Derrick Rose happily steps aside for Kemba Walker

In the view of Derrick Rose, there’s no debate or battle over the starting point guard position.

It belongs to Kemba Walker.

“He’s starting,” Rose said, then repeated it for emphasis.

It was certainly an expected development after the Knicks signed Walker in free agency this summer, but Rose had a claim to the spot after his rejuvenated campaign last season. Rose, after all, was arguably the Knicks best player in the postseason series against the Hawks, and was rewarded with a three-year, $43 million pact.

The 32-year-old signed before learning that Walker was also joining, then quickly fell in line with a plan to feature a hometown hero.

“I’m on Year 14,” Rose said. “I’m appreciative to be here. He’s a starter. Coming in, he has a lot to prove being from New York. You have to give him the stage, being that he’s from [the Bronx]. You have to give him the opportunity. It’s not nothing fighting for a spot. My job is to fill in, whatever the case may be. But I just have to stay ready.”

The Rose-Walker combo is among the many keys to the Knicks’ success this season, along with Julius Randle sustaining his 2021 greatness, RJ Barrett continuing to progress and Evan Fournier fitting as Reggie Bullock’s replacement. It’s hard to pick the most significant.

But if there’s a reason to hope the Knicks can rise above last season’s success, it’s probably Walker’s arrival. The 31-year-old carries the upside of a four-time All-Star, essentially replacing a negative last season at point guard — Elfrid Payton was benched in the playoffs and signed with the Suns.

But Walker also carries his balky knee history and the potential for injuries or days off. In Boston last season, for instance, he didn’t play in back-to-back games. In New York, he’s adopting a wait-and-see approach with the knee pain.

“That was all the Celtics plan last year. They already had that mapped out for me to not play back to backs,” Walker said. “We’re just going to go, playing, see how I feel, game-by-game. ... I’m not going to just say I’m not playing back to backs. That’s not the deal. Just see how I feel.”

With his knee in mind, Walker said he spent the offseason developing his leg muscles for support. He’s happy with the results.

“That’s been my main focus, my legs,” he said. “I think it’s worked out pretty well for me thus far.”

Rose has his own history of knee problems and minutes restrictions, but successfully carried a heavy load last season while averaging 15 points and shooting a career-high 39% on three-point shots. His comfort with Tom Thibodeau fueled a desire to return to the Knicks, but fell off the grid in the summer and let his agent and brother handle free agency.

Rose said his decision to disconnect for family time was hastened by his girlfriend breaking his cellphone.

“She ended up washing my cellphone. She did it on purpose, Rose said laughing. “Nah, but my phone broke. And I kinda got some clarity through it, where I kinda disconnected. You spend so much time with your teammates that your family kinda comes second, and I wanted to reverse that.

“This was the first time I’d given my family my undivided attention like that,” Rose continued. “I felt like it was worth it. I got a lot out of it. And I feel like my family felt my presence more than anything, so it was great.”

When Rose resurfaced to the digital world, he was returning to the Knicks and understanding of his role next to Walker.

“I’m not worried about minutes or playing time or anything like that,” Rose said.