Report: Derrick Rose leaves Cavs, future in NBA in question
By Joe Romano
The Cleveland Cavaliers have struggled so far into this NBA season. Now their starting point guard has left the team.
Derrick Rose signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers this summer but is not with the team currently. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN has reported that Rose has left the team and is questioning his future in the league.
Rose was the darling of the NBA after getting drafted first overall by his hometown Chicago Bulls in 2008. He later went on to win the MVP with the team in 2010-11 season. The following season Rose tore his ACL in the first round of the playoffs. He has not been the same player since. Wojnarowski is reporting that the injuries are taking a toll on Rose.
Story with @mcten filed to ESPN: Cavaliers guard Derrick Rose is away from team and evaluating his future in basketball, league sources tell ESPN. Story soon on site.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 24, 2017
As one Cavaliers source tells ESPN about Rose: "He's tired of being hurt and it's taking a toll on him mentally."
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 24, 2017
It sounds like Rose is ready to hang it up. It would be a big blow to an already reeling Cavaliers team. The Rose acquisition was intended to help secure a second unit that struggled mightily last season. Once the Kyrie Irving trade occurred and Cleveland acquired Isiah Thomas, Rose was thrust into the starting lineup. He struggled to mesh with LeBron James and the Cavaliers starters.
While the team awaited the arrival of their newly acquired All-Star in Thomas, Rose struggled to run the point. He was averaging career-low in points and assists. It was odd to see a former MVP averaging less than two assists per game while playing almost 27 minutes.
Rose injured his ankle on Oct. 20 in a game vs. the Milwaukee Bucks and was expected to miss only a few weeks. These new reports from Wojnarowski point that this injury could push Rose out of the NBA. It’s understandable given the fact that Rose has averaged less than 50 games per season after missing the entire campaign after he tore his ACL.
As someone who enjoyed Rose at his peak, and was hoping he would get back there this news is saddening. The mental and physical burden has weighed him down and we may have seen the last of the former MVP.