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Former NBA Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose is in serious talks with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a one-year deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst. The deal would put Rose as Kyrie Irving’s backup and place him alongside four-time MVP and three-time NBA champion LeBron James.
Derrick Rose is in serious talks with the Cavs on a 1-year deal, sources tell @wojespn and me.
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) July 20, 2017
In an interesting twist, the Los Angeles Lakers are also interested in Rose’s services as a free agent. He could potentially join Magic Johnson’s cast of young, athletic players, including rookie Lonzo Ball, and wings Brandon Ingram and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Cavaliers have been aware of pending Rose meeting with Lakers, sources say. Lakers want to make a case over Cavs. https://t.co/xDoNfXQRqQ
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 20, 2017
Rose was traded last summer from the Bulls to the Knicks, where he averaged 18 points and 4.4 assists for a New York team that ended the season 30-52. Over his career, he averaged 19 points and 6.5 assists. He has since entered unrestricted free agency and had reportedly made contact with the Milwaukee Bucks.
When healthy, Rose showed shades of the electrifying 21-year-old point guard who took the league by storm and won 2011 MVP. But the 28-year-old guard battled nagging back injuries before a partially torn meniscus in early April shut a fruitless Knicks season down.
The Cavaliers needed to find a way to bolster their bench in order to compete with the Warriors and Celtics, who landed Gordon Hayward in free agency. Rose adds another layer to a lineup that crushed the East last season on a near unblemished trip to the NBA Final