Derrick Rose's Role on the Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland is in a tough situation right now.

Kyrie Irving has demanded a trade (and more importantly, he unfollowed LeBron on Instagram). 

The Cavaliers signed Derrick Rose, a former MVP, to a 1-year contract. Maybe they signed him to replace Kyrie, maybe it's just because they needed another point guard.

In this article, I'm going to be discussing all of the potential roles that Derrick Rose can play for Cleveland, based on how well he performs next season and also on his health.

The Alpha Dog

The only way this can happen is if LeBron James has a season-ending injury and Rose returns to MVP form. So basically, it's just not going to happen.

Probability: 0.001%

The Sidekick (The Second Option)

For the past few seasons, Kyrie has been the second option for Cleveland after LeBron. 

With Kyrie leaving, can Derrick Rose step up as the starting point guard and the second option?

This means that Rose will have to step up every time LeBron has bad games, he'll have to run the offense at times, and will have to be a prominent scorer. Basically, everything Kyrie has done for the Cavaliers since LeBron signed with them.

Now, the answer to this question is based on a few factors:

First of all, Derrick Rose will only start if the Cavaliers trade Kyrie for a player who is not a point guard (such as Carmelo Anthony). If this happens, Derrick Rose would automatically be the best option at point guard for Cleveland.

Second of all, Rose would only be "The Sidekick" if he outplays the player(s) that Cleveland trades for (and Kevin Love, unless Love is traded).

Third of all, Rose must stay healthy to be a real asset for Cleveland. This is obvious, but Rose's injuries were what prevented him from continuing to perform at an MVP level.

Now, Rose being Cleveland's second option is unlikely unless he plays at a very high level (Rose has not averaged over 20+ points per game since the 2011-12 NBA Season).

However, it would be awesome to see him come back and play like an All-Star, which would be beneficial for Cleveland as well.

Basically, at best, assuming he outplays Love (if he stays) and whoever Kyrie gets traded for, stays healthy, and starts, then Rose will be Cleveland's second option.

Frankly though, I don't really see this happening.

Probability: 9.999% 

The Third Option

Now, we don't know if Cleveland plans to trade Love along with Irving. We don't even know who Kyrie is going to get traded for.

Assuming that the Cavaliers keep Love, Derrick Rose has to outplay him to become the third option (after LeBron and whoever the Cavaliers trade for). Also, to be the third option, Derrick Rose has to start, so again, he would only be the third option if Cleveland trades for a player who is not a point guard.

The reason I keep mentioning this is because many of the possible trade scenarios that Kyrie has been mentioned in involve point guards, from Eric Bledsoe to Goran Dragic. If Cleveland trades for a point guard like, Rose will likely come off the bench.

So if Cleveland trades Kyrie for a non-point guard (someone like Carmelo), then Rose would have to step up as the third option. 

Now, during Kyrie's time in Cleveland, he has been someone who can create shots off the dribble and score on his own, but he was Cleveland's second option.

As the third option, Rose wouldn't have to focus on scoring so much, but rather on running the offense and playing defense, and basically contributing in any way he can. Essentially, Rose would have to do anything Cleveland needs him to do.

A great example of a third option is Klay Thompson. When the Warriors need him to score, he can score. When they need him to play defense, he can definitely play defense. 

Now obviously, Klay is a shooting guard and his job is to score. But that's not what I mean. He does what the Warriors need him to do. For example, when Durant and Curry were handling the scoring in the NBA Finals, Klay didn't need to play a significant offensive role, and stepped up on the defensive end.

If Rose does end up starting for Cleveland and is their third option, the Cavaliers can't play like they did this year (LeBron carries the team and controls the offense, and when he doesn't step it up, nobody does). Instead, each player needs to contribute, whether this means bringing up the ball and passing, crashing the boards, or simply scoring.

If Rose can take some of the load off of LeBron when it comes to running the floor, that would be beneficial for Cleveland.

I'm not sure if Rose will end up being the third option, mainly because most of the Kyrie trades involve Cleveland receiving a point guard. Also, if they keep Kevin Love and manage to trade Kyrie for someone like Carmelo, then Love would probably be their third option.

Probability: 20%

The Point Guard & Fourth Option

Now, if the Cavaliers keep Love and trade Kyrie for another star (who isn't a point guard), then Derrick Rose would be the fourth option (unless of course, he plays at a very high level).

If Rose was the fourth option, he'd be playing a role similar to Mario Chalmers on the 2012-13 Heat team. After Miami's Big 3 of LeBron, Wade, and Bosh, Chalmers was the fourth option. LeBron and Wade ran the offense most of the time, so Chalmers wasn't necessarily the main ball-handler. Basically, Chalmers didn't have a defined role; he scored when Miami needed him to, played some decent defense, and handled the ball when necessary.

However, Rose would still have potential to be an important contributor. If LeBron, Love, and whoever the Cavaliers trade Kyrie for can play well together, Rose would become a potent threat to the opposing defense.

For instance, the Warriors have 4 stars on their team, causing the defense to focus on the superstars (Durant and Curry), which causes the other options (Klay and Draymond) to be less focused on, allowing them to get easy points.

If LeBron James continues to play at a high level, Kevin Love steps up his game, and the Cavaliers trade for a non-point guard who plays well, then Rose would have some additional opportunities to score.

In my opinion, if the Cavaliers trade Kyrie for another star who isn't a point guard, Rose has a high chance at being the starting point guard and potentially the fourth option.

Probability: 25%


The Sixth Man

Now this is a scenario that I like.

If the Cavaliers are going to give up Kyrie Irving, they're going to want to receive a point guard like Eric Bledsoe in exchange. If this happens, then Rose would come off the bench, potentially as the Sixth Man.

I like this role for Derrick Rose because it gives him a chance to run an offense and play a significant role for the Cavaliers. In an offense where LeBron is dominant, Rose would have his chance to control the offense off the bench. Rose is a prominent scorer, and if he doesn't have LeBron and Love to give the ball to and has the keys to the offense, he can be something special for Cleveland.

Last season, when Rose was not the main option and instead played alongside Porzingis and Carmelo, he had his career-low assists per game. I think if Rose has to control the bench unit, he will also post improved passing numbers.

Overall, my favorite spot for Derrick Rose in the Cleveland Rotation would be Sixth Man, because I think he'd be most effective off the bench.

Probability: 30%


The Benchwarmer

Rose would be a simple bench player if the Cavaliers acquire a point guard and if he doesn't perform at a high level as the backup point guard.

I think Derrick Rose is a valuable asset to Cleveland who will either lead the bench unit or potentially even start, depending on the Kyrie Irving trade.

Rose would only become a "benchwarmer" if he proves that he's not capable of starting and/or being the Sixth Man/backup point guard, and I don't see that happening. I think this is Rose's chance for redemption, and if he doesn't start, he'll be an awesome backup point guard.

Probability: 10%


Injured Reserve

Now, I'm really hoping this doesn't happen, because I really want to see how Rose can play with LeBron and the Cavaliers, but it's always a possibility.

Probability: 5%



Derrick Rose's role with Cleveland will largely be determined by the Kyrie Irving trade (if you'd like to see a few potential trades for Irving, click here).

Honestly, Derrick Rose is a wild card for the Cavaliers, and it will be interesting to see how he plays with LeBron and the rest of the team.

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Credits

Statistics: https://www.basketball-reference.com/

Derrick Rose Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/keithallison/3315708788

(Image Author: Keith Allison, Hanover, MD, USA); (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en); No changes were made to the original image. I, in no way, intend to endorse or claim the material of Image Author Keith Allison as my own; I am simply a user.

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