Report: LeBron 'invested' in helping Rose secure big contract

Derrick Rose will be the starting point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers as Isaiah Thomas recovers from his injured hip, giving him ample opportunity to audition for potential suitors next summer when he hits free agency once again.

His new teammate LeBron James is particularly "invested" in Rose's career, and is seemingly ready to help the former MVP secure a big payday, said ESPN's Dave McMenamin during an appearance on "The Jump" Wednesday afternoon.

Last season with the New York Knicks, Rose made a cool $21 million, with the hope being that he'd eventually procure a $150-million max contract on the open market.

Unfortunately, offers coming his way were few and far between, with Rose eventually signing with the reigning Eastern Conference champs on a one-year contract for the veteran's minimum of $2.1 million - his lowest yearly salary since he made $4.8 million as a rookie in 2008-09 with the Chicago Bulls.

While only 28 years old, Rose's body is that of a grizzled veteran who has gone through his fair share of battles. He tore his ACL in 2012, has dealt with hamstring, ankle, back, and foot issues, and has undergone three surgeries on his meniscus. Rose also went MIA for a stretch with the Knicks due to a family issue, and was later fined for not informing the team of his absence ahead of time.

He and James kept the lines of communication open leading up to his signing, with the two reportedly having a mutual admiration for one another. James even tweeted "Let's Rock G!!" shortly after the news of Rose's arrival came out.

Across 64 appearances in a Knicks uniform, Rose averaged his most points since 2011-12 at 18 per game on 47.1 percent shooting, along with 3.8 boards and 4.4 dimes in 32.5 minutes.