LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Free agent point guard Derrick Rose was scheduled to meet with Cavaliers executives on Monday to discuss a possible deal to bring him to Cleveland, United States media reported.
Rose, the youngest player to win the NBA Most Valuable Player award when he took the trophy in 2011, has been in talks on a one-year, $2.1 million minimum deal with the Cavaliers, ESPN reported last Thursday.
Those negotiations may have taken on added urgency in the wake of reports that 25-year-old guard Kyrie Irving has requested a trade from Cleveland.
ESPN and Cleveland.com reported that Rose was meeting on Monday with new Cavs general manager Koby Altman and other officials in Ohio.
He met with the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.
The oft-injured 28-year-old point guard would add a backcourt spark for the Cavaliers as they try to mount a tougher challenge to Golden State.
The Cavs reached the NBA finals each of the past three seasons, falling to the Warriors in 2015, capturing the trophy over the Warriors in 2016, and falling again to Golden State this season.
If Rose joined the Cavaliers, it would mean that between them Golden State and Cleveland would have every NBA MVP from 2009 through 2016.
Cavaliers star LeBron James won the award in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013.
Golden State forward Kevin Durant won it in 2014 while with Oklahoma City, and Warriors guard Stephen Curry was MVP in 2015 and 2016.
Irving reportedly no longer wishes to play alongside James after being teammates with the superstar for three seasons and would like to join a team where he could be more of a focal point.
Rose averaged 18 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 64 games for the New York Knicks last season. He was acquired in a trade with the Chicago Bulls, but the 2016-17 season ended in another injury as Rose hit free agency for the first time.
Rose’s time with the Bulls was marred by a series of knee injuries, the first of them torn left knee ligaments in the opening game of the 2012 playoffs.
He missed the entire 2012-13 season and played less than a month into the 2013-14 campaign before a season-ending right knee injury. He missed 20 games in the 2014-15 season after another right knee operation.
© Agence France-Presse