2:38 AM