Derrick Rose, the former NBA MVP, announced his retirement after a 16-season career, primarily with the Chicago Bulls, a key rival of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Over his career, he faced the Cavaliers 31 times in regular season games, averaging 17.3 points and 5.9 assists.

Rose briefly joined the Cavaliers in the 2017 offseason, playing 16 games during the 2017-18 season. He started seven games and averaged 9.8 points. His stint was marred by injuries, leading to a trade to the Utah Jazz in February 2018.