NBA free agent rumors: Derrick Rose to the Bucks makes no sense for either side

Derrick Rose and the Milwaukee Bucks have some type of mutual interest in each other. Rose will meet with Bucks officials today to talk about a potential deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Bucks are one of Rose’s few suitors Rose this offseason, along with the Knicks. They’re not necessarily in need of another point guard with Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon and Matthew Dellavedova on the roster, but having another player capable of creating his own offense can be important.

Rose obviously isn’t at the same MVP level he was years ago, but he’s still a decent NBA player. He averaged 18 points and 4.4 assists per game on 47 percent shooting from the field last season.

Rose has never been much of a shooter, so floor spacing could become a challenge in Milwaukee. It isn’t the greatest basketball fit, but if the money is there for Rose he’ll take it.

Because the salary cap was smaller than originally anticipated, teams have been stingier with their cash this offseason. Rose was expecting a big payday from some team, but last year’s spending frenzy isn’t going to come.

Beyond that, the market for point guards has dried up even further. The best options are off the market and there aren’t many obvious names available for trade. Rose has very little leverage in his corner at this point.

The Knicks have mild interest in Rose because they’re thin at the point guard position, but they aren’t going to outbid themselves. To get the best deal he can, Rose needed another suitor. Enter the Bucks.

The Bucks are at $117 million in payroll when we include Tony Snell’s new four-year, $46 million deal. That puts them way above the salary cap and pushing the luxury tax. Acquiring the former MVP would require them to make moves to shed some of that salary through trade. A sign-and-trade deal is also an option here if there is mutual interest in getting a deal done and the Knicks don’t want to lose Rose for nothing.

Greg Monroe is an option there for the Knicks and he’s on an expiring deal. Rose is looking for a solid eight-figure deal at this point, and at the going rate for point guards this offseason, he’s right to do so. The only question for the Bucks is whether he’s worth the hassle in giving up some of their depth moving forward.

The basketball fit in Milwaukee makes no sense. Dellavedova struggled with his health last season, but they’re still paying him and he can be productive when he plays. Brogdon will be their starter moving forward and is a great fit next to Giannis Antetokounmpo. Rose can’t shoot and would take possessions away from their best player.

This is about money and all parties involved know it. The only question is whether Rose can play his cards right.

Rose can create his own shot, and the Bucks don’t have many players who can do that effectively. Rose wouldn’t be the best fit schematically for spacing next to Antetokounmpo, but maybe the Bucks don’t need them to play minutes together.

At this point in his career, Rose should be someone’s sixth man who gets buckets off the bench. One of the Bucks’ biggest weaknesses last season was creating offense when Antetokounmpo sat. If Rose can step in and fill that role for them, it may be a good fit.

The Bucks don’t need a point guard because they have four capable ball handlers on their roster, including Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. Rose doesn’t add much and won’t make them much more competitive than they’d already be in a weak Eastern Conference.

Rose is just looking for money at this point, and that’s fine. He should try to squeeze every penny out of his career that he can. The Bucks, though, aren’t the best team to pay him given their hefty payroll and lack of need at the position.