Cavaliers Notes: Sanders, James, Liggins, Williams
LeBron James would endorse the signing of free agent center Larry Sanders to improve the Cavaliers’ bench, writes Marla Ridenour of The Akron Beacon Journal. A story broke Friday that Cleveland was in “serious discussions” with the former Buck, who hasn’t played in the league since the 2014/15 season. The Cavs need a rim protector after losing Andrew Bogut to a broken leg in his first game with the team. Sanders is only 28 and had talks about joining the organization before Bogut became available. “An athletic big guy, incredible shot-blocking skills, anticipation around the rim, can finish around the rim and block shots and being able to guard perimeter guys as well,” James said. “… It looks like he wants another opportunity and hopefully if we’re the team, hopefully we give him an opportunity. Why not? Everyone deserves a second chance and it looks like he wants to get back to playing the game he loves and hopefully this is his destination.”
There’s more this morning out of Cleveland:
- The Cavs chose defense over offense when they decided to keep DeAndre Liggins instead of Jordan McRae, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. McRae, a second-year guard, was waived March 1 to create a roster spot for Bogut. Cleveland believes Liggins is more useful because he can match up with Isaiah Thomas, John Wall, Kyle Lowry or Stephen Curry in a playoff series. In addition, Vardon says some people in the organization questioned McRae’s work ethic.
- Kyle Korver will be out of action for about a week with a recurring foot injury, Vardon writes in a separate story. Tests this week showed inflammation of a tendon, which is an injury that has affected Korver before. Coach Tyronn Lue said Korver will be re-evaluated “in a few days.”
- Deron Williams continues to look like he will play a major role in the postseason, relays Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. The backup point guard, who signed with the Cavaliers after agreeing to a buyout with Dallas, posted 10 points and four assists in 25 minutes Saturday in a win over Orlando. “That’s perfect for our team, and he’s able to learn the sets on the fly,” James said. “He’s putting us in position, and every game he’s getting an opportunity to get his legs back up underneath him because he didn’t play much before the All-Star break. And then you have the break, which is another week, and then I think he took like another week after that. So he’s using these games to get back into game mode and game shape, and it’s helping him every time out.”
Cavs, Larry Sanders “In Serious Discussions Toward A Deal”
The Cavs are nearing a deal with free agent center Larry Sanders, Sam Amico of Fox Sports reports. While there are still obstacles to be cleared before a deal is complete, the Cavs have an obvious need for a big man following Andrew Bogut‘s season-ending injury. Following Bogut’s injury, David Aldridge of TNT speculated the Cavs could ramp up their pursuit of Sanders (Twitter link).
For a signing to be completed, the Cavs would need to release Bogut. If all goes as planned, Amico notes, a deal could be reached by Monday (Twitter link).
[RELATED: Cavaliers Plan To Waive Andrew Bogut]
Shams Charania of The Vertical corroborated Amico’s report, writing that Sanders and the Cavs are “in serious discussions toward a deal.” Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders shed further light on the potential signing, claiming Sanders was initially Cleveland’s backup plan at the five. The team opted to sign the more experienced Bogut, who received just one minute of court time before suffering a fractured tibia.
Alex Kennedy of Hoops Hype reported that no deal is imminent for the Cavs, as a decision will likely be made following their road trip. Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com concurred, observing that if a signing were to take place, Sanders wouldn’t be a part of this current road trip.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN gave a measured assessment of negotiations, claiming the Cavs are in talks with several players for Bogut’s roster spot. Sanders playfully foreshadowed his return earlier today, tweeting “Looks like Ima need my goggles back.”
If Sanders signs with the Cavs, he’ll be eligible to play in the postseason. In fact, no current free agent is ineligible for the playoffs, since no one has been waived since March 1 — Bogut would be the first player to fit that bill, assuming his release is made official.
J.R. Smith To Return To Cavs’ Lineup Thursday
J.R. Smith, who has been sidelined since December 20 with a fractured right thumb, will return to action tonight against the Pistons. According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, Smith will be on an undisclosed minutes restriction (link).
Smith was listed as questionable in the days leading up to Thursday’s match-up. The 31-year-old woke up under the weather and was not at shootaround this morning, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (link). Smith, who signed a four-year, $57MM contract over the offseason, has had an abbreviated 2016/17 campaign. Through 21 games, J.R. has averaged 8.6 points while shooting 36.2% from beyond the arc.
Smith confirmed his return with a video on Uninterrupted (Twitter link).
“I am officially back. I will be playing tonight against the Detroit Pistons.” Smith said. “It’s been a good process…thankfully, it’s over. I get back to doing what I love to do more than anything. See you guys tonight at the Palace.”
Cavaliers Plan To Waive Andrew Bogut
As expected, Andrew Bogut‘s stint with the Cavaliers will end after just 58 seconds of game action. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net report that Cleveland intends to waive Bogut soon in order to open up a spot on the team’s 15-man roster. The team figures to fill that roster opening with another player, despite the luxury tax ramifications.
Early in his first appearance as a Cavalier, Bogut went down with a leg injury that was later diagnosed as a broken tibia. The Cavaliers issued a press release today announcing that Bogut wouldn’t require surgery to repair the injury. However, the club ruled him out for the rest of the regular season and the postseason, suggesting that he should be recovered in time to participate in an NBA training camp. Per McMenamin, the former No. 1 overall pick intends to rehabilitate his leg injury in his native Australia.
The Cavs had hoped to lean on Bogut for size, rim protection, rebounding, and veteran experience down the stretch and in the playoffs. Now, the they’ll have to look elsewhere for a 15th man. According to McMenamin, Cleveland is more likely to target a specific free agent and make an offer than to hold another audition for several free agents.
If the Cavs look to sign another big man, veterans like Anderson Varejao, Larry Sanders, Kendrick Perkins, Jared Sullinger, Carl Landry, and Luis Scola are among the names on the free agent market. If Cleveland is willing to go after a player with less experience, D-League standouts such as Walter Tavares, Keith Benson, and Eric Moreland could also be options.
According to McMenamin, the Cavs will likely make an adjustment to their roster after their upcoming road trip. The team will play in Detroit on Thursday, Orlando in Saturday, and Houston on Sunday. Although Bogut is out, the Cavs will likely get some reinforcements during that trip — J.R. Smith, out since December with a broken thumb, has been cleared to practice fully, and is listed as questionable for Thursday’s game.
The Cavs will take a financial hit by paying Bogut’s remaining salary and potentially adding another salary to their books, with tax penalties multiplying those charges. However, the cost won’t be exorbitant. As of today, a minimum salary deal for the rest of the season would count for about $208K on a team’s cap — the Cavs would also be on the hook for an extra tax payment of about $519K for such a deal.
J.R. Smith Cleared For Full Practice
- J.R. Smith, who hasn’t played since December due to a broken thumb, has been cleared to resume full practice, and is listed as questionable for Thursday’s game in Detroit, the Cavaliers announced today in a press release.
Andrew Bogut Fractures Tibia, Out For Season
MARCH 8: Bogut’s tibia has been set and he is undergoing non-surgical treatment on the injury, the Cavaliers announced today in a press release. As expected, the veteran center will be sidelined for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs, though he’s expected to complete his recovery in advance of training camp.
MARCH 6: Andrew Bogut suffered a fractured left tibia during the second quarter of Cleveland’s match-up with Miami. Per the team’s official website, Bogut was taken to the Cleveland Clinic for further imaging and evaluation (link). As Bobby Marks of The Vertical points out, while the Cavs could release Bogut to create an extra roster spot, they’ll still be on the hook for his salary.
The injury is a terrible stroke of luck for Bogut, who was making his team debut. With the addition of Bogut and Deron Williams, the Cavs had recruited highly sought-after veteran presence as they prepared to enter the postseason. While Bogut had weighed signing with the Rockets or Celtics, the Australian big man felt he had the best chance at a title in Cleveland.
If the Cavs opt to part ways with Bogut, there are a number of big men they could pursue in free agency. Jared Sullinger, Luis Scola, Omri Casspi, and Mike Scott are all playoff eligible. Additionally, the team’s interest in Larry Sanders could heat up, as David Aldridge of TNT speculates (Twitter link). Sanders is playoff eligible, as he hasn’t been waived this season.
Bogut Injury A Sign Of Trouble In Cleveland
- The Cavaliers are in danger, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, more so now that Andrew Bogut has broken his leg and will miss the remainder of the 2016/17 season. Injuries, coupled with upcoming road games, general fatigue and lingering defensive woes could spell trouble for the squad, he writes.
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 3/7/17
Here are the D-League transactions from today:
- The Cavaliers have assigned guard Kay Felder to their D-League affiliate, according to a press release on the team’s official website. The rookie has averaged 30.6 points per game in seven matchups with the Canton Charge so far this season.
- The Clippers have assigned rookie Brice Johnson to the D-League for the first time this season, Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times tweets. Johnson has seen action in only one NBA game this season.
Poll: 2017 NBA MVP Race
In addition to being one of 2017’s most entertaining games – and a potential playoff preview – the matchup between the Rockets and Spurs on Monday night may have represented a turning point in the 2017 NBA MVP race.
For most of the season, James Harden and Russell Westbrook have been viewed as the frontrunners for the award, for good reason. Harden ranks third in the league in scoring and first in assists, while Westbrook is vying to becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double over the course of a full season.
On Monday night though, Harden squared off with Kawhi Leonard, who has flown under the radar for much of the 2016/17 campaign. Leonard proved in the Spurs’ dramatic win over Houston that he deserves to be in the discussion with Harden, Westbrook, and the rest of this year’s contenders for MVP. Leonard’s incredible 39-point night – his fourth straight game of 30+ points – was capped by a last-minute sequence that saw him hit a go-ahead three at one end of the court, then block Harden’s layup attempt at the other end.
While the MVP buzz for Leonard is growing, and Harden and Westbrook remain excellent candidates, it’s not just a three-man race. Over in the Eastern Conference, LeBron James is having one of his best seasons for the Cavaliers (No. 1 seed), Isaiah Thomas is averaging nearly 30 points per game for the Celtics (No. 2), and John Wall has established new career highs in PPG (22.6) and APG (10.8) for the Wizards (No. 3).
Even Kevin Durant, who is currently out with a knee injury, deserves a look — he has been more efficient than ever in Golden State, making 53.7% of his shots this season for the Warriors, though his injury will likely take him out of the running.
What do you think? We’ve still got more than a month left in the 2016/17 season, so things could certainly change in the coming weeks. But if the season ended today, who would be your choice for 2017’s NBA MVP? Vote in our poll, and weigh in below in the comments section with your thoughts.
Who is your current pick for 2017's NBA MVP?
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Russell Westbrook (Thunder) 28% (1,082)
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Isaiah Thomas (Celtics) 22% (846)
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Kawhi Leonard (Spurs) 19% (736)
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James Harden (Rockets) 16% (630)
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LeBron James (Cavaliers) 12% (464)
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Someone else 2% (84)
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John Wall (Wizards) 2% (74)
Total votes: 3,916
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
And-Ones: Officiating Changes, BIG3, D-League
David Aldridge of TNT explored changes NBA referees will face in the future, as well as modifications that have already been implemented. One change that has been met with praise, Aldridge writes, is postgame feedback coaches can write regarding a referee’s performance. Mavs coach Rick Carlisle called the addition “very valuable,” adding “Constant feedback in essentially real time throughout the season keeps everyone current.” Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry concurred: “I have used it, and it’s good to be able to send in comments about the game so quickly.”
The league has also used four (or five) man referee crews at the D-League level, citing the benefits of “having an extra set of eyes on the floor.” Long Island Nets coach Ronald Nored was neutral toward having extra officials.
“It gave us a very open and low-pressure environment to experiment with it,” Nored said. “From a coaching standpoint, to be honest, there was nothing that stuck out in my mind where I would say it was a bad system or there was something negative.”
More from around the game…
- Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau appreciates the NBA’s efforts to improve officiating. “Ours is a hard game to officiate, it really is,” Thibodeau told Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. “Our players are so good, it’s hard to see in real time. A lot of it is judgment. … It’s a tough job. We feel the game is in a great place, but you’re always looking for ways to improve the game.”
- Chris Reichert of The Step Back listed the top prospects still available in the D-League. Reichert excluded prospects still under team control, such as Dakari Johnson and Abdel Nader. Reichert names Pierre Jackson the most “electric” player of the season, and compared Jalen Jones to JaMychal Green of the Grizzlies. Reichert’s #9 pick, Jordan Crawford, was signed to a 10-day contract by the Pelicans today.
- The BIG3 announced their next round of players set to enter the draft: Josh Childress, Reggie Evans, Larry Hughes, Ivan Johnson, and Brian Scalabrine (press release). Of the recent additions, Evans holds the most recent NBA experience; appearing in 47 games for the 2014/15 Kings. Childress played recent NBA basketball as well, playing four games with the Pelicans in 2013/14.
- The NBA won’t discipline J.R. Smith for getting into a verbal altercation with Rodney McGruder and Dion Waiters after a recent loss. What’s more, the Cavaliers won’t fine Smith for the post-game incident. Per Dave McMenamin of ESPN, Smith “took umbrage with a late dunk by McGruder over Channing Frye that McGruder punctuated by pushing Frye in the back.”