NEW YORK — Derrick Rose was a late scratch for Monday night’s game and team officials were unable to reach him before tip-off, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski. Even some associates of Rose could not get in touch with him before the game, according to Wojnarowski.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported that Rose did miss the game without team permission and that it was due to a family situation. The Knicks only heard from Rose after the game ended.
According to sources Rose told the team he had a family situation.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) January 10, 2017
Rose did return to the team on Tuesday for practice and told reporters that he was dealing with a “family issue” that had “nothing to do with the team or basketball.” The team elected to fine him, but will not issue a suspension.
Teammate Joakim Noah spoke with Rose after the game and “everything is OK.” Noah did not elaborate any further. Rose did attend the Knicks’ shootaround in the morning, teammate Courtney Lee confirmed.
It first became known that Rose was not in attendance when Brandon Jennings was announced as a starter for the night moments before tip-off.
Brandon Jennings is starting tonight versus @PelicansNBA - Derrick Rose is not with the team.
— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) January 10, 2017
Before the game a Knicks assistant coach, was looking for Rose—he was late for his normal pre-game routine https://t.co/8q9jyK7RjH
— Yaron Weitzman (@YaronWeitzman) January 10, 2017
After the game, Jeff Hornacek did not provide any updates on Rose’s status.
“Right now we don't have enough information to really give you anything,” Hornacek told reporters. “So that's just gonna have to wait until we hear something from Derrick himself.”
“Again I'm not gonna comment on any of that stuff,” Hornacek said later. “I'm sure you guys will find out when Derrick comes back. “If he's got some comments, he'll comment on that, but we're not gonna talk about it.”
Jennings, who started for Rose, told reporters that the players hadn’t heard from Rose either.
“We haven't heard anything. I don't know anything,” Jennings said. “I found out 40 minutes before the game that I was gonna start. So yeah I just don't know anything.”
Rose’s future with the Knicks is up in the air, according to Wojnarowski. The unexplained absence left the organization “livid and embarrassed,” Wojnarowski reports.
Rose appears to be unhappy, but why?
The Knicks’ point guard began the season strongly, but has been benched in the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ last two games for undrafted rookie Ron Baker. Rose’s relationship with head coach Jeff Hornacek has deteriorated in recent weeks, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
However, it is unclear if that played a role in Rose’s absence. Missing the game was not a “boycott,” a source told Fred Kerber of the New York Post. Instead, it had to do with an “outside issue.” Hornacek also denied that he had any sort of dispute with Rose.
Rose is an impending free agent after being acquired from the Bulls over the summer. He currently averages 17.3 points and 4.5 assists per game and had only missed five games due to injury. But his absence has caused the Knicks to further question his immediate and long-term future with the team, according to Wojnarowski.