2017-2018 player preview: Derrick Rose

How will Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Derrick Rose fare next season?

Coming off of his best season since 2011-2012, where he averaged 18.0 points and 4.4 assists per game for the New York Knicks, Derrick Rose signed a one-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers to be their backup point guard.

That wasn’t always the plan for Rose, who angling for a max contract before finding that his extensive injury history, including the torn meniscus he suffered at the end of the season, was effecting his free agency. Now, Rose will use this deal to secure himself a nice contract next summer. Lucky for Rose, he may be in store for one of his best seasons yet.

Although he was expected to be a backup and fill the void behind Kyrie Irving, Irving requested a trade from the Cavs this summer and subsequently dealt to the Boston Celtics for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder and the Brooklyn Nets first-round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Thomas, though an extremely gifted offensive player, is expected to be out until at least December as he heals a torn labrum in his hip.

Now Rose is likely the Cavs starting point guard for the foreseeable future.

There should be no expectation for him to break through the teeth of opposing defenses to throw it down at the rim as he was likely to do prior to the 2012-2013 season. There’s no expectation for him to suddenly develop into the type of three-point shooter that not only made Kyrie Irving an all-around threat as a scorer but is en vogue with the current league trends.

However, Rose’s ability to attack the rim and open up space for shooters on the perimeter will fit perfectly with how the Cleveland Cavaliers want to run their offense.

Luckily for Rose, not only is he able to build chemistry with his teammates this offseason but there’s a synergy with James. Developing that bond and familiarity on the court early helps when the season starts and Rose is driving down the lane only to have a gargantuan center in front of him and an open passing lane. That’s also an area where James, the master of the skip pass, can help Rose: offensive awareness.

Rose has yet to play on a team or for a coach with a player that could teach him the finer points of being a point guard and recognizing the defense.

That’s not to say Rose is a poor passer either, as he’s averaged 6.0 assists per game despite being the primary scoring option for half of his career. He even averaged a career-high 7.9 assists per game in the 2011-2012 season. However, without the threat of a three-point shot he’ll need to utilize drive-and-kicks to keep the Cavs launching the ball from deep.

It certainly wouldn’t hurt to enhance his court vision with James’ tutelage.

In any case, Rose’s strength will be attacking the paint. Fourth in the league in points per game from drives (8.2 points per game), Rose has never lost his ability to make acrobatic finishes around the rim look routine.

38.9 percent of Rose’s offense came as a pick-and-roll ball-handler last season, where he was superb at getting to the rim using his change of speeds and finishing using his strong frame and ability to make circus shots. As a result, he made 55.7 percent of his shots around the rim last season.

Making 43.2 percent of his shots from 10-16 feet away from the rim and 45.7 percent of his shots 16-24 away from the rim only enhanced his potency in the pick-and-roll where he was in the 74th percentile as a ball-handler. Interestingly, his midrange efficiency was only slightly above his career averages from those ranges.

With the Cavs, Rose will have a bevy of big men to screen for him that can linger behind the three-point line to give him space to attack the rim. However, Tristan Thompson is such a solid screener and is growing his game as a roller, utilizing an efficient if unsightly push shot in the short roll if he doesn’t get a dunk or opportunity to pass out to a shooter.

As a screener, Thompson will give Rose space he needs to get to the rim, though Rose will have to attack the rim quickly after turning the corner. If Rose can’t get all the way to the rim, the Cavs should hope his midrange efficiency doesn’t leave him.

Using LeBron James as a screener, especially if the King retains his three-point stroke from last season, will be interesting. Both are capable of finishing efficiently at the rim and forcing the switch would allow Rose to take on slower matchups, which could boost his opportunities and efficiency around the rim.

With 17.0 percent of Rose’s offense coming in transition, where he makes 57.9 percent of his field goals and scores 1.11 points per possession, the Cavs see another area where Rose will look to be aggressive in getting to the rim. If Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue indeed wants to use Kevin Love as he was used in Minnesota, Lue should explore using Love and Rose in handoffs. With Love’s shooting touch making him such a threat from outside, Rose will be attacking the rim with one less big man – the same theory as if he was using Love as a screener in the pick-and-roll. Last season, Rose made 56.5 percent of his shots after receiving a handoff, placing him in the 80th percentile for that play type.

Where the offense will be different is isolation situations as Irving’s extraordinary scoring tools allowed him to be in the 95th percentile in iso. Rose’s lack of a solid three-point shot makes it even easier for defenders to guard him in isolation. As a result, Rose made 43.4 percent of his shots in iso but is more predictable than Irving in these situations.

More from Cavs Analysis

• The Cavaliers may have snagged a hidden gem in Craig Porter Jr.
• This stat is one to keep an eye on for Cavaliers’ Max Strus in years ahead
• Projecting how much Cavs’ 3 two-way signings might play this season
• 4 Cavaliers looking to make a name for themselves in training camp
• Mitchell’s numbers getting trimmed a bit wouldn’t be bad thing for Cavaliers

Rose’s defensive strengths mirror his offensive strengths. Rose is solid in pick-and-roll defense (71st percentile) though that may be due, in part, to the agility and defensive ability of Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle O’Quinn. To that point, Love and Thompson will need to execute their pick-and-roll defense as cleanly as possible and communicate with Rose. Rose’s size and experience will also help him navigate screens and contest opponents’ shots.

Rose can’t be expected to keep up with the best athletes at the point guard position, like Russell Westbrook or John Wall. However, he does put forth a solid defensive effort and executes a textbook defensive stance. Those factors, combined with his size and strength, allow him to guard wings on the perimeter when the matchup dictates him moving off-ball for the greater good of the team.

Next season will be one of intrigue for Rose and fans alike. In theory, he’ll be a complimentary third banana while James and Love handle the bulk of the scoring. However, he’ll have every opportunity to put up the same numbers as last season, this time for a championship contender.

Related Story: What is the Cavs ideal starting lineup for next season?

*Unless otherwise referenced, all stats gathered from www.basketball-reference.com.