Given the Cleveland Cavaliers' current roster setup, the team is reportedly looking to acquire a backup point guard who could offer support to its starters Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert. Although it is not yet clear which player the team is interested in getting, this could be the New York Knicks' Derrick Rose.
The reigning NBA champions are about to enter the 2016-2017 season with a lot of talent on their lineup. However, due to the present condition of its guards, the team feels it needs to add a backup player to the roster.
For one, Jordan McRae's contract with the Cavs is about to expire. Also, since he's coming from a surgery for his left knee, the Cleveland organization can't expect him to play for long minutes. Also, during this week's preseason finale, the Cavs pulled out Irving due to a tightness in his calf. To avoid aggravating this condition, the Cavs will most likely limit his playing time once the regular season begins.
This could ultimately mean that the Cavs might have to look for an experience point guard who can serve as a backup for the main players. Although rookie Kay Felder was expected to take on this responsibility, the team feels that he's not yet ready to serve as a backup to Irving.
If the Cavs will resort to a trade, one possible candidate is Rose. Earlier this week, Rose has been allowed to play after he was cleared from his rape charges. This means the Knicks will be able to enter the regular season with the former Chicago Bulls star.
Although New York fans are hoping to see Rose return to his former star-player status with the Knicks, there's also a chance that he might end up being a disappointing player, just like his last years with the Bulls.
The Knicks could avoid this problem by trading Rose to Cleveland. Being a backup point guard could also be good for Rose since this could make him less prone to getting injured, which was the main reason why his performance in Chicago waned.
With him in the lineup, the Cavs will be able to gain a very reliable backup guard who has the experience to take on Irving or Smith's minutes.
