Derrick Rose is going back to Memphis, where it all began for him as a dominant one-and-done college player for John Calipari and the No. 1 pick in the 2008 draft.
Fifteen years later, Rose is headed back to Beale Street on a two-year contract, according to SNY, where he will serve as a mentor for troubled superstar Ja Morant.
The deal is worth a total of $6.5 million, Stadium reported.
The 34-year-old Rose spent parts of three seasons in his second go-around with the Knicks. The team declined his $15.6 option this week.
That first year, after coming over in a trade with the Pistons, Rose helped coach Tom Thibodeau’s team reach the playoffs as the fourth seed.
This past season, the former MVP and three-time All-Star fell out of the rotation in early December when Thibodeau opted to go with more youth in the backcourt, and Rose was praised by teammates for his leadership, guidance and maturity.
That will be a focal point of his value for the Grizzlies.
Morant will miss the season’s first 25 games after he was suspended for conduct detrimental to the league. Memphis had suspended Morant on May 14 after a video emerged on social media of the All-Star flashing a firearm.
In March, the league suspended Morant for eight games for a similar incident.
Rose averaged 5.6 points and 1.7 assists in 27 games this season in which he averaged just 12.5 minutes.
He should get an opportunity, at least early on during Morant’s suspension, to be part of the rotation for the contending Grizzlies.