Celtics Notes: Bogut, Irving, J. Brown, Tatum
It has been an eventful week in Boston, with the Celtics having acquired a four-time All-Star on Tuesday, sending Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and the Nets’ 2018 first-round pick to Cleveland in exchange for Kyrie Irving. The NBA world is still buzzing about that deal, and we have a few more Celtics-related notes on the swap to pass along today:
- The Celtics aren’t in a rush to fill their newly-opened 15th roster spot, but have been in touch with a few free agents this week, including veteran center Andrew Bogut, reports Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.
- Appearing on The Bill Simmons Podcast this week, Finals MVP Kevin Durant praised Irving for standing up for himself and deciding it was time for him to move on from what seemed like a good situation in Cleveland. “He showed a lot of courage, man, because it’s hard to take that type of criticism,” said Durant (link via ESPN.com), who has some experience in that field himself.
- Durant also suggested during that podcast appearance that Irving and the Celtics will be “perfect” for each other, as DJ Bean of CSNNE.com details. “It’s a perfect fit, because he’s a 6-foot-3 Isaiah Thomas, basically,” Durant said. “And Isaiah just thrived in that system, and then he’s got Gordon Hayward and Al Horford that are going to be able to make plays for him, too. It’s going to be pretty sweet. I think it was a great deal.”
- Revisiting Danny Ainge‘s assertion that the Celtics “have a lot of good players, but need some great ones,” ESPN’s Chris Forsberg makes the case that Ainge’s willingness to roll the dice on Irving signals that the team is making good on that statement and raising the roof on its expectations for 2017/18.
- Young wings Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum may end up being the biggest winners of the Irving blockbuster, according to Benny Nadeau of Basketball Insiders, who notes that the departures of Avery Bradley and Crowder open the door for those youngsters to take on significant roles in Boston.
Clippers Sign Marshall Plumlee
AUGUST 25: Plumlee’s deal with the Clippers is now official, per RealGM’s NBA transactions log. It’s a one-year pact.
AUGUST 19: Marshall Plumlee has agreed to join the Clippers on a partially guaranteed contract, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
The 25-year-old center has brief NBA experience, playing 21 games with the Knicks last season and averaging 1.9 points and 2.4 rebounds in about 8 minutes per night. Undrafted out of Duke in 2016, he signed with New York as a free agent and spent most of the year in the G League.
The Knicks decided to waive him in July to create cap room to sign Tim Hardaway Jr. Plumlee received the $100K that was guaranteed on his contract for next season. New York considered trying to bring him back earlier this month, but Plumlee has opted for L.A.
The signing brings the Clippers up to 18 players in camp, with 14 having guaranteed contracts. Plumlee will try to earn a roster spot as a third center behind DeAndre Jordan and Willie Reed.
Cavs Rumors: Shumpert, Thomas, Felder, Tavares
Iman Shumpert has been the subject of trade rumors throughout the offseason, with reports dating back to June – shortly after the Cavaliers were defeated in the Finals – suggesting that the veteran swingman was on the trade block. The Raptors, Timberwolves, Lakers, and Kings were among the teams linked at one point to Shumpert, and a deal with the Rockets briefly appeared close, but ultimately fell apart.
So it’s no secret that the Cavs have explored the trade market for Shumpert, but did the team did so at his behest? Multiple sources tell Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com that Shumpert – like Kyrie Irving – requested a trade after the season. However, Shams Charania of The Vertical and Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype (Twitter links) both say otherwise, reporting that Shumpert made no such request.
It’s worth considering which sources these reporters may be talking to — McMenamin covers the Cavs on a full-time basis and he cites team sources multiple times within his piece. Meanwhile, Charania and Kennedy are national reporters, and may have a more direct line to Shumpert’s representatives, who probably don’t want to give the impression that their client is unhappy. That’s just my speculation though.
In any case, it appears that the Cavs are still weighing their trade options with Shumpert, though Kennedy suggests that the 27-year-old plans to be at a players-organized mini-camp next month.
Here’s more on the Cavs:
- A Cavaliers source tells McMenamin that the club is “not closing the door” on making more trades before training camp opens in late September.
- While it’s not out of the question that the Nets’ 2018 first-rounder will be flipped for another top player, acquiring that pick has “pumped new blood” into the Cavaliers’ scouting department, which hasn’t been very involved in the draft in recent years, McMenamin writes. Cavs scouts are enthusiastic about the idea of being able to earnestly scout top prospects in marquee college games and international tournaments, knowing one of those prospects could become a Cavalier next June.
- The Cavaliers’ medical staff is waiting to examine Isaiah Thomas, who has seven days to report to the team. The former Celtic will also pay a visit to a renowned hip specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, reports McMenamin.
- Kay Felder and Edy Tavares will likely be the odd men out on the Cavaliers’ 15-man roster if the club doesn’t make any further trades, since they don’t have fully guaranteed salaries. McMenamin suggests that Felder and Tavares could be candidates for two-way contracts, though waiving them from their current contracts would allow other NBA teams to claim or sign them.
2018 NBA Free Agents By Team
Hoops Rumors’ up-to-date list of 2018 free agents by team is below. These are players who are eligible for restricted or unrestricted free agency after the 2017/18 season.
Players with team or player options for the 2018/19 season are listed, unless they’re still on their rookie scale contracts. Players whose 2018/19 contracts aren’t fully guaranteed are also listed. Potential restricted free agents are marked with (RFA). Players who were waived by their NBA teams will not be listed here.
This list will continue to be updated throughout the 2018 offseason, so be sure to use it and our list of 2018 free agents by position/type as points of reference. Both lists can be found anytime under “Hoops Rumors Features” on the right-hand sidebar of our desktop site, or in the “Features” menu of our mobile site. If you have any corrections or omissions, please contact us.
Updated 10-15-18 (1:06pm CT)
Atlanta Hawks
- None
Boston Celtics
- None
Brooklyn Nets
Suns’ Davon Reed Out 4-6 Months With Knee Injury
The Suns will be without one of their 2017 draft picks for the next several months, having announced today in a press release that rookie shooting guard Davon Reed underwent a meniscus repair of his left knee on Thursday. Reed is expected to return to full basketball activity in about four to six months, according to the team.
It’s bad news for the Suns, who opted not to make a splash in free agency this summer, instead focusing on being patient with their rebuild and developing their young players. The club will now likely have to wait until 2018 to get a good look at Reed, who was the No. 32 overall pick in June’s draft.
An ACC All-Defensive player for Miami in 2016/17, Reed averaged 14.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 2.4 APG in his senior season, making 39.7% of his three-point attempts. The 22-year-old was one of three players selected in the 2017 draft by the Suns, who also nabbed Josh Jackson with the fourth overall pick and selected Alec Peters at No. 54.
As the 32nd overall pick, Reed wasn’t subject to the NBA’s rookie scale for first-rounders, but he signed a four-year deal anyway. His first-year minimum salary is fully guaranteed, while he has a partial guarantee on his second year, per Basketball Insiders. His third year is non-guaranteed and his fourth year is a team option.
Reed is the second Suns guard to go down with a major knee injury this summer. Brandon Knight is expected to miss the entire 2017/18 season after suffering a torn ACL.
Poll: Who Will Be 2017/18 Rookie Of The Year?
As he does every summer, NBA.com’s John Schuhmann spoke to a number of incoming NBA players this offseason, asking them to assess their fellow rookies. Schuhmann had nearly 40 first-year players predict which rookie will have the best overall career and which player was the biggest draft steal, among other topics.
Of course, one key question Schuhmann asked was about the favorite to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award for the 2017/18 season, and those voting results were interesting. As we detailed on Tuesday, ninth overall pick Dennis Smith Jr. of the Mavericks was the top pick among his fellow rookies, receiving 25.7% of the vote. Lonzo Ball (Lakers) was second at 20%, with No. 1 overall selection Markelle Fultz (Sixers) coming in third at 17.1%.
Kyle Kuzma (Lakers), Donovan Mitchell (Jazz), and Ben Simmons (Sixers) were among the other players who received support from multiple rookies. Dwayne Bacon (Hornets), Tony Bradley (Jazz), De’Aaron Fox (Kings), Josh Jackson (Suns), Malik Monk (Hornets), Jayson Tatum (Celtics), and Sindarius Thornwell (Clippers) also each received one vote apiece.
While Ball and Fultz placing among the top three choices was predictable, there are plenty of surprises in that group, including a handful of late first-round picks or second-round selections getting votes. Additionally, top-five picks like Fox, Jackson, and Tatum received just one vote each. That doesn’t mean that those players aren’t expected to have successful careers (Tatum tied for the most votes for best career), but their fellow rookies don’t necessarily expect them to have a significant impact immediately.
Over at betting website Bovada, their odds for Rookie of the Year are somewhat in step with the players’ predictions. Ball is viewed as a slight frontrunner over Smith, With Simmons and Tatum tied for third, followed by Fultz, Fox, Monk, Jackson, and players like Jonathan Isaac, Justin Jackson, and Lauri Markkanen, who didn’t receive votes in Schuhmann’s rookie poll.
While oddsmakers sometimes misfire, they should perhaps be more trusted than Schuhmann’s respondents, who haven’t correctly predicted the Rookie of the Year since Kevin Durant won the award back in 2007/08.
What do you think? Who do you expect to see take home the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award next spring? Place your vote below and jump into the comment section to share your thoughts — especially if your choice isn’t one of the options in our poll.
Which player will be 2017/18 Rookie of the Year?
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Josh Jackson (Suns) 21% (387)
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Ben Simmons (Sixers) 16% (284)
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Lonzo Ball (Lakers) 15% (276)
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Dennis Smith Jr. (Mavericks) 15% (275)
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Jayson Tatum (Celtics) 15% (272)
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De'Aaron Fox (Kings) 6% (101)
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Markelle Fultz (Sixers) 4% (72)
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Someone else 4% (66)
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Donovan Mitchell (Jazz) 3% (50)
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Malik Monk (Hornets) 1% (22)
Total votes: 1,805
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
Warriors Notes: Thompson, McCaw, Irving Impact
As we noted earlier this week when we passed along word of the Cavaliers’ inquiry on Klay Thompson, the Warriors shooting guard called the interest in him “flattering,” but reiterated that he’s happy in Golden State and hopes to spend his career with the franchise.
During that same conversation with Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Thompson was asked about his contract situation and reiterated his desire to stick with the Warriors, adding that he’s “not really too worried about the numbers” at this point. Added Thompson: “It’s rare in the NBA to have a team that can win with the culture we created. It’s hard to put a price on it.”
Here’s more on the three-time All-Star, along with a few more items out of the Bay Area:
- The Cavaliers, Pacers, and other teams have examined the Warriors’ core and concluded that Thompson is the most available piece of Golden State’s big four, which is why he should get accustomed to trade rumors, writes Monte Poole of CSNBayArea.com. However, the Warriors have significant appreciation for the role Thompson plays in their success and are expected to keep rebuffing those inquiries.
- Second-year swingman Patrick McCaw is the kind of young, affordable rotation player the Warriors need to rely on in order to keep team salary in check. However, McCaw only has one year on his deal, and is poised to get much more expensive in 2018. Danny Leroux of The Athletic takes an early look at the 21-year-old’s restricted free agency.
- In the wake of this week’s Kyrie Irving blockbuster, Anthony Slater of The Athletic and Phil Taylor of The Athletic reach a similar conclusion: The mega-deal shouldn’t have a major impact on the Warriors, who still enter the 2017/18 season as strong title favorites.
Southeast Notes: Gortat, White, Stone, Speights
Marcin Gortat, who expressed doubt about his future with the Wizards during his exit interview in May, now says he’s fully committed to the team, relays Chase Hughes of CSNMidAtlantic. Gortat, who usually spends summers in Poland, joined the team for its informal summer mini-camp this year. Now in his fifth season with the team, Gortat is signed through the 2018/19 season.
“First of all, I knew it right away that I would be coming back,” Gortat said this week on the Wizards TipOff Podcast. “I still have a contract and at the end of the day, I’m a Wizards player. I still have two fully guaranteed years. When I went for the exit interview, I was just preparing myself for the worst. You’ve gotta be ready in this business. You’ve gotta be ready that one day you might get a phone call saying that ‘Hey, I appreciate everything that you did, but we’re going to go in a different direction and trade you.’ I’ve been traded twice in my life. I know how it is. So, at the exit interview I just said I was going to talk to my agent and whatever is going to happen. That doesn’t mean I wanted to be traded.”
There’s more tonight from the Southeast Division:
- The Heat will have to keep Okaro White on their 15-man roster if they want to retain his rights, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. The power forward appeared in 35 games for the Heat last season, but spent much of the season with the team’s G League affiliate in Sioux Falls. White was claimed Wednesday in the G League expansion draft by the Memphis Hustle, the new affiliate of the Grizzlies. Because White has a guarantee of more than $50K, he cannot be deemed an affiliate player if he gets cut by Miami. He would have to either report to the Hustle or play overseas.
- New Hornets guard Julyan Stone has an agreement not to discuss the details of his release from his Italian team, writes Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Umana Reyer in Venice agreed to let Stone out of his contract so he could return to the United States to be closer to his ailing father.
- Joining the Magic fulfills a long-time dream for Florida native Marreese Speights, relays Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype. The nine-year veteran has been far from home recently, spending the past four seasons with the Warriors and Clippers. He is excited about the opportunity after signing a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal with Orlando last month. “The arena is an hour and 20 minutes from my house in St. Pete,” Speights said. “I grew up watching them; I became a big fan of them as a kid and that’s when I fell in love with the game. I’ve always wanted to play for the Magic. This is a dream come true.”
Atlantic Notes: Thomas, Allen, Simmons, Russell
The Celtics‘ decision to trade Isaiah Thomas is drawing anger from some former players on social media, relays Andrew Joseph of USA Today. Caron Butler blasted the deal on Instagram, saying “Celtics traded a guy who played in a game for them a day after his sister died, but y’all expect players to be loyal to the franchise, sure.”
Butler’s post drew a response from ex-Celtic Ray Allen, who alienated many teammates in 2012 when he signed with the Heat. The bitter feelings still linger, as Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce excluded Allen from a Celtics reunion in May. “But since the team does it I guess it’s just business,” Allen wrote in response to Butler’s post. “Smh!! It is just a business so when the teams do it there’s no difference when the players do it!!”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Thomas family is taking a different approach to the deal, tweets Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Thomas’ father, James, offered thanks to the Celtics for the opportunities they gave Isaiah. “There were good times in Boston,” he said. “They were good to us. They gave my son a chance to play in the NBA. It’s nothing against them. I have only good things to say. I can’t cut them. Hey, every starter that was there this year is gone except one. Maybe they did what was best for Boston, or at least they think they did.”
- After missing all of last season while recovering from a broken foot, the Sixers‘ Ben Simmons has been medically cleared for basketball activities, according to Tom Moore of GateHouse Media (Twitter link). The first overall pick in 2016 reportedly participated in a recent pickup game in Australia.
- After moving from the Lakers to the Nets in an offseason trade, D’Angelo Russell has bigger goals than just helping Brooklyn improve after a 20-win season, writes Anthony Puccio of NetsDaily. “I want teams to hate us,” Russell said. “We’ve struggled over the last few years in Brooklyn. Teams are used to coming in and taking nights off. I just want to rebuild that and make it a place where people come and say, ‘alright we got the crowd against us. It’s New York.’”
Cavaliers Notes: Cousins, James, Thomas
Acquiring the Nets’ unprotected first-rounder for 2018 in the Kyrie Irving trade gives the Cavaliers plenty of options, writes Ashish Mathur of AmicoHoops. He adds that several teams have reached out to Cleveland about the availability of the pick since the Irving deal was announced Tuesday. The Nets had the league’s worst record last season at 20-62, and their pick was first overall at the lottery. Boston, which owned the rights to swap picks with Brooklyn, subsequently traded it to Philadelphia. The Nets have upgraded their roster over the offseason, but still seem like a good bet to return to the lottery.
The Cavaliers’ front office is no hurry to move the pick, Mathur adds, speculating it might wait for a player like Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins to become available. If New Orleans gets off to a poor start and decides to move Cousins to avoid losing him in free agency, Mathur suggests a package of Iman Shumpert, Channing Frye, Cedi Osman and the Nets’ pick could be enough to get a deal done.
There’s more news out of Cleveland:
- The Cavaliers’ offseason moves should help ease the load on LeBron James and possibly entice him to remain in Cleveland, Mathur adds in the same story. Isaiah Thomas and Derrick Rose will team with James to give the Cavs three skilled penetrators who can create shots for the team’s 3-point specialists. Jae Crowder provides another strong wing defender who can take over James’ responsibilities of guarding top perimeter players.
- The hip injury that Thomas aggravated during the playoffs may be a lingering issue in the early part of the season, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Celtics president Danny Ainge admitted the injury had “some” effect on the decision to deal Thomas, adding, “There’s going to be probably a little bit of a delay for Isaiah as he starts the season this year.” However, Thomas will be checked out thoroughly, and a team source told Vardon that the Cavs don’t believe his physical condition will be an issue.
- James is criticizing fans for burning the jerseys of former players, relays NBA.com. In a series of tweets, James speaks out against Celtics fans for burning Thomas jerseys after he was traded on Tuesday and against Jazz fans for doing the same after Gordon Hayward signed with Boston last month. James, of course, was the subject of mass jersey burning in Cleveland when he signed with the Heat in 2010.