The Cavaliers have inquired into the availability of the Hawks’ Kent Bazemore, NBA.com’s David Aldridge reports in his weekly Morning Tip column. League sources informed Aldridge of Cleveland’s interest in the 28-year-old shooting guard, who is averaging 12.6 PPG and 4.3 RPG as well as career highs in assists (3.7) and steals (1.8) this season.
Swapping Bazemore, the team’s highest-paid player, would make plenty of sense for the rebuilding Hawks. He’s making $16.9MM this season and $18.1MM next season. He also holds a player option of $19.3MM for the 2019/20 season.
Bazemore isn’t a lockdown wing, according to Aldridge, though he has posted positive Defensive Box Plus/Minus ratings for four consecutive seasons, according to Basketball Reference. He’s also an above-average 3-point shooter, connecting on a career-high 37.6% this season and 35.4% for his career.
The question then becomes what kind of package the Cavs could piece together to interest the Hawks. Channing Frye‘s expiring $7.4MM contract would be the best asset from a salary standpoint that they could dangle. Atlanta reportedly wants expiring contracts and a first-rounder for Bazemore. The Pistons and Pelicans are two other teams that have been linked to Bazemore.
Gotta assume Shump and Frye go
The Olds (cavs) aren’t getting bazemore
He’s to young! HaHa
They should go all in on Vince carter!
He’s about the right age for the Olds
Ahem cavs!
Of all the mock trades I’ve seen on other sites by the writers, none have Shumpert included.
A first rounder? You take whatever expiring deal you can get for Baze. That contract was awful the minute he signed it.
Amen. Maybe a couple of basketballs included.
membership to the Y
You do, but few teams have expiring deals at that level and those that do are rebuilding teams that don’t want that contract. So, taking back another bad (worse) contract and getting a pick or young players might be more realistic for a rebuilding team that’s not going to be signing major FAs in any event. Bazemore is another summer of 2016 contract when half the league gave out what are now untradable contracts.
Channing Frye, Cleveland 1st, and another contract for Bazemore and Dedmon.
Now this makes sense
I and another poster agreed this would likely be a good match a while back.
1) Did the Hawks over pay to keep Bazemore? Yes! That’s what happens when you let the coach be the GM! Is he over paid as a good 3 and D on a contender? Not really!
2) It’s been out there for a while that the Hawks wanted a combination of expiring contracts, young players, and picks. With the way he has shot the ball, don’t act surprised, they’ll likely get it, they may have to take back salary with Cle though.
3) He’s a much better fit for what you need to beat GS, than D.Jordan! I’m an LBJ fan, so I want you guys to win! Giving up the BK pick or your own For Jordan makes no sense as GS would just go small and take him out of the game.
In closing Paul George should be your #1 target! But Baze as the known market is, shouldn’t be to far behind on the available targets list.
Bazemore’s contract is still a bad one even though he’s played better this year. Doubt they get off of it with expiring deals and get a 1st round pick. The Cavs have only one real expiring contract (Frye, and its only for 7mm plus) and aren’t going to take a monster contract for 2 more seasons for a 3 and D guy lightly.
It’s better than JR’s or Iman’s. And again in the aspect of a team that’s trying to win it all, a lot of people would disagree with you. I’ve already given way that Atlanta will likely have to take money back in a deal with Cle. Fry and Casip ( who the Hawks likely want, not sure Clevwould give him up) and a first money doesn’t work. So money wise the Cavs would likely get away with swapping Iman for Frye and adding whatever other 1yr contract they wanted.
It wouldn’t surprise me if this was the beginning of a bigger deal though. I do wonder if the Hawks would be willing to take on Thompson’s ( Kardashian’s loving Azz) bad contract for the right combination of picks? However I guess that revolves around what other teams are offering for Baze.
Better, perhaps, but how much of an upgrade? And is Atlanta taking both players? Bazemore is a better all around player (although not as good a 3 pt shooter as JR, who also has a history of shooting well in big games for the Cavs). Shumpert is only owed 10 mm or so beyond this year (player option). JR only about 15 mm (last year is only guaranteed for 1 mm). Bazemore about 36 mm. Cavs are deep in the luxury tax with LeBron, and if LeBron leaves, they certainly don’t want Bazemore’s contract around. Frye’s contract is expiring so it’s not the one that the Cavs would even want to move (that’s on Atl’s wish list). I could see TT (32 mm beyond this year) and Shumpert for Bazemore and a big/filler, but it’s not a deal for the Nets pick. Maybe the Cavs pick. Or a younger player like Osman or Zizic. I don’t like TT much, but Bazemore for TT is not a deal that requires much further compensation for Atl.
Just give it up, no one is beating the Warriors the next 2-3 years.
That’s why they play the games!
Barring injury no one is beating the Warriors, I know it is hard to swallow for you die hard LeBaby fans but he had his time man. He got carried to 3 rings and will break the record books but he’ll never be Mike or Kobe.
Idk if that’s Jordan love or GS last be. 5 yrs ago I didn’t know a single warriors fan and now LBJ are Warriors fans? The Jordan comment shows your real reasoning! But you’re right he can never be Jordan, he didn’t quit and give his body a year and a half’s rest, he didn’t play anyone anywhere close to as good as Pippen, and he didn’t get coached by anyone as good as Phil Jackson! What he do is play through And win through FA, win in Clev ( freaking Clev) and stick up for players rights and black social challenges! He can never be Jordan, he ain’t that selfish!
Lebron has had really good coaches, he just got them fired. Coach K did not even want to coach the guy and was forced to on the Olympics. That is why he has 5 finals losses on his resume because he is not a leader period. Michael Jordan won with a drafted Pippen and molded him into the competitor and two way player he became, Jordan’s competitive drive rubbed on the whole team. LeBaby can’t have that effect on his teammates since he never holds himself accountable and deflects blame Mr.”Did you see my stats? Clearly I am not the problem”, give me a break that dude is a joke and I have no clue how he even has fans. He is an overrated leader, Michael Jordan would shred Lebron James’s confidence out on the floor and drop 50 on his head. Curry had Lebron on rollerblades in the Finals, Jordan would absolutely destroy Lebron in the post with 100 ball fakes and pivot moves and foul him out by the end of the first half in this soft era where everything is a foul.
Rotflmao…. you don’t even believe that stuf you just typed! Try stand up comedy dude! You are either severally blinded by your love for Jordan or just don’t know basketball!
Molded Pippen? Why couldn’t he mold Brad Sellers? Not a leader? Lead his team to an unpresidented 7 straight finnals! You Jordan lovers took a long that was ment for comedy and thought it was real. Undefeated in the finnals? A loss in the playoffs is a loss in the playoffs! Doesn’t matter what round! Jordan loss on the first round! LBJ never has! And get for real LBJ has never played with anyone as good as Pippen and never coached by anyone as good as Phil! Jordan didn’t draft Pippen and LBJ hasn’t drafted anyone, so you can’t give Mike that credit! Jordan got Doug Collins fired so cut that BS out to. And the coach K thing, you where know ding right?
For the record I think Jordan was the better player! But your arguments got why are BS! Last if you’ve ever seen Jordan, Bird, Magic, or Kobe play and you’re complaining about LBJ crying, you’re delusional!
Your denials of fandom aside, lbj does I’m fact cry to the refs, it’s been caught on tape multiple times. Lebron also didnt win any finals, dwayne wade did. Lebron didmt beat the warriors, the league rigged it for ratimga and a story. Lebron amd adam silbers relationship alone shpukd be a giant red flag. The league consukting lebron before giving penalties is another red flag. Get over it, LeBron isn’t even a top 10 all time player.
When you don’t read what’s actually there, you type wack sh#t like this!
Steph and Durant can rotate playing games in the playoffs and still win it, including the Rockets. I think OKC is the matchup I’d like to watch (Durant vs. Westbrook).
Amen and Durant and Thompson won’t go anywhere! I’ve been “Googling NBA trades” for sometime. Nobody has offered Clippers anything they want. Mirotic isn’t going anywhere. Looks like a few minor trades might be made. Except for people on this site, nobody is mentioning Shumpert, he’s injured! If Thompson, Shumpert, Frye, and J.R. Smith played for the Pacers, they’d be making $10 million or less a season.
But to be honest….. all the reasons listed above is the reason you can’t compare eras!
How dominant would LBJ be if he was allowed to hand check? He’s to big, to strong, and to fast, you wouldn’t be able to score on him. And you don’t know how long that Jordan team could start together in today’s free agency! So he might not be 6-0. Or even 3-0? Look at reality and not fandom!
Reality is Lebron would get torched, Jordan would trash talk Lebron and wreck that fragile mind of his. Stop the disrespect please, Lebron is a physical specimen with a 6’3 guard’s vision on the floor. He does not have a go to move and is in his 15th season, take away the stiff arms,travels,push offs, and help from the refs and he averages 12 ppg. Lebron can’t play defense off the ball, plus he has no lateral movement and is stiff just like a robot. He can’t bend down and guard someone like MJ who could give you 100 ball fakes, pivot one way go another, and had the mid range game to perfection. Michael Jordan was a gazelle and had a surreal first step and could finish with both hands from all angles and with finesse. My god you 12 year olds have no clue. Michael Jordan would strip Lebron every time he guarded him, if Lebron even dared face him up it would he an automatic steal because Lebron can’t dribble.
You’re obsessed with shadows. Nobody has ever benefited more from officiating more than MJ. All he had to do was twitch and someone was blamed. Jordan was smart and ruled the refs.
You have to admit LeBron has only fouled out once in his career and is the NBA’s flop king.
More than Harden?!?! lol
I can agree he complains too much but is not a ‘flopper’.
James’ influence on the NBA early in his career led to a new era of more honesty & less faking, manipulating refs, and gaming the system. This was in part due to his lack of cleverness but, whatever. Things did get more honest.
LeBron is a big time flopper, I’m sorry. Against OKC they called an offensive foul on LeBron. They showed on replay him following backwards.
I remember a playoff game LeBron having a collision at midcourt and fell with his arms wrapped around his head. He is a great player, but he is a flopper.
If he ran into someone, he might bounce off. That’s what happens. ‘Flopping’ is a term generally used for those taking charges; mostly standing still until diving away on contact. He doesn’t do that.
We beg to differ on this one. No one LeBron’s size should be running into guys and falling to the floor like LeBron does. He especially did it a lot in Miami. I remember in Miami once LeBron did it, so Wade did it, and they were caught on camera laughing about it. They show replays on LeBron a lot because they know he does it. When he drives to the basket, as big as he is and as hard as he drives, there is no possible way he should be falling to the floor.
You’re like @Dodgethis, holding his 260 pounds against him. If it’s a foul, it’s a foul. He doesn’t like it when he gets bumped on the way to the rim and he doesn’t get the call because he didn’t budge.
And he doesn’t do the Curry-like thing where he throws himself at a defender while heaving a shot up. He could hurt someone doing that!
I hope he tries the NFL.
The Browns offered him a tryout at tight end.
Your post and fandom should be taken as a joke! You sound like Trump! To much BS to sift through. When you want a real argument for Jordan was better, hilarious and I’ll give you one. But typing stuff like this you sound like Skip Bayless! And when you do stuff like this you take away from Jordan’s greatness, not add to it. Stick to the facts and leave the BS at home. And with the lies in your post calling someone else 12, pot calling the kettle black!
You’re older than 12??
Talking about stiff arms and push offs. If we’re playing with hand check rules, doesn’t that give LeBron an advantage? Have fun with LeBron backing Jordan into the post every time
LeBron isn’t even in KD’s league, let alone MJ’s. I’ve always looked at LeBron fouling out in 1 game in his career and whining to the refs all the time. That should say something.
Well I hope tjey have inquired. In December, when Bazemore turned up his D and became a player that would be useful vs GSW, Cavs could have gotten him and Dedmon both and been a GSW-beating team. But without using the Brk pick, with the tradable assets they have, they would have to choose between a 2 and 5.
There was talk the Cavs were talking to Atl earlier but no names were attached.
Given this year is two-thirds over, Shumpert is owed about $14.4, JRSmith $23.2, Frye $2.5mil; compared to Bazemore’s $43mil. owed.
Shump has been injured but him or Smith and Frye salary-matches Bazemore, and the Clev#1 is Atl’s point, plus a lot of savings.
Shumpert would do well if he was put at the 2 and left there… I think that has not really happened on the Cavs.
What doesn’t make sense is Shumpert may not be back until late in the season and nobody knows when, and then his contract is up. I think that’s why none of the other sites is even mentioning Shumpert. I’ve been Googling NBA trade rumors every day The Clippers say nobody has offered them anything close to what they want. The Knicks and Hornets haven’t even had discussions about Walker. Your buddy Pluto said he’d go back to starting Calderon at point and Wade at shooting guard. I agree with him.
He has a player option for next year. I’ve heard his name a lot in trades (because with only 10 mm or so left on his deal, he can give space to a team sending back a longer term deal).
I read today he may be waived when he comes back.
I doubt Jordan and Walker and for that matter Bazemore really are available, given what their clubs expect for them. Boston was lucky to get Irving.
Cavs did best with Calderon running the first unit and Wade the second. But with Thomas on the way to being as good as promised, Wade might go to 2G. I’ve always wanted him there. Somehow he does not seem to be the second-unit leading man anymore, indeed, that unit does not seem to have an identity anymore. Frye doesn’t even play. He might as well be moved if that is going to be the case.
Altman as GM has yet to do anything clever. James may be protecting Smith and TT but thats only 2.
I think this trade talk is a lot the media needs something to print, so they go after the Cavs even though there’s nothing there. Pluto said Calderon is the Cavs best defensive point guard and Wade is best defensive shooting guard, and belong on first unit. Wade wanted second unit to get more touches. IT is getting too many. Pluto says J.R. and Crowder are only playing a shadow of thereselves from last year.
The tallest midget. Calderon, in his prime, was nicknamed the “traffic cone” for his defense. Yet, IT is likely worse. Neither Rose nor Calderon (whom I watched in consecutive years for the Knicks) could cover me, although Calderon would at least try. What Calderon can do is shoot and pass.
Still, it’s better to go out and get a defensive upgrade at the point — considering what they have, it won’t be hard.
Look up Cleveland.com-Pluto (search). He is the Cavs sportswriter for Cleveland.com. He has a good article.