On Friday afternoon, several reports came down the wire stating that Cavs point guard Derrick Rose has decided to leave the team for the purpose of “re-evaluating his future in the NBA.” After hearing the news, Denver Nuggets guard Will “The Thrill” Barton, a former Memphis Tigers stand-out just like Rose, decided to reach out for support.
“DROSE…..No matter what u decide i just hope u find a good space to be in. Legend 4ever in my eyes. Keep pushing homie”
As most hoops fans know, Rose, now 29 years of age, has dealt with a myriad of injuries over the course of his career. At one time, experts and analysts mentioned his name in the same breathe as LeBron James — and for good reason. This season, though, the crafty ball-handler sustained yet another injury: an ankle sprain, which has left his status (sort of) up in the air going forward. Earlier this week, Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue stated that Rose would miss at least two more weeks.
One source with knowledge of the situation told ESPN that Rose is “tired of being hurt and it’s taking a toll on him mentally.”
Rose, who signed a veteran’s minimum deal with the Cavs during the offseason, is averaging 14.3 points on 47 percent shooting (23.1 percent from beyond the arc), 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists. If he does choose to step away from basketball, he would be giving up $70 million dollars in endorsements through Adidas.
Though their depth has taken a hit through the early stages of this season, the Cavs, winners of six straight games, will just have to remain focused on the task at hand.