The Cleveland Cavaliers made a slew of moves to improve the roster this past summer, which included the signing of former All-Star guard Derrick Rose on a one-year, $2.1 million deal.

It hasn’t taken long for the 28-year-old to make a strong impression on his new teammates as big man Tristan Thompson voiced much praise toward the former league MVP.

“He looked very good in Santa Barbara, and I’m just happy for him. I feel like we got a steal. And especially looking at his numbers, and looking at how he played last year with the Knicks. They had so much going on, but if you look at his game film, and what he was able to do. He can still play at a high level. I’m glad to have him on our team.”

It is quite an encouraging sign given that Rose is coming off his fourth knee surgery in his first nine years in the league. The fact that he’s performing well in a team setting could bode well for Derrick Rose putting together a strong first campaign with the Cavs in a prominent role.

The 2011 MVP may not be the player he once was due to the series of knee injuries, but he has certainly proven to be worth well beyond the $2.1 million salary that he’s set to make this upcoming season. In many ways, he is taking a big bet on himself to prove that he is deserving of a lucrative long-term deal next offseason.

Rose will have a chance to prove that from the get-go as he’s expected to take a starting role through the first couple of months to start the season with All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas sidelined with a hip injury.