Pacific Notes: Paul, Walton, Chriss, Ranadive
The Clippers aren’t worried about a sprained left thumb that Chris Paul suffered Saturday in practice, according to Dan Woike of The Orange County Register. The All-Star point guard stood on the sidelines as the team practiced today, but his availability for the season opener isn’t in doubt. Paul has been listed as “day-to-day,” and coach Doc Rivers explained that he sat out practice as a precaution. “He’ll play in definitely one of the two [remaining preseason games], and that tells you it’s not that serious,” Rivers said.
There’s more news out of the Pacific Division:
- Warriors head coach Steve Kerr believes the Lakers are the only team that could have tempted Luke Walton to leave Golden State, writes Joey Ramirez of NBA.com. Walton spent two years on the Warriors’ bench and served as Kerr’s lead assistant last season. He accepted a five-year deal in May to take over in Los Angeles, where he spent the first eight seasons of his playing career. “He’s such a great guy,” Kerr said. “He’s become one of my best friends. We’re all gonna miss him, but we’re all happy for him. I know he wouldn’t have taken any other job but the Laker job to leave Golden State.”
- Marquese Chriss may be a 19-year-old rookie, but he is impressing his Suns teammates by standing up to veterans in preseason games, relays Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. His latest skirmish was with Mavericks’ center Andrew Bogut on Friday night. “’Quese has to show that he ain’t scared,” said Eric Bledsoe. “Once one of those players or a veteran player feels like he got fear in you, as a young player, it will ride you for the rest of your career. ‘Quese is setting the tone early.”
- Kings owner Vivek Ranadive has apologized to former executive Geoff Petrie for slighting his contributions to the organization in a recent interview, writes Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee. The apology was prompted by Petrie’s angry response after reading the two-part piece in USA Today. Voisin accuses both parties of engaging in revisionist history and contends the whole incident was unnecessary.
Offseason In Review: Cleveland Cavaliers
Over the next several weeks, Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the 2016 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s moves from the last several months and look ahead to what the 2016/17 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Free agent signings:
- LeBron James: Three years, $99.857MM. Third year player option.
- J.R. Smith: Four years, $57MM. Fourth year non-guaranteed. Official contract details not yet confirmed.
- Richard Jefferson: Three years, $7.613MM. Third year non-guaranteed.
- Chris Andersen: One year, minimum salary.
- James Jones: One year, minimum salary.
Camp invitees:
- Markel Brown: One year, minimum salary (summer contract)
- Toney Douglas: One year, minimum salary (summer contract). Waived.
- John Holland: One year, minimum salary (summer contract)
- Jonathan Holmes: One year, minimum salary (summer contract)
- Cory Jefferson: One year, minimum salary (summer contract)
- Dahntay Jones: One year, minimum salary (summer contract)
- DeAndre Liggins: Two years, minimum salary ($25K guaranteed)
- Eric Moreland: One year, minimum salary (summer contract). Waived
Trades:
- Acquired the draft rights to Kay Felder (No. 54 pick) from the Hawks in exchange for cash ($2.47MM).
- Acquired the draft rights to Albert Miralles from the Bucks in exchange for Matthew Dellavedova (sign-and-trade) and cash ($200K).
- Acquired Mike Dunleavy and the draft rights to Vladimir Veremeenko from the Bulls in exchange for the draft rights to Albert Miralles.
- Acquired the draft rights to Chu Chu Maduabum from the Sixers in exchange for Sasha Kaun and cash.
Draft picks:
- 2-54: Kay Felder. Signed for three years, minimum salary. Second year partially guaranteed. Third year team option.
Departing players:
Other offseason news:
- Signed head coach Tyronn Lue to a five-year extension reportedly worth $35MM.
- Reportedly have interest in Kevin Garnett as assistant coach.
- Iman Shumpert arrested for DUI.
- Named Nate Reinking coach of D-League affiliate Canton Charge.
Check out our salary cap snapshot for the Cleveland Cavaliers right here.
The band is finally back together in Cleveland, although there’s not much rehearsal time before the season starts.
The Cavaliers brought back the final piece of their championship puzzle Friday when J.R. Smith ended his long standoff by agreeing to a contract with $45MM guaranteed over the first three seasons. A fourth year at about $12MM will become guaranteed if he remains on the Cavs’ roster at the end of the 2018/19 season.
Smith has been an indispensable member of the team’s backcourt since coming to Cleveland in a trade with the Knicks in January of 2015. He averaged 11.5 points per game and shot 43% from 3-point range during last season’s playoff run. During the season, Smith started all 77 games in which he played and averaged 12.4 points per night.
Getting Smith under contract solidifies one backcourt position, but uncertainty remains at point guard. Kyrie Irving has become one of the league’s best players and added to his legend with the winning shot in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. But it’s uncertain who will be backing him up after Matthew Dellavedova was shipped to Milwaukee in a sign-and-trade over the summer.
Veteran Toney Douglas was waived Saturday after Smith was signed, and Jordan McRae has been pulled from the competition because head coach Tyronn Lue wants him to concentrate on being a shooting guard. Rookie Kay Felder has been sharing reserve duties in the preseason with DeAndre Liggins, so that arrangement will probably continue once the season starts.
Veteran Mo Williams, who played 41 games for the Cavs last season, told the team late last month that he plans to retire, and he had surgery on his left knee three days ago. However, Williams hasn’t filed retirement papers with the league and he still has a spot on the Cavaliers’ roster. The team plans to monitor his progress in case he decides to play again. Williams would receive his full $2.2MM salary if Cleveland waives him, and buyout talks have produced little progress.
After winning his third NBA title in June, LeBron James reached another milestone in August as a new three-year, $99.857MM contract made him the league’s highest-paid player for the first time. His $33MM salary in 2017/18 will be the largest in NBA history.
It’s a fitting reward for a player who led the Cavs to the first championship in their 45-year history. James is coming off another brilliant year, averaging 25.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game during the regular season and raising those numbers to 26.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 7.6 assists in the playoffs.
Cleveland also re-signed veteran small forward Richard Jefferson for three years at $7.613MM, with the third season non-guaranteed. The 36-year-old initially announced his retirement while the Cavaliers celebrated their championship, but he changed his mind as the summer wore on.
Another important re-signing was Lue, who led the Cavs to the title after taking over as head coach when David Blatt was fired in January. Lue received a five-year extension believed to be worth $35MM.
The Cavs reached offseason agreements with two of James’ teammates from his days in Miami, re-signing James Jones for one year at a veteran’s minimum salary and giving a similar deal to center Chris Andersen. Cleveland had a need for center help after losing Timofey Mozgov to the Lakers in free agency and trading Sasha Kaun to the Sixers. Andersen appeared in just seven games for the Heat and 20 for the Grizzlies last season.
Cleveland picked up another veteran when the Bulls had to unload Mike Dunleavy Jr.‘s salary to create enough cap room to sign Dwyane Wade. The Cavs swung a trade that brought Dunleavy from Chicago for virtually nothing in return, giving them another potent 3-point shooter to help stretch defenses.
The championship helped to quiet trade speculation surrounding Kevin Love, who appears to be set as the power forward for years to come. Complaints that Love wasn’t a good fit alongside James and Irving have been following him ever since he was acquired from Minnesota in a 2014 deal. Love turned in a strong playoff performance, averaging 14.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game after missing most of the 2015 playoff run with a shoulder injury. A report last month said the Cavaliers stopped listening to trade offers for Love in the middle of the season.
Draft night was quiet in Cleveland except for a deal with the Hawks that brought in Felder, the 54th pick, in exchange for cash considerations. A speedy 5’9″ sparkplug, Felder impressed the Cavs during summer league and was signed to a three-year contract.
The last-minute addition of Smith means the Cavaliers will have a very familiar look as they try to defend their NBA title. Dellavedova, Mozgov and Wiliams are the only significant losses from last year, and the additions of Dunleavy and Andersen will help offset those, along with a full season from Channing Frye, who was acquired from Orlando at February’s trade deadline.
The Cavs make have to tweak the roster a little bit if Felder doesn’t work out as the reserve point guard, but they enter the season as very heavy favorites to tear through the East again and return to the NBA Finals. The Big Three of James, Irving and Love will always be in the spotlight in Cleveland, but owner Dan Gilbert has proven that he will spend big to put a dangerous team around them.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Kings Demand Meeting After Lawson Misses Flight
Ty Lawson‘s future with the Kings may be in jeopardy after missing a flight to Saturday’s game in Kentucky, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. It’s the latest off-court incident for the point guard, who also reportedly showed up late for a shootaround in Las Vegas this week.
Team officials will meet with Lawson to hear his explanation, but it appears they are growing tired of the incidents already. Stein hears that there was considerable disagreement within the organization about signing Lawson, so the team may not be willing to overlook these latest transgressions.
Lawson has a long history of behavioral problems, including four DUIs that resulted in two suspensions last season. The Kings officially said he missed Saturday’s game for “personal reasons.”
Sacramento signed Lawson to a one-year, non-guaranteed deal in late August. He was seen as a veteran backup for Darren Collison and an emergency fill-in while Collison served his suspension in a domestic assault case, which turned out to be eight games. Last month, the Kings signed veteran point guard Jordan Farmar, who would presumably take over Lawson’s role if he is released.
Lawson was traded from the Nuggets to the Rockets last summer, but was waived in midseason because of poor production. He signed with the Pacers through the end of the season, but got few offers in free agency.
The Kings had been supportive of Lawson before this week’s incidents, Stein notes, with coach Dave Joerger saying, “He has good leadership qualities. You can tell why he’s been a winner.”
Hoops Links: Winslow, Pacers, Wolves
Every Sunday, we link to some of the very best work from around the basketball blogosphere. Do you have a link to a great basketball blog post – either your own or someone else’s – that you want to see featured on Hoops Rumors? Then you should send it to us at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s rundown …
- The Hardwood Nation runs down the positives and negatives with a preview of the Heat.
- Big Three Sports recaps the moves made in the offseason by teams in the Pacific Division.
- Completely Biased Sports offers an idea on expanding the league and reducing the season.
- The Jump Ball details why this is an important season for Justise Winslow‘s development.
- Indy Cornrows discusses what the Pacers have to do to contend in the Eastern Conference.
- Canis Hoopus wonders what the Wolves’ offense will look like under Tom Thibodeau.
- Raptors HQ notes another high workload could mean in a profile of Kyle Lowry.
- Posting and Toasting considers how many more young Knicks players will head to the D-League.
Please send submissions for Hoops Links to Will at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.
Mavs Waive Jameel Warney
The Mavs waived power forward Jameel Warney Sunday, the team announced in an emailed press release.
Warney went undrafted earlier this year out of Stony Brook. The Mavs signed him in late July. He played in three preseason games for the Mavericks, averaging 4.0 points and 2.7 rebounds in 9.2 minutes per contest. It would not be surprising to see Warney find a spot on a D-League roster.
This is the Mavs’ first cut and their roster is still at 19 players, so more are on the way. Warney played well in the summer league, leading Dallas in field goal percentage and averaging 6.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.0 block in 16.5 minutes per contest. He finished his career at Stony Brook as the school’s all-time leader in points (2,132), rebounds (1,275), blocks (275) and games (135).
Rockets Waive Isaiah Taylor
The Rockets waived guard Isaiah Taylor on Sunday, the team announced via Twitter.
Taylor, who is 6’3,” played in three preseason games for the Rockets. He played only five minutes in Saturday’s double overtime loss to Memphis. The Rockets will take a $50K hit for waiving Taylor, as Bobby Marks of The Vertical notes (on Twitter). Houston’s roster is now at 18 players.
The former Texas guard had agreed to a partially-guaranteed contract with the Rockets in September. Taylor was ranked as the No. 67 prospect for last summer’s draft by Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com. He went undrafted after averaging 15 points and 5.0 assists per game in his final season at Texas.
Eastern Notes: MCW, Smith, Terry
The Pistons are in need of point guard help, but the team never called the Bucks about acquiring Michael Carter-Williams, Jake Fischer of SI.com reports (Twitter link). Milwaukee reportedly will send MCW to the Bulls.
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Ish Smith has no hard feelings toward the Sixers, as Jessica Camerato of Comcast Sportsnet relays. “No, no, no, no, no,” Smith said of the possibility of ill feelings. “Everything was perfect. [My new deal] was done quick. I’m excited and I’m very, very happy about the decision. … Believe me, the city, I love the city here. I love the fans, they’ve been great. But you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.” Smith signed a three year, $18MM deal with the Pistons during the offseason.
- Smith and Brett Brown have kept in touch and the Sixers coach remains a big fan of the point guard, Camerato adds in the same piece. “He’s got such an infectious personality. He’s really got charisma,” Brown said. “His mood never changed. He just was so solid in himself and had a bounce and a spirit and was happy. Just a wonderful teammate and just a real joy to coach.”
- New addition Jason Terry believes the Bucks have a chance to do great things this season, as he explains on NBA TV (Twitter link). “We are young and dangerous at the core, but we have veteran experience… sky is the limit,” Terry said.
Poll: Northwest Division Winner
The TrailBlazers are the favorites to win the Northwest division this season, but it’s far from a certain outcome. Just a year ago, Portland was expected to be a lottery team after losing four starters, but the team overachieved, winning 44 games and beating an injury-riddled Clippers squad in the playoffs en route to a second round playoff series loss to the Warriors. Portland aggressively pursued high-priced, impact players in free agency and ended up adding Evan Turner on an expensive, four year, $70MM deal. Turner is a perplexing addition for a team that already had wing depth, but his presence should provide insurance of sorts in case of an injury. Turner will also give the team more flexibility with its line-up decisions, as Arthur Hill of Hoops Rumors writes in the team’s Offseason In Review. The Blazers’ depth should keep them from sliding too far down the standings, but they remain a strong candidate to regress.
The Thunder had the worst offseason of any team, as Eddie Scarito of Hoops Rumors details in the team’s Offseason In Review. Losing Kevin Durant hurts, but Oklahoma City’s roster is not barren. This team can easily go 10-12 players deep on most nights and Russell Westbrook shifting from running-mate to Commander In Chief with a solid supporting cast should be not only fun to watch, but also enough to keep the team in contention for the division crown.
The Wolves arguably have the best young core in all of basketball. They appear to be a year or two away from making major noise in the conference, as I discussed in the team’s Offseason In Review. However, coach/executive Tom Thibodeau is going to get the most out of this roster and if Kris Dunn is able to hit the ground running, Minnesota could exceed expectations.
Denver lurks as a potential playoff team this season. The Nuggets’ success hinges on Emmanuel Mudiay taking the next step and proving he can be a franchise point guard. The franchise is likely a season away from reaching its playoff goal, as Scarito writes in the team’s Offseason In Review. Nevertheless, this team will be frisky on a nightly basis with its depth giving opposing teams trouble.
The Jazz are in position to take a major step forward. The addition of George Hill is an underrated move and his presence, along with 35-year-old Joe Johnson and 34-year-old Boris Diaw, will provide this team with veteran leadership, as Dana Gauruder of Hoops Rumors notes in the team’s Offseason in Review. The Jazz have the talent to compete with any team in the league and they are my personal pick to win this division. Despite the injury to Gordon Hayward, I envision this team winning over 50 games and earning a top-4 seed in the Western Conference.
Do you think the Jazz will be atop this division at the end of the season or will another team take home the crown? Don’t limit yourself to a simple button click. Take to the comments section below and share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say!
Sixers Notes: Rodriguez, Embiid, Okafor
The Sixers should maintain their patient approach and not look to acquire high priced veterans in order to produce more wins immediately, Derek Bodner of Philadelphia Magazine argues. Bodner believes the team shouldn’t react to Jerryd Bayless‘ injury by acquiring another veteran. Instead, it should take this season to figure out exactly what is has in Joel Embiid and the rest of its young talent.
Philadelphia was reportedly were interested in J.R. Smith before the guard re-signed with the Cavs. Philadelphia has the cap space and assets to make substantial moves, but Bodner cautions that the team shouldn’t make any deals that comprises its future flexibility.
Here’s more from Philadelphia:
- Sergio Rodriguez, who last played in the NBA during the 2009/10 season, hopes to play better this season than he did during his first stint in the league, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Rodriquez started for the Sixers during Saturday’s preseason games against Detroit and Brett Brown has high hopes for the 30-year-old. “He’s elusive in open court,” Brown said. “He’s got a feel. He’s slippery with his handle and his vision. So I want him to play more like he’s always played.”
- Embiid appeared to injure his right foot during Saturday’s preseason game, but fortunately, he was able to remain in the game. The 22-year-old doesn’t see it as an issue going forward, Pompey relays in the same piece. “I’m fine,” Embiid said. “I twisted it a little bit, but I’m fine.”
- While the team will remain cautious with Embiid going forward, the Cameroon native could play in both ends of back-to-backs this season, ESPN.com passes along. “There are some times just with normal aches and the other parts of his body that you pay attention. It’s still a 275-pound, 7-foot-2 man going up and down the court,” Brown said. “How about his motor, when he puts his mind to it? How about his lateral quickness, when he puts his mind to it? To get that stuff, just harder, longer, makes you think we have to take this course.”
- Jahlil Okafor has been sidelined since undergoing surgery back in March to repair a meniscus tear in his knee, but the big man should be ready to play opening night, according to that same report.
Northeast Notes: Harkless, Nurkic, Jokic, Sabonis
Maurice Harkless has played well enough this preseason to claim the Trail Blazers‘ starting small forward slot, contends Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. The 23-year-old Harkless re-signed with Portland this summer for four years at $40MM, but faces competition for the starter’s job from the re-signed Allen Crabbe and free agent addition Evan Turner. Coach Terry Stotts hasn’t named a starter yet, but Freeman believes Harkless’ defensive abilities and his chemistry with the other starters makes him the best choice. “Moe … just makes us versatile,” said Damian Lillard. “Being able to rebound the ball and push it, knock down threes, he can guard a bunch of positions, he changes the game in a different way.”
There’s more tonight out of the Northwest Division:
- While the rest of the league is getting smaller, the Nuggets may start two 7-footers on opening night, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. Jusuf Nurkic appears to have played well enough in preseason to earn the starting center job, with Nikola Jokic sliding over to power forward and Kenneth Faried moving to the bench. “It definitely is a herd mentality type of league,” said coach Michael Malone. “We’ve started two bigs together in (three) of our preseason games. We think that they can play well together because they are so skilled.”
- The Jazz may need time to adjust to roster changes and the return of Dante Exum from injury, warns Dustin Jensen of The Deseret News. Utah traded for George Hill and Boris Diaw, signed free agent Joe Johnson and welcomed back Dante Exum after a year away with a torn ACL. Add in the emergence of second-year forward Trey Lyles and the Jazz may need time to develop chemistry.
- Foul trouble is hampering rookie Domantas Sabonis as he bids for a starting job with the Thunder, writes Brett Dawson of The Oklahoman. Sabonis has started every preseason game for Oklahoma City, but is averaging 3.3 personal fouls per night. Coach Billy Donovan is confident that Sabonis will learn to adjust. “When you’re a guard, you’re pretty much guarding the ball,” Donovan said. “But when you’re behind the (perimeter) defense and the floor starts moving and guys start shifting, you got to be able to pick up those movements and figure out what’s getting ready to happen.”