"Yes, I'm coming back," Rose said at the time. "I talked to [general manager] Zach [Kleiman], I talked to coach. ... This summer, it's all about attacking my rehabs, my workouts and continuing to be disciplined."
The 35-year-old had one year remaining on the two-year contract he signed with Memphis last offseason and was set to make $3.4 million during the 2024-25 season.
Rose was hindered by knee and hamstring injuries that limited him to 24 games in his first year with the Grizzlies. He never played more than five consecutive games during the season, but he said in April that he intended to return for a 17th NBA season, and he assumed he would've been doing so in Memphis.
In Rose's limited time on the court last season, he averaged 8.0 points, 1.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 16.6 minutes of action. In addition to Rose's time on the sidelines, the Grizzlies were ravaged by injuries to multiple key players including Ja Morant, Marcus Smart and Desmond Bane. Memphis finished 13th in the Western Conference with a 27-55 record.
If Rose chooses to continue his NBA career, he can still be a reliable floor general when healthy. Teams looking for a veteran presence would benefit from adding him to the locker room, and he could land with a contender that would help him chase the cham