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In February of 2018, Derrick Rose was traded away by the Cleveland Cavaliers after a disappointing six months, during which Rose made just 17 appearances. He was traded as part of a three-team trade between the Cavs, Jazz, and Kings, and Rose was merely a spare part in the trade. The point guard was released by Utah after just two days, although a month later he joined the Timberwolves, averaging 12.4 minutes per game for the remainder of the regular season.
Rose's performances in the playoffs improved significantly, and this was a major factor in the organization's decision to hand him a new one-year contract. His salary of just $2.4 million for the season did, however, show just how much Rose's stock had fallen since his MVP winning season back in 2011.
The summer of 2018 was one of the first in years that Rose could focus on resting, rather than focusing on rehabilitation from existing injuries. This meant that the 30-year-old returned to training camp feeling rejuvenated, and the star used the extra time to work on areas such as three-point shooting.
In the third game of the season against the Clippers, Rose announced his arrival by dropping 20 points, and he followed this up two-days later by scoring 31 points against LeBron James' Lakers. The point guard has only started 5 out of 16 games, although he is averaging 19 points-per-game, and despite having a reputation as a bad three-point shooter, the 2011 MVP is shooting an incredible .459.
Most notably was the performance where Derrick Rose returned to his 2010-12 peak. Rose hit a stunning 50 points against the defensive renowned Utah Jazz, and the performance served as a reminder to NBA fans of the sensational player that Rose was before injuries crippled his career.
The 30-year-olds performances have not let up since the Utah game, and Rose has arguably been the best player on the Timberwolves roster this season. With Jimmy Butler now in Philadelphia, surely it is now only a matter of time before Rose returns to the starting five.
