NBA Rumors: Pistons Reveal Why They Refused To Trade Derrick Rose To Lakers Before February Trade Deadline

When the Detroit Pistons struggled to win games in the first half of the 2019-20 NBA season, Derrick Rose‘s name immediately surfaced in various trade rumors. Though he didn’t show any sign that he’s not happy in Detroit, most people believed that he would be better off being traded to a contender than wasting his remaining years in the NBA on a mediocre team like the Pistons. However, the 2020 February NBA trade deadline passed with Rose still an official member of the Pistons’ roster.

Rose remained in Detroit, not because of a lack of interest in the trade market, but simply because the Pistons chose to keep him. In a recent episode of The Hoop Collective Podcast, Brian Windhorst of ESPN revealed that the Los Angeles Lakers have actually inquired about Rose’s availability via trade before the 2020 February NBA trade deadline, but the Pistons quickly informed them that they have no interest in moving the veteran point guard. Though they are currently out of the playoff race, Windhorst said that there’s “no chance” that the Pistons will consider buying out Rose’s contract this season.

“No, there’s no chance,” Windhorst said, as transcribed by RealGM.

“He’s under contract for next year at a good number. From what I understand, when the Lakers called the Pistons and expressed an interest in trading for Derrick Rose, the Pistons said ‘Hey, we appreciate you calling, but we’re not trading him. Dwane Casey likes him. We think he’s going to be important for us next year.’ He just wasn’t available.”

Rose may no longer be an MVP caliber player, but it’s definitely not a surprise why he’s receiving interest from legitimate title contenders like the Lakers. Rose remains a very reliable scoring option and would immediately address the Lakers’ need of another playmaker and shot creator. This season, the 31-year-old point guard is averaging 18.0 points and 5.7 assists while shooting 48.6 percent from the field and 29.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Meanwhile, it’s easy to understand why the Pistons still want to keep Rose on their roster. At the age of 31, Rose is clearly an odd fit in Detroit, especially if they finally decide to trade Blake Griffin next summer and undergo a full-scale rebuild. However, Rose is on a very friendly deal and would be a great mentor to the Pistons’ young core. Also, Rose could be a more valuable trade asset for the Pistons next season when he enters the final year of his contract.