Detroit Pistons guard Derrick Rose has avoided a serious ankle injury. However, his return to the lineup may be shaped by factors other than his health.
The Pistons announced Tuesday that an MRI of Rose’s right ankle revealed a grade two sprain. He is expected to be re-evaluated in two weeks and will be out of the lineup until then.
Update: An MRI performed Monday on the ankle of Pistons guard Derrick Rose confirmed a grade two right ankle sprain.
Rose will begin treatment and be re-evaluated in two weeks. He’s expected to make a full recovery.
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) March 3, 2020
Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reports the Pistons are reportedly being cautious as to when to let Rose play. The team, Haynes reports, is considering turning more duties over to its younger players, a move that would likely improve its position for the 2019 Draft.
Rose is enjoying his highest-scoring season since his most recent All-Star appearance with Chicago in 2011-12, averaging 18.3 points on 48.9 percent shooting. The Pistons were already struggling since dealing Andre Drummond to Cleveland and playing without Blake Griffin (knee surgery) for the rest of the season.
Rose suffered his injury in the second quarter of Sunday’s 106-100 road loss to the Sacramento Kings.
The Pistons are interested in adding guard Jordan McRae, Haynes reports, but the Phoenix Suns are also planning to put a claim in on McRae too. McRae appeared in four games for the Denver Nuggets this season, averaging 2.3 ppg, 1.3 rpg and 1.0 apg in eight minutes per game. The Pistons will have the first chance to claim McRae because they have a worse record in the overall standings than the Suns, Haynes reports.
The Pistons are 20-42 and in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, trailing the No. 8-seeded Brooklyn Nets by 7 1/2 games in the standings. Since reaching the Eastern Conference finals in 2007, the Pistons have finished over .500 once (a 44-38 finish in 2015-16) and have 42 or more losses in nine of the past 12 seasons.
