Derrick Rose is away from the Cavs and ‘evaluating his future in basketball’ after injury, per report

As Derrick Rose battles yet another leg injury during the latest chapter of his basketball career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Dave McMenamin report the veteran guard is away from the team and “evaluating his future in basketball.”

It is unclear whether Rose will return to the team, according to ESPN, and there is “growing uncertainty inside and outside the franchise” about that.

The news comes as a surprise after Rose told SB Nation he was happy in late October, but this was before he had suffered an injury.

“He’s tired of being hurt and it’s taking a toll on him mentally,” a source told ESPN.

Rose injured his ankle in an Oct. 20 matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks and missed the next four games. He then returned to play five games for Cleveland before being immobilized in a walking boot, according to NBA.com. He has not played since Nov. 7, missing the team’s past seven games.

“Just a jacked-up ankle,” Rose told ESPN before putting on the walking boot. “I’m just trying to figure it out, bro. Right now, it’s just a jacked-up ankle. Just sore. I’m getting a lot of treatment for it, and tonight will be my first time wearing a boot. So I’ll wear this, for I don’t know how long, to see how it helps.”

His ankle is the latest in a devastating slew of injuries that derailed the career of the 2011 NBA Most Valuable Player, the youngest player to ever claim the award.

The Cavaliers signed Rose as a free agent this summer, and he was expected to start in place of Isaiah Thomas, whose hip injury is expected to keep him off the floor until late December or early January.

But Rose hasn’t been healthy. In the seven games he has played, he is averaging 14.3 points on 47 percent shooting, 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists. While Cleveland has an 11-7 record, the reigning Eastern Conference champions have struggled without firepower at the point guard position.