CLEVELAND — Derrick Rose couldn’t help but admit his interest in rejoining the Knicks rose after Phil Jackson got canned. The feeling wasn’t mutual.

Entering Sunday’s match against the Knicks, Rose said he never had seen rookie Frank Ntilikina play and still hadn’t heard from the club.

After Jackson was let go, Knicks president Steve Mills and coach Jeff Hornacek didn’t view Rose as the best mentor for Ntilikina, according to sources.

By the time he could have been had for the $2.1 million veteran’s minimum, Rose wasn’t coming back to the rebuilding Knicks. His choice was clear: the Cavaliers. For one night, the teams reversed roles as the Knicks hammered the Cavs, 114-95, with Rose posting 15 points but also committing four turnovers.

Early in the process, Rose said he would have considered the Knicks, indicating Jackson’s departure meant the triangle was dead.

“I would’ve loved coming back,’’ Rose said. “I loved playing there — even though we lost — the city itself, the fans. And they made changes, Phil being gone — I would’ve loved to be a part of it.”

Rose is the Cavs’ starting point guard as Isaiah Thomas’ hip heals. He returned for Sunday’s Knicks game after missing the past four games with an ankle injury.

“From our side, we didn’t hear anything,’’ Rose said. “With us not hearing anything, we knew they were looking somewhere else when they drafted a point guard. We were on two different pages. At least I would’ve heard them out. They didn’t say anything.

“I was surprised any team didn’t reach out. I can’t take it personally. They’ll be able to see me shine here.”

Indeed, Rose has no regrets about Cleveland, who stumbled to a 1-3 record without him. LeBron James’ chat with Rose was the clincher.

“[He was] just saying he’d get me back where I need to be,” Rose said. “That’s all I needed to hear.”

Rose’s market value plummeted after his torn meniscus in April put a damper on a successful season in which he averaged 18 points and four assists in the triangle. On Sunday, Rose was presented the Knicks media’s good-guy award for his accessibility last season.

Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said he liked what he saw when Rose was with the Knicks.

“He still could get into the paint and get to the basket,” Lue said. “His pace and speed is good for this team. We need that juice and spark.”

Last week in Brooklyn, Rose told The Post he has “freedom” now. When asked about that, Hornacek didn’t disagree.

Last week in Brooklyn, Rose told The Post he has “freedom’’ now. When asked about that, Hornacek didn’t disagree.

“Derrick’s strength is that open court and pick-and-rolls, and that’s what Cleveland does,” Hornacek said.

Rose said he believes the Knicks coaching staff was following orders last season.

“I think that’s what coaching staff did last year — respect [Jackson’s] perspective and decisions to wanting them to play the triangle,” Rose said.

Hornacek stuck to a nine-man rotation Sunday.

“They’re a great team,” he said. “We didn’t want to take any chances.”

That meant Michael Beasley did not play. Neither did Willy Hernangomez, who faces his brother, Juancho Hernangomez, on Monday, when the Nuggets visit.

Hornacek said it’s too soon for Ntilikina to start, especially with his injuries. Ntilikina saw some time against Dwyane Wade and James and got beaten by both.

“If he earns that starting spot, fine,” Hornacek said. “But we have to keep an eye on him, with the little bumps and bruises that he has had, to not throw him to the wolves. We want to challenge him. And there’ll be times that he’s on some of these star guys, but we liked what he did [off the bench Friday].”

LeBron James didn’t seem fully engaged Sunday and even was tame in the postgame presser after his club became holders of a 3-4 record. While coach Tyronn Lue called it “unacceptable”, James pointed to the calendar, saying it’s just October.

One theory: Kyrie Irving left Cleveland partly because playing under James’ constant, browbeating wrath became too much. Maybe James has learned his lesson to ease up, especially in games prior to Halloween.