The Los Angeles Lakers are waiting patiently to round out the final slots on their roster, and unrestricted free agent point guard Derrick Rose may be getting closer to his decision. Rose is set to meet with Cleveland Cavaliers officials in Ohio sometime Monday, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
The Cavaliers are offering a one-year, $2.1 million contract to the former NBA Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year, only able to sign him to a veteran’s minimum contract. That hasn’t stopped Rose from being interested, however, as the guard is “leaning toward” joining the Cavaliers, according to Wojnarowski.
The Lakers met with Rose for approximately three hours last Thursday, making their case to come be the veteran presence the front office is seeking to help guide Lonzo Ball through his rookie season. They can offer an exception to Rose in the ballpark of $4.3 million, slightly higher than the offer from Cleveland.
The Cavaliers may be offering something very different to Rose, though, with news that Kyrie Irving has asked for a trade out of Cleveland. Rose could end up playing a much larger role if Irving is shipped, which may be appealing as he’d be a key piece in Cleveland’s pursuit of a championship.
Rose’s decision may be the domino the Lakers are waiting on before they pivot another direction. The front office also met with free agent Ian Clark last Thursday, roping in his former coach Luke Walton into the discussion as well. Clark remains on the market and could be the next logical option for the Lakers to circle in on if Rose decides Cleveland’s calling his name.