NEW YORK (AFP) – Derrick Rose, the youngest player to win the NBA Most Valuable Player award when he took the trophy in 2011, is talking over a one-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, ESPN reported Thursday.
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, which beat Cleveland in two of their three NBA Finals matchups over the past three seasons.
The offer to Rose from Cleveland is a minimum contract for $2.1 million, according to ESPN.
If Rose joined the Cavaliers, it would mean that between them, Golden State and Cleveland would have every NBA MVP from 2009 through 2016.
Cavs 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 the 2015 and 2016 MVP. Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook won this year’s MVP award last month.
Rose, the top pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by hometown club Chicago, has met with several teams this month, including Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Clippers.
