Free agency doesn’t kick off until Friday, but NBA teams have wasted little time in making offseason splashes. The Knicks are one of those teams, and they acquired former MVP Derrick Rose in a trade with the Bulls, sending their starting center, Robin Lopez, to Chicago in the blockbuster trade.

It was an essential move for both teams, especially for Chicago, who was looking to get significant value for Rose, who has declined every year since winning MVP in 2012. The Knicks still believe that he’s a star player, and he’ll get a chance to prove it alongside Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis, but the Bulls have had enough with the injury-prone Rose, and continue to dismantle their team with hopes of either going into full rebuild mode, or building for the future around Jimmy Butler, a top 5 two-way player.

In the meantime, Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg appears to be pretty hyped to work with his new roster. Who wouldn’t be excited to work with Brook Lopez, right? He’s only one of the most offensively gifted centers in the league and a former lottery pick.

Oh, this is awkward. To Hoiberg’s credit, the two are twin brothers, but read that e-mail a little more closely next time Freddy.

June 27, 2016