With the start of training camp just days away, the Memphis Grizzlies seemed poised to bounce back from a lost 2023-24 season and return to the NBA playoffs.
They had to deal with many key injuries last year, including one that ended Ja Morant’s season shortly after he returned from his lengthy suspension.
On Monday, they reportedly decided to waive veteran guard Derrick Rose after he spent one season with them, per The Athletic.
The Memphis Grizzlies are waiving guard Derrick Rose, league sources confirmed to The Athletic on Monday.
Rose averaged 8.0 points, 3.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 16.6 minutes per game for the Grizzlies during his lone season in Memphis.
🔗https://t.co/4TFPv0lfgw pic.twitter.com/QGnVHQM1vV
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) September 23, 2024
Rose joined the Grizzlies last summer after spending two and a half seasons with the New York Knicks, and some speculated that in addition to adding point guard depth, he arrived to help mentor Morant after Morant’s many off-the-court incidents.
At this point of his career, Rose is nothing more than a decent backup or even a third-string point guard, and it is easy to forget that he was once one of the NBA’s most exciting players.
He won the Rookie of the Year award for the 2008-09 season, and just two years later, he won the regular season MVP while averaging 25.0 points and 7.7 assists a game with the Chicago Bulls.
He was arguably the most athletically gifted and explosive point guard in league history, but he tore his ACL during the 2012 playoffs and lost most of his efficacy as a result.
Rose has struggled to stay healthy ever since, but the fact that he has managed to remain in the NBA for 16 seasons could be seen as an accomplishment in its own right given his many injuries over the years.
NEXT:
Ja Morant Predicts Which NBA Player Will Win Rookie Of The Year