Story: Derrick Rose's game absence a surprise to Knicks
New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose did not attend the team’s 110-96 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans at Madison Square Garden on Monday night, which, league sources told The Vertical, was a surprise to Knicks officials.
Team officials were unable to reach Rose by phone – nor get answers from his closest confidants – in the immediate time prior to the opening tip, league sources told The Vertical.
Beyond Knicks officials, some close associates of Rose were unable to reach him on Monday, sources told The Vertical.
After the game, Joakim Noah told reporters that he spoke to Rose postgame and that the guard was OK.
Rose typically arrives at 5:30 p.m. for a 7:30 p.m. ET start, teammates say, and Rose hadn’t informed anyone with the Knicks that he might be late – or miss the game altogether, sources said.
The Knicks declared him “not with the team” prior to tipoff but offered no detail.
He also did attend the Knicks’ morning shootaround in suburban New York, sources said.
Rose, who’ll be a free agent this summer, has been increasingly frustrated with how this Knicks season has unfolded, culminating with him privately fuming over his diminished late-game role in Friday night’s victory in Milwaukee, sources said. Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek played undrafted rookie Ron Baker over Rose in the fourth quarter.
Rose’s relationship with Hornacek has been frayed in recent weeks, league sources told The Vertical.
Strange...and certainly unprofessional if he did so in a sulk.