Trae Young Sends Heartfelt Message to Derrick Rose After His Retirement Announcement

Derrick Rose retired from basketball today

May 28, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) shoots the ball over New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose (4) in the first quarter during game three in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Despite all of the injuries in his career, Derrick Rose was an iconic basketball player for many years, whether it was on the Chicago Bulls or any of his other stops in his career. Rose made the decision to retire today and many across the NBA made sure to pay their respects, including Hawks star point guard Trae Young, who faced Rose in the 2021 playoffs.

D Rose Forever a Legend🫡🌹

— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) September 26, 2024

Rose is the youngest winner of the NBA's MVP trophy, winning the award in 2011 after leading the Bulls to a 62-20 record. He averaged 25.1 PPG, 7.1 APG, and 41.1 RPG that season. As good as Rose was that season, he tore his ACL the next year and he never seemed to be the same player. After he returned from injury, Rose never managed to average more than 20 PPG in his career. He would later go on to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, and Minnesota Timberwolves, and he spent last season with the Memphis Grizzlies. He was the No. 1 pick when he came out of Memphis in 2008. Despite the injuries, Rose will forever be one of the most athletic and exciting point guards to ever play the game of basketball.

The Hawks are a team hoping to avoid the play-in tournament and get into the playoffs this season, but it could depend on how some of their younger players perform. Whether it is Risacher, Daniels, Jalen Johnson, or Onyeka Okongwu, they could raise the Hawks ceiling if they play well. When talking about the Hawks biggest X-Factor for the upcoming season, Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes named Risacher:

"It won't be this simple for every team, but the Atlanta Hawks' possession of Zaccharie Risacher—the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft—makes for a pretty easy call.

To a greater extent than most top selections, the 19-year-old is something of a blank slate. He stands 6'9" and has legitimate tools on both ends, but nobody seems certain he can become a star.

While that's one way to describe a low-ceiling player, the more charitable interpretation of Risacher's game is that he's so theoretically malleable and so skilled in varying areas that he has several pathways to being an impactful player.

It's possible the Frenchman will provide high-end shooting and secondary facilitation as a combo forward, and his length and intelligence suggest he'll develop into a quality defender. It remains to be seen how much self-sufficient shot creation he'll provide, but with a three-and-D floor, it's hard to imagine him going down as a bust.

The Hawks may not be interested in prolonging the Trae Young era for another several years...unless Risacher becomes the kind of gap-filling, low-usage second star who augments Young's one-way game.

On the other hand, if Risacher is actually something more than a role player, he could be the reason Atlanta warms to the idea of turning the page."

While I think Risacher could end up being the X-factor for the Hawks this season, I would argue Dyson Daniels might be the X-factor.

Dejounte Murray is a good player, but was a poor fit with the Hawks. He was not the defensive guard in the backcourt they needed next to Trae Young and like Young, he needed the ball in his hands a lot to be effective. Daniels is more of a fit next to Young. He is already an elite perimeter defender, but it is going to come down to his ability to consistently knock down threes on offense. If he can, he could raise the Hawks ceiling and be their x-factor.