Knicks free agency notes: Derrick Rose to Grizzlies; latest on Donte DiVincenzo's potential signing

In 2020-21, Derrick Rose played 937 meaningful minutes for the Knicks.

He averaged 15 points, hit 41% of his 3s and had a near 4:1 assist-to-turnover ratio for New York.

Rose’s play was key in the Knicks’ run to the 2021 playoffs; the club went 24-11 after acquiring Rose in a midseason trade with the Detroit Pistons.

Rose’s role on the 2022-23 Knicks was much different than that first season.

He played only 338 minutes -- just 53 over the final 59 games of the year.

Even though the club had success with Rose largely out of the rotation, his Knick teammates insisted that he could still contribute to winning.

They finished the season 37-22 the rest of the way, earning the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Rose accepted his role well, serving a strong veteran presence for his teammates. But all along, those teammates said Rose could still play.

“He’s still got some juice,” Julius Randle said in late February.

Rose should get plenty of opportunity to show what he can do in 2023-24. On Friday night, Rose agreed to a two-year deal with the Memphis Grizzlies, as SNY first reported. Rose is expected to get regular minutes with Memphis, particularly early in the season when star point guard Ja Morant serves a 25-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the league.

Just as Rose did in New York, he will probably serve as a veteran presence for a young Grizzlies team. Young Knicks like Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin said that Rose was instrumental in mentoring them when he was in New York. Randle was always effusive in his praise of the former MVP.

Rose should add the same dynamic to the Grizzlies. He’ll also get the chance to play regular minutes -- an opportunity that wasn’t there in his final season in New York.

Donte DiVincenzo remains a top target for the Knicks after Indiana's big Bruce Brown signing

The Knicks had a meeting scheduled with Brown at the outset of free agency. Members of the organization had significant interest in signing Brown. But the Knicks couldn’t compete with the Pacers’ offer to Brown. The former Net inked a two-year, $45 million deal with Indiana on Friday night, sources confirm.

The most the Knicks could offer Brown? A four-year deal starting at $12.4 million.

Donte DiVincenzo remains a top target for New York as we enter Saturday, the first full day of free agency.

DiVincenzo is expected to meet with the Knicks and several teams early in free agency. One team with significant interest in DiVincenzo prior to free agency felt that the 26-year-old would ultimately end up in New York. The Knicks can offer DiVincenzo a four-year deal starting as high as $12.4 million by using the non-taxpayer midlevel exception.

If they were to use the exception, they would not be allowed to spend more than $172 million in total team salaries in 2023-24.

Latest on a Toppin trade to the Pacers, potential Evan Fournier suitors

That’s why New York may have interest in shedding some salary via trade this offseason.

New York and Indiana discussed a potential trade involving Toppin shortly before the opening of free agency. The Knicks, per SNY sources, were seeking draft compensation as a return for any Toppin deal.

After signing Brown, Indiana has roughly $9 million in cap space, according to per ESPN’s Bobby Marks. That’s enough space to absorb Toppin’s $6.8 million salary.

Editor's note: The Knicks and Pacers are finalizing a Toppin trade, SNY confirmed Saturday at 3:08 p.m.

New York could also move Fournier, who has value as an elite perimeter shooter. Fournier also has value because he is entering the final guaranteed year of his contract.

He has an $18.9 million salary in 2023-24. The San Antonio Spurs have enough cap space to absorb Fournier’s salary. Fournier and Spurs No. 1 pick Victor Wembenyama share a home country (France) and an agent (Bouna Ndiaye). Given those ties, perhaps there is potential for a Fournier deal between New York and San Antonio.

The Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers Cavs sought out the Spurs as a third team in their pending sign-and-trade of Max Strus. One iteration of the deal had Cavs’ Cedi Osman being routed to San Antonio. The Spurs would absorb Osman into their cap space. They could do the same with Fournier or they could send a player back to the Knicks.

Coaching developments

One other note on the Pacers: Jim Boylen, the former Bulls head coach from 2018-20, is a strong candidate to fill a vacancy on Rick Carlisle’s staff. Boylen was a coaching consultant for Indiana last season.

Speaking of coaching consultants, maybe Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks can hire Jeff Van Gundy in that role for next season. Van Gundy reportedly will no longer be part of ESPN’s NBA coverage, which is a loss for the viewing audience interested in learning about the game and being entertained during a broadcast.