The Detroit Pistons have officially dealt former NBA MVP Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks in exchange for Dennis Smith Jr. and a 2021 2nd round draft pick.
Multiple teams were interested in the veteran guard, but it was the Knicks who presented the best offer for Detroit.
The move was made official by the team this morning:
OFFICIAL: The #Pistons have acquired guard Dennis Smith Jr. and a future second-round pick from the New York Knicks. pic.twitter.com/AUY9xUMqJ9
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) February 8, 2021
Shortly afterwards, Pistons GM Troy Weaver released the following statement:
“We welcome Dennis Smith Jr. to the Pistons family. Adding another young player who was a high draft pick alongside a draft asset advances our goals in building for the future.”
Weaver then thanked Rose for his time in Detroit:
“We thank Derrick Rose for his contributions on and off the court during his time as a Piston and wish him and his family well as they move forward.”
– – Quotes via Lauren Williams of MLive Link – –
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Herman Moore believes Lions were “petty” towards Calvin Johnson
It’s no secret that the relationship between Calvin Johnson and the Detroit Lions haven’t exactly been rosy since the future Hall of Fame WR decided to hang up his cleats in 2016.
The two have not been able to make amends after the team requested that Johnson pay back a portion of his signing bonus, which offended Johnson to the extend that he’s on record as saying the only way the Lions will be back in his good graces is if they re-pay him that money.
For fellow franchise legend Herman Moore, the team’s actions towards Johnson were “petty”.
While speaking with Joey, Stick, and Kory on “The Morning Woodward Show”, Moore said
He believes the Lions ought to fix the situation.
Yeah, I definitely think they should try and make amends there”, said Moore. “[He’s] a great player. He’s considered second to Barry Sanders or right up there with him as being the two best players to ever play for Detroit, and I think when you look at it, it was a petty thing that took place with the money given the caliber of player that he is.”
“When you look at how Matthew Stafford was sent off, you just wish that guys like Barry and Calvin, even myself, to a lesser extent, we’d have an opportunity to have that same send-off without controversy because this is a great moment for Calvin. I really believe that someone is going to try to argue against [him and] why he should wait. That’s always hard for a wide receiver to make it their first time unless you’re like Jerry Rice when your stats are just off the chart, but Calvin was a person who changed the game.”
“I mean, he is a big guy, they look for those that dominate the game, and he can check all those boxes, so I look for him to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. That’ll be a great thing for him, and I think a great thing for the team, but it will come with a little bit of a taint to it.”
Johnson, who can officially be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame soon, amassed 731 receptions for 11,619 yards and 83 touchdowns during his career with Detroit.
– – Quotes via Word on Woodward Link – –