Latest On Carmelo Anthony
Knicks president Phil Jackson didn’t mince words when addressing his long-simmering dispute with Carmelo Anthony in a press conference Friday. Making his intentions clear to end their relationship, Jackson said, “I think the direction with our team, he’ll be better off somewhere else.”
The problem is that there’s no easy way for a break-up to occur. Anthony is under contract for $26,243,760 next season and $27,928,140 in 2018/19 with an early termination option. There is also a 15% trade kicker that must be paid by whatever team acquires him, along with a no-trade clause that Anthony can use to block any deal he doesn’t like.
With that in mind, several NBA writers have taken a look at where Anthony might wind up:
- Anthony has three options for the offseason, writes Tom Ziller of SBNation. He can waive the no-trade clause and accept a deal, although Ziller says he shouldn’t feel obligated to do so just because Jackson wants him gone. He can submit a list of teams that he would agree to be traded to, which would presumably include joining friends LeBron James with the Cavaliers, Chris Paul with the Clippers or Dwyane Wade with the Bulls. Or he can make a stand and tell the Knicks that he won’t leave until his contract expires. Ziller favors the last option, noting that Anthony likes being in New York and has earned the power he obtained through the no-trade clause.
- The Cavaliers, Clippers and Celtics, whom the Knicks reportedly contacted about moving Anthony before the February deadline, are listed as possible destinations by The New York Post, along with the Heat and Wizards.
- Miami may have interest in Anthony, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel, who notes that team president Pat Riley pursued the Knicks star in free agency three years ago. With more than $25MM expected to be freed in cap space once the Chris Bosh situation is resolved, Miami could add Anthony with a simple trade, and Winderman suggests Justise Winslow as a possibility. However, that would leave the team unable to re-sign James Johnson and Dion Waiters.
- The Bulls “will steer completely clear of whatever Carmelo does,” predicts Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. In a video posted on CSNChicago.com, Friedell suggests that if Anthony had come to Chicago three seasons ago, Tom Thibideau probably would have been kept as coach and current Knicks Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah would still be with the Bulls.
Edy Tavares Is Game Ready
The Eastern Conference playoff matchups are set. The Celtics take home the No. 1 seed and will play the Bulls (8) in the opening round. The Cavaliers (2) will take on the Pacers (7). The Raptors (3) will clash with the Bucks (6) and the Wizards (4) will battle the Hawks (5).
- The Cavaliers swapped Edy Tavares for Larry Sanders because they felt Tavares was “more game ready,” Sam Amico of Amico Hoops relays (Twitter feed). It was reported yesterday that Cleveland and Sanders mutually parted because he would not have made the rotation. Tavares had 10 rebounds and six blocks in his debut with the team tonight.
Cavs Waive Larry Sanders, Sign Edy Tavares
APRIL 12, 3:05pm: The Cavaliers have officially signed Tavares, the team announced today in a press release. With the signing of Jones now official too, Cleveland’s roster is back up to the maximum 15 players.
APRIL 12, 8:39am: The Cavaliers have officially waived Sanders, according to a press release issued by the team. With 13 players now on their roster, the Cavs have cleared the way to sign Tavares and Jones, as noted below. Those deals figure to be made official later today.
APRIL 11, 9:06pm: The Cavaliers will waive Larry Sanders and sign Edy Tavares, according to Sham Charania of The Vertical. The scribe adds that Cleveland had no issues with Sanders during his time with the team and the two sides mutually decided to part ways since there were no plans to add him to the rotation.
Bobby Marks of The Vertical (Twitter links) notes that Cavs were able to waive Sanders because his contract was not expiring. Earlier this week, the Pistons were unable to complete the transaction of waiving Beno Udrih because every team would not have the opportunity to claim him on waivers. Sanders contract runs through the end of next season, though had it expired this season, the Cavs would not have been able to waive him.
Cleveland will have a busy day on Wednesday, signing both Tavares and Dahntay Jones. The team opted up a roster spot for Jones earlier this week when it waived DeAndre Liggins.
Tavares is a 7”3” center who played 12 games for the Hawks this season. He has been a key member of the Raptors 905, Toronto’s affiliate, during their D-League playoff run.
Cavaliers Sign Dahntay Jones
APRIL 12: The Cavaliers have officially signed Jones, the team announced today in a press release.
APRIL 9: The Cavaliers will sign Dahntay Jones with their newly-opened roster spot, tweets Chris Reichert of The Step Back. Jones, who last saw NBA action with Cleveland in 2015/16, was waived by the Cavs back in October and has been an NBA free agent since then.
Earlier today, the club waived defensive-minded shooting guard DeAndre Liggins. In place of Liggins, the Cavs will welcome Jones’ toughness and experience as the postseason approaches.
This move looks similar to one Cleveland made at the end of the 2015/16 season. The Cavs signed Jones on April 13 last year, just before the regular season ended. After playing 42 minutes and scoring 13 points in the Cavs’ final regular season game, the veteran swingman went on to appear in 15 playoff games for the team.
Jones hasn’t been a consistent part of a team’s rotation since the 2012/13 campaign, which he split with the Hawks and Mavs.
Mavs Claim DeAndre Liggins Off Waivers
The Mavs have claimed DeAndre Liggins off waivers, Shams Charania of The Vertical reports (via Twitter). Liggins was waived by the Cavaliers on Sunday.
In Liggins the Mavs get a journeyman two-guard most known for his defense. He played in 59 contest for the reigning champion Cavaliers this season, starting 19 of them at one point while filling in for an injured J.R. Smith.
On the season, Liggins has averaged 2.4 points in 12.3 minutes per game. His deal, Charania notes, isn’t guaranteed for the 2017/18 campaign. Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News adds that there’s a team option on Liggins’ deal, so the Mavs will get the opportunity to choose whether they’d like to keep him on board.
By claiming Liggins, the Mavericks will save the Cavs $2.5MM in luxury tax, Bobby Marks of The Vertical tweets. That means, as we relayed at the time of Liggins’ release, the 28 other teams that are below the luxury tax will receive roughly $44K less in tax distribution.
The Mavs were the only team with a roster spot open at this point in the season.
Worth noting is that Dallas claiming Liggins precludes them from signing recently retired Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo to a one-day deal, as had been speculated.
Though the Pro Bowler will still be honored during the Mavs’ final home game, he’ll be ineligible to see any official court time. Sure, the Mavs had previously said that Romo wouldn’t actually play, but now it’s outright forbidden.
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 4/10/17
Here are Monday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
2:14pm:
- The Rockets have sent rookie forward Kyle Wiltjer back to the D-League, the team announced today (via Twitter). As noted below, Wiltjer was recalled to Houston earlier today, but it appears it was just for practice purposes. By rejoining the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Wiltjer will get a chance to play in the team’s playoff game tonight against the L.A. D-Fenders.
- According to RealGM’s transactions log, the Celtics have assigned Jordan Mickey to the Maine Red Claws, the Lakers have assigned David Nwaba to the L.A. D-Fenders, and the Pelicans have sent Axel Toupane to the Raptors 905. Mickey and Nwaba will be in action tonight, while Toupane’s team is awaiting the winner of the Maine/Fort Wayne series.
1:25pm:
- The Cavaliers have recalled rookie guard Kay Felder from the D-League, the team announced today in a press release. The Canton Charge’s season came to an end over the weekend, so Felder would’ve likely been back with the Cavs either way, but it’s worth noting that he could see some action for Cleveland tonight, with Kyrie Irving and LeBron James among the regulars expected to rest.
- The Rockets have recalled forward Kyle Wiltjer from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, according to the team (Twitter link). Houston has the No. 3 seed in the West locked up, so Wiltjer could get some playing time this week if regulars rest. However, if he remains with the Rockets through tonight, the rookie sharpshooter would miss the Vipers’ deciding first-round game against the Los Angeles D-Fenders in the D-League playoffs.
Cavaliers Waive DeAndre Liggins
Cleveland has waived DeAndre Liggins, according to the team’s website. The Cavs’ roster now sits at 14 players.
If another team claims Liggins off waivers, it would save the Cavs approximately $2.5MM in luxury tax payments, per Bobby Marks of The Vertical (Twitter links). If that happens, each of the 28 teams below the tax line would receive roughly $44K less from the tax distribution than they would if Liggins went unclaimed. Marks notes that each of the 28 franchises is currently slated to receive $552K from the distribution.
The team plans on adding another player, though it hasn’t made a decision on who it will be, Jason Lloyd of The Athletic tweets. They must sign someone by Wednesday for the player to be playoff-eligible.
Liggins played in 61 games this season, starting 19 of them. He saw 12.3 minutes per contest and averaged 2.4 points per game.
Should The Cavaliers Rest Kyrie Irving?
- The Cavaliers should shut down Kyrie Irving for the rest of the regular season after his latest knee flare-up, contends Marla Ridenour of The Akron Beacon Journal. The star point guard reported pain Thursday in his left knee, which was surgically repaired after a kneecap fracture in the 2015 NBA Finals. Irving sat out a game last month with tightness in the knee, and Ridenour argues that the Cavs shouldn’t risk his health in pursuit of the top seed in the East. “I’m doing everything possible to take care of my body, I’ve got a clear conscience with that,” Irving said. “But also understand that sometimes it’s gonna hurt. And I gotta be able to deal with it.”
Heat Notes: Cap Space, Tyler Johnson, James, Wade
The Heat are looking at a potential salary crunch in the 2018 offseason, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. The NBA informed teams this week that the salary cap is projected to rise to $101MM next season, an increase of about $7MM, but will only go up to $102MM the following year. That’s a concern to the Heat because of the offer sheet they matched for Tyler Johnson last summer. Johnson’s cap hit will increase from $5.9MM next season to $19.2MM in 2018/19 and 2019/20. That will not only squeeze the Heat’s cap room next summer, it may affect their strategy for this offseason.
Miami expects to have roughly $36MM available once Chris Bosh‘s $25.3MM salary is removed for medical reasons. The Heat have $49.4MM committed to four players for next season, and Josh McRoberts has a $6MM player option that could push that figure to $55.4MM. In addition, there are team options that will probably be exercised on Josh Richardson, Rodney McGruder and Okaro White, which would increase the total salary to $59.5MM. Four cap holds will add $3.3MM, and possibly more depending on where the team drafts. Miami also has a $6.3MM team option on Wayne Ellington that could cut into cap space, as could the desire to keep free agents Dion Waiters and James Johnson.
Irving's Knee Flares Up; Williams Adapts To New Role; Jefferson Masters Asthma
- The Cavaliers may not be using free agent addition Deron Williams to his full potential but don’t fault them for it. Williams was the best and cheapest option available to the team when he was signed but often requires the ball in his hands to be his most dominant, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. For the most part, the Cavs would prefer to keep the ball in the hands of LeBron James or Irving.
- A flare-up in his surgically repaired left knee had Kyrie Irving limping off the floor in Friday night’s loss to the Hawks, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. “It just, I don’t want it to feel sore anymore but it’s just the realization of it,” the Cavaliers guard said. “I’m doing everything possible to take care of my body, I’ve got a clear conscience with that. But also understand that sometimes it’s gonna hurt. And I gotta be able to deal with it.”
- The Cavaliers may not be using free agent addition Deron Williams to his full potential but don’t fault them for it. Williams was the best and cheapest option available to the team when he was signed but often requires the ball in his hands to be his most dominant, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. For the most part, the Cavs would prefer to keep the ball in the hands of LeBron James or Irving.
- Veteran Cavaliers forward Richard Jefferson has struggled with asthma throughout his life and changes to how he combated the condition have led to his prolonged career, AJ Neuharth-Keusch of USA Today writes.