Derrick Rose says Kemba Walker is going to start at point guard

New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose deferred to Kemba Walker as the starting point guard.

With many NBA teams hosting media day yesterday, the questions about teams rotations have already begun. For the New York Knicks, veteran point guard Derrick Rose let the media know that they won’t have to wonder anymore leading up to the season as Rose announced he will be happily backing up veteran guard Kemba Walker.

As Rose noted, the two have had a friendly rivalry dating back to their days as prep stars at Simeon Career Academy and Rice High School. During Walker’s time speaking with the media, he attributed his respect for Rose as one of the biggest reasons he signed with the Knicks.

New York Knicks will use depth to make another run

The addition of Kemba Walker is well needed for a Knicks team that looks to build off of their first-round playoff exit of last season. During that series against the Atlanta Hawks, Derrick Rose was often the best and most consistent player for the Knicks.

After coming off the bench for majority of the year, Rose started the last three games of the five-game series. While he was productive in his 35 minutes a game during the series, they had no one to replace his production on the bench unit.

Adding Kemba Walker to be the starter and letting Rose come off the bench gives the Knicks two productive guards for both units. This should allow New York to have scoring on the court at all times. With All-Star forward Julius Randle returning, veteran Evan Fournier joining this offseason and young guards R.J. Barrett and Immanuel Quickley continuing their development, New York is equipped to have an even better season.