The New York Knicks reached an agreement on a negotiation to acquire guard Derrick Rose of the Detroit Pistons 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 Charlotte Hornets to Detroit, the sources said.
The Knicks and Pistons agreed to the deal on Sunday afternoon, after periodic talks that spanned a few months, sources said.
Rose returns to the Knicks, where she spent a turbulent 2016-17 season battling the offensive triangle during Phil Jackson’s regime. Rose was the youngest MVP in league history under Thibodeau with the Chicago Bulls in 2011 and played for him again with Minnesota in the 2017-2018 season.
The Knicks are experiencing a competitive boost under Thibodeau in their first season as a coach, emerging as the No. 6 defensive team in the NBA (107.9 points per 100). Rose’s arrival brings help to the NBA’s 25th offensive team (scoring 106.9 points for 100 possessions) and creates an overlap of veteran guards, including incumbent Elfrid Payton and Austin Rivers.
Rivers is expected to become a player contenders look for in trade negotiations, as teams seek to strengthen defenses closer to the March 25 deadline.
The Pistons are moving towards reconstruction and have worked to find a destination that appeals to Rose. Rose, 32, averages 14 points and four assists in 42% of shots this season.
For Detroit, Smith – the ninth overall choice in the 2017 draft – is seen as a recovery project similar to striker Josh Jackson, who signed with the Pistons as a free agent. Smith, 23, recently offered to join the G League bubble in Orlando to find playing time.
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps contributed to this report.