Former Bulls star Derrick Rose, whose future seemed so bright when he won the NBA MVP Award after the 2010-11 season, has left the Cavaliers and is considering retirement.
Rose, who turned 29 on Oct. 4, has been in contact with team officials and is “seriously re-evaluating” his future in the NBA, ESPN reported.
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After signing with the Cavaliers, the injury-prone Rose was seeking a chance to reinvent himself as the dominant point guard he once was.
But that hasn’t happened. The Chicago native has played in only seven of the Cavaliers’ 18 games. He sat out the last seven with a sprained ankle and was fitted for a walking boot last week.
ESPN, citing anonymous sources, reported that Rose is getting frustrated with his injuries, which are making him reconsider his desire to play.
“He’s tired of being hurt, and it’s taking a toll on him mentally,” one source said.
Rose has six years and nearly $70 million left on the contract he signed with Adidas in 2012. That contract would be voided if Rose retires.
Rose can’t seem to catch a break. Since tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament in the first game of the 2012 playoffs, Rose hasn’t been able to stay healthy. He has had four knee surgeries and more than 20 injuries that have sidelined him.
Most recently, Rose rolled his ankle Oct. 20 after landing awkwardly following a flagrant foul by the Bucks’ Greg Monroe. Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said Rose would be out for at least two weeks.
“Just a jacked-up ankle,” Rose told ESPN at the time before putting on a walking boot. “I’m just trying to figure it out, bro. Right now, it’s just a jacked-up ankle. Just sore. I’m getting a lot of treatment for it, and tonight will be my first time wearing a boot. So I’ll wear this for I don’t know how long to see how it helps.”
Rose is averaging 14.3 points and shooting 47 percent from the field this season.
Last season with the Knicks, Rose was fined and forced to apologize after going MIA on a game day. He said he needed to be with his family.
“It had nothing to do with the team or basketball,” Rose said at the time. “That’s the first time I ever felt like that emotionally, and I had to be with my family.”
Follow me on Twitter @madkenney.
Email: mkenney@suntimes.com
