Detailing the Derrick Rose trade

The New York Knicks finished 32-50 in the 2015-2016 season, which placed them in 13th place in the Eastern Conference. However, with the emergence of 2015 1st rounder Kristaps Porzingis, the Knick fan-base began see some life in a team that has not made the playoffs since the 2012-2013 season. Although Porzingis had captured the city with his above-average play, many questioned if his performance was enough to attract top-notch free agents such as DeMar DeRozan, Mike Conley, etc. 

Last week, the Knicks acquired their point guard of the immediate future; former MVP, Derrick Rose. 

Here is how the trade went down between New York and the Chicago Bulls: 

Rose will look to recapture the glory days next season

New York acquires:

PG Derrick Rose

SG Justin Holiday 

2017 2nd Round Pick

Chicago acquires:

C Robin Lopez

PG Jose Calderon 

PG Jerian Grant

Starting off with Holiday, the Knicks are getting themselves a player that has seen time with Philadelphia, Golden State, Atlanta, and Chicago in his four seasons in the NBA. The older brother of Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday, Justin had played 27 games with Chicago in the 2015-2016 season, averaging 6.5 PPG while shooting 43% from the three point line. In a short sample size, he showed signs of life for a Bulls team that was ravaged with injuries. 

Rose, a Chicago native, has quite a reputation in the league. After being selected 1st Overall by the Bulls in the 2008 NBA Draft, he was immediately named the starting point guard for a Chicago team that was coming off a 33-49 season with a total of three head coaches. In his first year, Rose averaged 16.8 PPG and 6.3 AST, but shot just 22% from the 3 point line. 

As said earlier, Rose is a former MVP of the league, and that stellar season came in 2010-2011 after putting up 25.0 PPG, 7.7 AST, and shooting at a much-improved 33% three point percentage. Following that year, he signed a five-year extension to stay in Chicago at a rate of $94.8 million. What followed that extension, however, were a few rough years clouded by major knee injuries. 

He tore his ACL in a playoff game in Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers (2011-2012 season), and ended up sitting out during the entire 2012-2013 season with setbacks and other unrelated health issues. Between his return (October 2014) and this current point in time, Rose has tore his meniscus on two occasions, and was most recently hit with an orbital bone fracture. 

Although he has shown signs of being he is old self, many have come to terms that he is not the player he once was. The Knicks have clearly reviewed all of his medical history and are willing to take the chance on a player with such an extensive health risk. In 2015-2016, Rose averaged 16.4 PPG and 4.7 AST for a Bulls team that saw themselves just outside the playoffs after finishing 9th in the Eastern Conference. 

The Knicks will be on the hook for the remainder of Rose's contract, which is slightly above $21 million for the 2016-2017 season. Although that seems like a huge commitment, even if for one year, New York is actually saving a sizable portion of money in the short term future. Lopez is owed $13.5 million next year, Calderon will receive $7.7 million, and Grant will get $1.6 million as he is still on his rookie contract. So, the Bulls will be responsible for paying about $22.8 million for these three players alone. Trading Lopez, Calderon, and Grant saved the Knicks about $13 million in guaranteed money for next off-season. 

Some were upset with what the Knicks gave up, particularly Robin Lopez, as he was coming off a very solid season. The 28 year old had signed a four year contract with New York last off-season, and put up 10.3 PPG and 7.3 REB along with 1.6 BLK per game. He started every single game for the Knicks last year, proving his durability, and seemed to mesh well with Kristaps Porzingis and Carmelo Anthony. At a first glance, it would make sense for a team to acquire someone like him, but he is owed $42 million over the next three seasons. It seemed strange that the Bulls, a possible rebuilding team, would be willing to take on a contract of that magnitude. 

Calderon (left) and Lopez (right) were owed a combined $21.2 million in 2016-2017

As for Jose Calderon, Knicks fans are likely very content that he is no longer on the team. Originally acquired in the Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton deal of 2014, In two seasons with the Knicks, Calderon averaged 8.1 PPG and 4.4 AST, and shot over 40% from the three point line. The issue was his contract, and now the Knicks are out-under the $7.7 million that he was owed next year. 

Lastly, Jerian Grant is the sole player that I believe makes sense for the Bulls. As someone who pushed for him to receive more playing time last year, I can see why Chicago wanted him. The 2015 1st Rounder, acquired from Washington for Tim Hardaway Jr., averaged 5.6 PPG and 2.3 AST as a 23 year old rookie out of Notre Dame. He played in 76 games, starting only 6, and shot an abysmal 22% from the three point line. He had shown flashes to be a legitimate guard in the league, but a change of scenery may do him some good. 

In my eyes, the Knicks made a fantastic, no-lose move in acquiring Derrick Rose. It is a simple one year commitment, and it is expected that he will give it his all in a contract year. The trade expedites the Knicks rebuilding process by a wide margin, but still leaves several questions for GM Phil Jackson and his staff. 

1) How will the Knicks replace Robin Lopez? Will they take a look at Joakim Noah because of the Derrick Rose connection?

2) Will Derrick Rose and Carmelo Anthony mesh well?

3) Does this move entice any big-time free agents to come to New York? 

We'll know in due time. 

How should the Mets shake up the team?

The Mets are coming off a tough weekend where they lost three consecutive games to the last place Atlanta Braves, who came into the series with a 20-46 record. New York now sits at 36-32, which is good for third place in the National League East. Fans are beginning to panic as the Washington Nationals have begun to run away with the division, but the Mets are determined to stay in the hunt. After Sunday's loss, manager Terry Collins claimed that we may see some major shake ups with the current roster. In this article, I will break down what I believe the Mets should do, placing each potential transaction in order of likelihood. 

The Obvious

Activate C Travis d'Arnaud from the DL. Demote C Kevin Plawecki to Triple-A Las Vegas.

This move will probably be announced today or before Tuesday's game against Kansas City, as it is expected that d'Arnaud will take over the starting catching gig to help boost the lineup. Before going on the disabled list in April, d'Arnaud was hitting a measly .196/.288/.261, so his addition is far from a guarantee to improve the lineup. However, Plawecki was simply not getting the job done on both sides of the field. At the plate, he hit .194/.301/.258 in 41 games, and had a 24% caught stealing percentage from behind the dish.

Personally, I was not impressed at all from Plawecki, so I wouldn't mind if he spends a sizable portion of this season down in Triple-A to correct his swing and defensive struggles. As a former 1st round pick, the potential is still there for him to be a quality player in the league, so it would be ideal for the organization to ship him off to Las Vegas where he will receive consistent at-bats. 

Possible Moves

DFA OF Alejandro de Aza. Promote OF Roger Bernandina from Triple-A Las Vegas. 

Many questioned why the Mets brought in de Aza this past winter for the steep price of $5.75 million when they really didn't have a strong need for him. They could have brought back OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis for a fraction of the cost, and likely had gotten the same results, but Sandy Alderson elected to go with the seasoned veteran. 

In 47 games for the Mets, de Aza has hit .169/.229/.247, and will likely be on the chopping block very soon. To give perspective, there are 9 pitchers in the league right now who have hit for a higher batting average, thus making de Aza a strong under performer.  

Now, the obvious choice to replace him would be top prospect OF Brandon Nimmo, but I chose to ignore him in this scenario. I have high hopes for the 23 year old, but I want him to start everyday if he were to be called up, as it wouldn't do his development any good if he sat on the bench for 3/4 of the team's games. 

I picked Roger Bernadina for a few reasons. First off, he has experience just like de Aza, tallying almost 1,500 plate appearances in 7 career seasons. Most importantly, he has hit .288/.378/.441 in Triple-A this year. While I realize that Las Vegas is heavily hitter-friendly, the addition of Bernadina may provide some kind of a spark to a Mets bench that has been struggling as of late. 

Demote OF Michael Conforto to Triple-A Las Vegas. Promote OF Brandon Nimmo from Triple-A Las Vegas. 

I am going to make this clear, I do not want this to happen, but it certainly sounds like the team is leaning toward sending their young outfielder to the minor leagues. Conforto has had an interesting season, hitting .365/.442/.676 with 4 HR and 18 RBI in the first 21 games. Since that point, he has hit .157/.212/.321 with 6 HR and 12 RBI in 40 games. New York had high hopes for the 23 year old, as he was named the team's starting left fielder a few months ago after only playing just above 50 games at the MLB level in 2015.  

If the team were to consider sending him down to Triple-A, I wouldn't be totally against it granted they finally promote fellow former 1st round pick Brandon Nimmo to the major leagues. Nimmo has had a phenomenal season for the 51's, hitting .325/.404/.513 with 5 HR and 33 RBI in 58 games. As I said earlier, the only scenario I would like to see Nimmo is if he is put into a starting role, so this would be the ideal move to make in Conforto's absence.  

Very Unlikely/Out of the Box Move

Promote 2B Dilson Herrera from Triple-A Las Vegas. Demote INF Ty Kelly OR INF Matt Reynolds to Triple-A Las Vegas. Move 2B Neil Walker to 3B.

The Mets have a huge hole at third base now that David Wright is out for the majority of the year, and with an entire month between now and the trading deadline, the team has to find a solution. In the short term, they have given INF Wilmer Flores a chance at the starting job, and he has actually done fairly well. In the month of June, he has hit .333/.400/.521 in 17 games, but has been up and down in the field. As a 24 year old, many still hope that he will eventually become the long-term successor at third base. 

As you can see, I labeled this move as very unlikely, and I would be very surprised to see it happen at this point in time. 2B Dilson Herrera has been raking it up in Triple-A for a few years now, and as a 22 year old, many see him as the future second baseman of this team. Right now, he is hitting .288/.338/.492 with 10 HR and 38 RBI in the minor leagues, so he has proven to be major league ready. The problem is the Mets currently have veteran 2B Neil Walker manning the position, and he has actually had a solid year himself. 

Coming into today, Walker is hitting .266/.335/.477 with 14 HR and 28 RBI in 63 games. The only issue with moving him to third base is he has tallied a grand total of 15 games at the position. Additionally, the last time he even played the position was in 2010, so there may be a defensive liability. 

Personally, I would keep him at 2B as he and SS Asdrubal Cabrera have formed a solid middle infield combination. I want the team to continue to ride the Wilmer Flores experiment for as long as they can, and in July, acquire a proven third baseman that could provide an instant boost to a depleted lineup. 

If you would like to check out direct quotes from the Mets players and coaches, take a look at this article by ESPN's Adam Rubin. 

Bringing back Kelly Johnson was a good idea

Johnson has been dealt from ATL to NYM again

Two days ago, the Mets re-acquired utility player Kelly Johnson after they let him sign with the Atlanta Braves in free agency. New York sent minor league pitcher Akeel Morris to the Braves for Johnson and cash considerations. Specfically, Atlanta sent over roughly $450,000 in the deal, which leaves the Mets with about an $800,000 commitment. 

Johnson knows a thing or two about New York, as he played for the Yankees in 2014 and the Mets in the second half of 2015. In 11 career seasons, he has put up a combined .250/.330/.420 slash line, with 146 home runs. The 34 year old was once thought of as a cornerstone piece for the Braves way back in 2007, where he hit .276/.375/.457 with 16 HR in 147 games. However, he inked a deal with the Diamondbacks in 2009 to become their everyday second baseman. Since that point, he has seen playing time with the Blue Jays, Rays, Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, and Braves on two stints. 

At first glance, many think that the addition of a left handed batter would help the Mets' everyday lineup against tough right handers, but Johnson actually has reverse splits in his career. What I mean by that is that he is actually more of a balanced hitter against left handed pitching. In over 3,600 plate appearances, he has hit .243/.329/.417 with 113 HR against right handers, whereas he has hit .271/.332/.429 with 33 HR in 1,247 plate appearances against southpaws. 

Aside from his experience, he provides a strong veteran presence in a clubhouse that is familiar with his surroundings. Last year, he played 49 games for the Mets, hitting .250/.304/.414, and making the World Series roster. 

As stated in the introduction, Johnson, at this point in his career, is classified as a utility player. He predominantly has experience at second base, totaling 868 games, but has also seen time at left field, third base, and first base. He could even patrol right field or shortstop in an emergency situation, so this will give Terry Collins yet another versatile option to help fill out his bench. 

The main reason why I like this move was that it presents the team with a nice stopgap option for the month of June until the trading deadline next month. At that point, the Mets will likely be in the market for a top-notch third baseman to fill out their playoff-bound team. 

To back up the points made in this article, I would like to pull a quote by Assistant GM John Ricco. 

Morris will likely report to Double-A Mississippi for Atlanta

"We have aspirations of winning the whole thing this year, so we're not going to sit around and wait," Ricco said after the trade. "We know what this team is. We know what it can be, and we're going to give it every chance to get there."

As for what the Mets gave up, some are upset that the Mets gave up ANYTHING when they could of had Johnson in the off-season for nothing more than a minor league contract. Akeel Morris, 23, ranked 13th on the Mets prospect list coming into LAST year, and even saw a brief, albeit rough, MLB debut last year against the Blue Jays. 

Morris has a 4.62 ERA in 22 relief appearances for Double-A Binghamton this year. He broke on to the scene in 2014 when he posted an outstanding 0.63 ERA in 41 appearances for the Savannah Sand Gnats of Single-A. Historically, he has had trouble locating his pitches, leading to a 5.0 BB/9 ratio. For more on Akeel Morris, check out this article from Adam Rubin of ESPN.com.