Derrick Rose is the latest ex-Knicks player to take a shot at his former team, saying he prefers playing for the Cleveland Cavs much more than New York. 

Former NBA MVP and number one draft pick Rose left the Knicks for the Cavs as a free agent on a one-year deal during the offseason.

Rose only spent a season in New York, averaging 18 points and 4.4 assists per game, before joining LeBron James at the Cavs.

"There was no freedom [with the Knicks]," Rose told The New York Post. "Here I got freedom."

The 29-year-old has been out for the last three games with an ankle injury, but in his two games on the court, he was slashing to the basket and making plays.

Rose is averaging 13.5 points and three rebounds per game through two games with Cleveland.

He attributes much of that to how his new head coach – Tyronn Lue - is willing to let him improvise rather than making him play in the exact confines of a system.

"Coach Lue and the team have been doing a great job of letting me play the way that I want to play," Rose said. "So I can't complain at all."

Without Rose on the court in the last three games, the Cavaliers are 1-2, losing to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday and the Orlando Magic.

James has been manning the point guard spot for Cleveland in Rose's absence and proved to be dominant, averaging 28.3 points and 9.3 assists. However, the Cavs star will more than welcome back his team-mate.

When he gets back to the court, Rose is looking forward to doing "whatever I want" in the Cavs' offence. 

"That's how I wanted to play last year," Rose said. "But that never happened."