Quarter-season NBA Awards ballot: Philadelphia 76ers earning consideration

Sixth Man of the Year: Derrick Rose, Minnesota Timberwolves

2. Montrezl Harrell, Los Angeles Clippers 

3. Domantas Sabonis, Indiana Pacers

So, um, Derrick Rose looks like a good NBA player, which hasn’t been the case for some time now. The former MVP has reinvented his game, shooting 48.7 percent on 5.2 three-point attempts per game while maintaining his dynamism off the dribble.

He’s not the same athlete he was seven years ago, but Rose continues to strike the right balance between control and aggressiveness, something he struggled with in Chicago. He’s spry, crafty, and right now, a really solid scorer.

Averaging 18.4 points per game, Rose is currently the Timberwolves’ second-leading scorer behind Karl-Anthony Towns. He’s closing games, earning his minutes and, despite defensive shortcomings, a strong favorite for this award.

There are other solid candidates on more competitive teams — Montrezel Harrell, Domantas Sabonis, Lou Williams — but Rose’s production can’t go understated. He’s far from perfect and nowhere near his once-MVP form, but the 30-year-old carving out an NBA niche. That’s more than most expected coming into the season.