Derrick Rose Reportedly Pursued Spurs, Clippers, Bucks Before Signing with Cavs

Derrick Rose is the newest member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the former NBA MVP initially tried to engage some of the top teams in the Western Conference in contract talks before signing with Cleveland. 

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the process Rose went through this offseason before eventually landing with the Cavaliers.

"Rose tried hard to get top Western Conference teams to sign him—the San Antonio Spurs, the L.A. Clippers—but those teams passed," he wrote. "Milwaukee Bucks head coach Jason Kidd had interest, but the Los Angeles Lakers and Cavaliers eventually made offers."

ESPN's Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburne reported last week the Lakers' pitch to Rose was based around their ability to offer him more money and playing time as the primary backup point guard to rookie Lonzo Ball. 

However, Rose's agent, B.J. Armstrong, told Wojnarowski why the Cavaliers won out in the negotiations:

"A one-year deal on a bad team to try and put up numbers—we did not want to entertain that way of thinking. Getting up every day to go to the gym to just try and put up numbers —that's not who he is. He didn't want to chase anything this summer other than, 'Hey, let's get around a group of guys who are like-minded, who are pursuing winning and be a part of that.'"

Rose ultimately received a one-year deal from the Cavaliers for $2.1 million, per ESPN's Chris Haynes. 

The Cavaliers have reached the NBA Finals in each of the last three seasons, winning an NBA title during the 2015-16 season. Rose has never played in the NBA Finals and has only played in the Eastern Conference Finals once in nine seasons.