Jimmy Butler Warned Not To Come To Cleveland?
2:38pm: A team source tells Amico Hoops that there’s no truth to the idea that members of the Cavs are telling Butler it’s in his best interest not to come to Cleveland.
11:28am: Several Cavaliers players have advised Bulls star Jimmy Butler to resist any trade to Cleveland, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.
Unidentified players, who had been encouraging Butler to seek a deal to the Cavs, are now telling him to stay away from the sudden chaos in the organization after the decision not to re-sign GM David Griffin.
Butler had planned to ask Bulls GM Gar Forman and VP of basketball operations John Paxson to find a way to get him to Cleveland, Cowley reports. However, he apparently changed his mind Tuesday afternoon after being contacted by a few Cavaliers.
There are no other teams that Butler wants to join, including the Celtics, according to Cowley, and Chicago’s front office has set an asking price so high that it makes a deal virtually impossible.
Dwyane Wade‘s decision on Tuesday to opt in next season for $23.8MM is also related to the situation in Cleveland, Cowley states. Because Wade is a close friend of LeBron James, he understands how angry James is about Griffin’s departure and knew that Butler is likely to remain a Bull.
Cowley also reports a likely breakup of “The Three Alphas” in Chicago, with Butler and Wade pushing for an alternative to Rajon Rondo. While they like Rondo personally, both stars would prefer a point guard who can shoot from the outside to help space the court.
Draft Notes: Jackson, Ball, Ntilikina, Smith
Kansas forward Josh Jackson wanted to work out for the Celtics after they traded for the No. 3 pick, but couldn’t work out the scheduling, tweets Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. The Celtics are reportedly deciding between Jackson and Duke forward Jayson Tatum if they decide to keep the pick, and Tatum held a workout in Boston on Monday.
Jackson added that he has spoken to Celtics rookie Jaylen Brown and believes they would form a good combination (Twitter link). The former Jayhawk also disputed a rumor that he refused to work out for the team unless he was promised Boston wouldn’t trade its pick (Twitter link).
There’s more as the top prospects met with the media today in New York:
- Lonzo Ball confirmed to reporters his only pre-draft meeting was with the Lakers, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com. Ball also believes L.A. traded D’Angelo Russell to open up a spot for him and he can see that “the Lakers have a plan.” He adds that the Lakers haven’t promised to take him, relays Adam Zagoria of Fanrag Sports (Twitter link), saying, “We’ll just find out tomorrow night.” Ball also explained why he turned down a session with the Celtics when they had the top pick, tweets Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. “If it’s either play for the hometown or go No. 1, I’d rather play for the hometown,” Ball said.
- Frank Ntilikina met with the Knicks front office today, including team president Phil Jackson, according to Ian Begley of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The French point guard, who is reportedly in strong consideration with New York’s No. 8 pick, said the team wanted to meet him in person.
- Dennis Smith Jr. also met with Jackson and the Knicks front office, Begley relays (Twitter link). The North Carolina State point guard believes he can be effective in the triangle offense.
- Indiana’s OG Anunoby said doctors have assured him that he can resume basketball activities by October or early November, according to Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link). Anunoby had surgery on his right knee after a season-ending injury in January.
- Arizona’s Lauri Markkanen was a Timberwolves fan growing up, and Minnesota was among the four teams he worked out for, Fischer tweets. The others were the Mavericks, Celtics and Magic, and he had a meeting with the Knicks.
- Gonzaga’s Zach Collins had private workouts with the Magic, Wolves, Kings, Mavericks and Suns, and a group session with the Lakers, Fischer relays (Twitter link).
- Duke’s Luke Kennard held individual workouts for the Lakers, Pistons, Knicks and Mavericks (Twitter link).
- The Nets and Bulls were among the teams to work out international big man Isaiah Hartenstein leading up to the draft, tweets David Pick.
Jazz Inquire About Patrick Beverley
The Jazz are among 12 teams that have contacted the Rockets about starting guard Patrick Beverley, writes Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune.
Sources tell Jones that Utah GM Dennis Lindsey is searching for a veteran point guard. Incumbent starter George Hill is a free agent and may not return to the team next season, although Jones hears that the Jazz will try to keep Hill even if they acquire Beverley.
While it may be trickier for the Jazz to land Beverley after July 1, the team would have plenty of flexibility to acquire him before the new league year begins. As our salary cap snapshot for Utah shows, the Jazz finished the season more than $13MM+ below the cap, which is more than enough room to accommodate Beverley’s $6MM salary. That cap room would disappear after July 1 due to pricey free agent cap holds.
The Rockets are reportedly trying to move Beverley, along with Ryan Anderson and Lou Williams to create cap space for a maximum offer to a top-level free agent.
Grizzlies Plan Minimum Offer For Tony Allen?
The Grizzlies aren’t prepared to offer veteran guard Tony Allen more than the veteran’s minimum this summer, tweets Peter Edmiston of WHBQ 87.7 in Memphis. His source is Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal, who was a guest on the radio show.
Allen, 35, has spent the past seven years in Memphis, where he has developed a reputation as one of the league’s best defenders. He appeared in 71 games this season, starting 66, and contributed 9.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals per night.
Allen just completed a four-year deal that paid him $20MM and could get offers well above the veteran’s minimum on the open market. If the report is true, he will have to decide whether he is willing to take a significant discount to remain with the Grizzlies.
Cavs, GM Griffin Part Ways; Gilbert Eyes Billups
JUNE 21, 12:15pm: Billups has a second meeting with the Cavaliers today, tweets Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com.
JUNE 19, 10:59pm: Billups will meet with Gilbert on Tuesday, Windhorst tweets.
8:41pm: Billups is the top target to become President of Basketball Operations, Wojnarowski tweets.
7:59pm: Gilbert didn’t consult with LeBron James on the decision to let Griffin leave, even though James stated Griffin should receive an extension, Windhorst tweets.
7:01pm: GM David Griffin and the Cavaliers will part ways, Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com tweets. Griffin, whose contract expires at the end of the month, was unable to reach an agreement for an extension. The club has issued a statement confirming that the two parties have mutually agreed that Griffin won’t remain with the organization, Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press tweets.
Griffin, who was making less than $2MM annually, met with Cavs owner Dan Gilbert last week. But the two sides were unable to come to terms. Griffin removed himself from consideration when it was clear that he and Gilbert weren’t on the same page regarding the team’s future plans, Dave McMenamin of ESPN tweets.
Former NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups, currently a commentator with ESPN, is expected to emerge as a candidate, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical tweets. Billups is a close friend of Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue, which might help Billups’ candidacy. Billups also has a relationship with Gilbert and will also be considered for the title of President of Basketball Operations, who will hire the GM, Wojnarowski adds in another tweet.
Griffin won’t be lacking for job offers as multiple teams will pursue him during the next round of GM openings, according to Wojnarowski. Trade talks were being hampered because of Griffin’s iffy status, Wojnarowski adds. (Twitter links).
Assistant GM Trent Redden is also losing his job, David Aldridge of NBA.com tweets.
The Cavs are pursuing complex blockbuster deals for either Pacers swingman Paul George and the Bulls’ Jimmy Butler. Griffin’s departure in the short run could hamper those efforts as Gilbert searches for Griffin’s replacement.
Paul George Trade May Not Happen Before The Draft
The Pacers have talked to several teams about trading star forward Paul George, but don’t feel pressured to complete a deal before Thursday’s draft, writes Nate Taylor of The Indianapolis Star.
Team president Kevin Pritchard has had discussions with the Rockets, Cavaliers and Lakers about moving George, and the Wizards and Clippers have also expressed interest. However, the Pacers haven’t liked any of the offers enough to move forward with a deal.
The Pacers are hoping trade offers will improve tomorrow afternoon in anticipation of the draft. However, George’s public statements about wanting to go to L.A. are limiting what teams are willing to part with.
A source told Taylor that the Pacers may decide to listen to offers all summer, and maybe into training camp, before making a deal. Another source speculated that George’s value will continue to drop the longer the Pacers wait.
After Tuesday’s trade with the Nets, the Lakers reportedly offered Indiana both the 27th and 28th pick along with their choice of Julius Randle or Jordan Clarkson in exchange for George. A source said the Pacers are holding out for a significantly better offer.
Another source said that George wouldn’t object to playing for the Pacers next season if no deal is completed.
Hawks Exploring Sign-And-Trade For Paul Millsap
11:49am: Tyson Chandler is a candidate to go to Atlanta if the Suns are part of a sign-and-trade for Millsap, tweets John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 in Phoenix.
11:09am: After trading Dwight Howard Tuesday, the Hawks are exploring their options involving free agent forward Paul Millsap, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com (hat tip to Slam Magazine). Windhorst said Atlanta has reached out to teams about a possible sign-and-trade, with the Suns, Kings and Nuggets all expressing interest.
New Hawks GM Travis Schlenk suggested last week that the team may not be willing to make a max offer to Millsap, who turned 32 in February. The Hawks can sign Millsap to a five-year deal worth about $205MM, while other teams are limited to four seasons and about $152MM.
Millsap is coming off his fourth straight All-Star season, averaging 18.1 points and 7.7 rebounds in 69 games. He made a little more than $20MM this season.
A Millsap deal would signal a full rebuilding job for the Hawks, who are on a string of 10 straight postseason appearances.
Draft Notes: Mitchell, Jackson, Tatum, Ferguson
Louisville guard Donovan Mitchell will hold a last-minute workout for the Knicks today, posts Ian Begley on ESPN Now. The sophomore out of Louisville, whose session was originally scheduled for Tuesday, is being considered with the No 8 pick, Begley adds, along with French point guard Frank Ntilikina, Kentucky guard Malik Monk, Arizona big man Lauri Markkanen and others. Team president Phil Jackson is intrigued by Mitchell’s defensive prowess and athleticism and likes the fact that he prefers to work out in a group setting to showcase his defense. Joining Mitchell today will be Villanova’s Josh Hart, Miami’s Davon Reed, Iowa State’s Naz Long and others.
There’s more draft news on the eve of the big event:
- The Celtics have received Josh Jackson‘s medical records, but the Kansas forward still refuses to work out for the team, tweets Chad Ford of ESPN.com. Boston appears to be leaning toward Duke’s Jayson Tatum with the No. 3 pick, Ford states, but no decision has been made.
- Ford still has Jackson as the third selection in his latest mock draft, which was released today. Markelle Fultz remains No. 1, followed by Lonzo Ball, with the rest of the top 10 as Tatum, Jonathan Isaac, De’Aaron Fox, Dennis Smith Jr., Monk, Zach Collins and Markkanen.
- Terrance Ferguson recently pulled out of workouts with the Pistons, Hawks and Bucks, tweets Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated. It’s possible that Ferguson received a draft promise from the Nuggets or Nets or he may have been responding to poor workouts (Twitter link).
- A 7-footer with a soft shooting touch, Markkanen is drawing comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki, writes Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders. Some scouts believe the 20-year-old Finnish star is the best 3-point shooter in the draft. “It’s probably not fair to him to have some young guy compared to a Hall of Fame player and champion,” Markkanen said of Nowitzki. “We have similarities because of the height, being from Europe and shooting. But I have a long way to go before I’m in the same category as him. Hopefully, I can get there one day.”
- The Wizards will work out six players today, the team announced on its website. They are French center Alpha Kaba, Cincinnati’s Troy Caupain Jr., VCU’s JeQuan Lewis, Eastern Michigan’s Jalen Ross, Niagara’s Tahjere McCall and East Tennessee State’s Hanner Mosquera-Perea.
Wizards Will Add G League Affiliate
The Wizards will become the 27th NBA team to have their own G League franchise, starting play in 2018/19, writes Candace Buckner of The Washington Post.
The team name has not been chosen, but it will play in a not-yet-built facility in Southeast Washington, D.C., that will also house a practice court for the Wizards and serve as the home arena for the WNBA’s Mystics.
Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said the organization will benefit from having its own G League affiliate, especially one located so close to the parent team.
“The NBA G League has been a great resource for us over the years, both for calling up talent and for allowing young players on our roster to gain more on-court experience,” he said. “Having our own team, selecting the front office and coaching staff and being able to implement our system will allow us to further enhance our player and staff development program moving forward.”
This season, Washington primarily used the Delaware 87ers, an affiliate of the Sixers, for its G League moves Buckner notes that the Wizards have signed 17 players out of the minor league since its creation.
The Pelicans, Nuggets and Trail Blazers are now the only teams without a direct G League affiliate, although New Orleans has plans to add a team in 2018/19, tweets Adam Johnson of D-League Digest.
Formerly known as the D-League, the organization officially changed its named this week with its purchase by Gatorade.
Greg Monroe Will Opt In With Bucks
Greg Monroe will opt in for the final year of his contract with the Bucks, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical. Today was the deadline for Monroe to make a decision on the $17.88MM salary for next season.
The addition of Monroe was heralded as a major free agent signing for the franchise when he agreed to a three-year, $50MM deal with Milwaukee in 2015. His first season with the Bucks was considered a disappointment, and his name appeared frequently in trade rumors, but Monroe settled into a bench role this year and put up decent numbers. He averaged 11.7 points and 6.6 rebounds in 81 games as he reached the playoffs for the first time in his career.
Monroe reportedly told new GM Jon Horst that he wants to remain with the team and help it become a serious contender in the Eastern Conference.
Monroe’s decision means the Bucks will have little to no cap space this summer no matter what happens with restricted free agent Tony Snell. The Bucks are also awaiting a player option decision from Spencer Hawes, who is set to make a little more than $6MM next season.