Cavaliers Notes: Garland, Love, Blossomgame, Mitrou-Long
Darius Garland won over Cavaliers management with an impressive shooting performance in a workout last week, relays Joe Vardon of The Athletic. The Cavs sent a sizable contingent to Los Angeles to watch Garland in his first pre-draft session. He didn’t disappoint, sinking shots from all over the court and reportedly going five or six minutes without missing.
“We saw him take 30-footers and flick them like it was nothing,” general manager Koby Altman said.
The Cavaliers had been hoping to draft De’Andre Hunter, but didn’t have the resources to trade up to No. 4. They also liked Jarrett Culver, but Garland changed their minds with his shooting display. Vardon reports that new coach John Beilein was seen cheering on the Vanderbilt guard as he hit one shot after another.
“It was like, ‘OK, how could this work out?’” Altman said. “We started to get fascinated with the idea.”
There’s more Cavaliers news to pass along:
- Cleveland is talking to teams interested in Kevin Love, but hasn’t made any progress toward a trade, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said during an appearance this week on WKNR in Cleveland (hat tip to Joseph Zucker of Bleacher Report). “It’s hard to find the right deal for him,” said Windhorst, who put the odds of a trade at 50-50. He noted it would be easy to find a taker for Love if the Cavs just wanted to unload the four years and $120MM left on his contract, but because he’s one of their few tradable assets they want to get something of value in return.
- The Cavaliers won’t extend a qualifying offer to two-way player Jaron Blossomgame, tweets Cleveland-based basketball writer Chris Manning. The 25-year-old small forward signed with the Cavs in December and played 27 games at the NBA level, averaging 4.2 PPG. He posted an 18.5/7.5/2.2 line in 35 G League contests. He will be an unrestricted free agent.
- Naz Mitrou-Long, who had a two-way contract with the Jazz this season, will join the Cavaliers for Summer League, a source tells Eric Woodyard of The Deseret News (Twitter link). The 25-year-old shooting guard got into 14 games for Utah, averaging 6 minutes per night.
Knicks Notes: Durant, Wilkes, Draft, Cavanaugh
The Knicks will do their homework on Kevin Durant before committing to a max offer, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. The team will request access to Durant’s medical records and will evaluate his long-term chances for a full recovery from the ruptured Achilles he suffered in the NBA Finals.
New York’s front office recognizes that Durant will be 32 by the time he can play again in 2020/21 and may be dealing with a “load management” situation that will limit both the number of games he can play and his minutes in each one.
Sources tell Berman that the Knicks believe they’re still in the running for Kawhi Leonard, even though he seems more likely to stay in Toronto or go to one of the Los Angeles teams, and Kyrie Irving, who is rumored to be headed to Brooklyn.
There’s more from New York City:
- After agreeing to sign UCLA forward Kris Wilkes to a two-way contract, GM Scott Perry said the team never expected him to be available, Berman relays in a separate story. Wilkes was projected as a second-round pick after leading the Bruins in scoring at 17.4 points per game. “Kind of surprised (Wilkes) didn’t get drafted, similar to Allonzo Trier last year,’’ Perry said. “Winning player, can score, 6-8, highly rated player coming out of high school. Exciting to add him to our mix and see how we can develop him.”
- The Knicks were convinced about taking R.J. Barrett with the No. 3 pick, even though they worked out Darius Garland and Coby White shortly before the draft, relays Ian Begley of SNY.TV. Perry explained that the team was taking advantage of having the players in town. “You want to get a chance to see as many prospects as you can,” he said. “Learn more about them, learn their stories. Also further evaluate, you dot your final I’s and crossing the final T’s. So that’s what went into our thinking.”
- Tyler Cavanaugh, who spent this season on a two-way contract with the Jazz, will join the Knicks’ Summer League team, tweets Eric Woodyard of The Deseret News. The 25-year-old power forward got into just 11 NBA games during the year, spending most of his time in the G League. He played 39 games for the Hawks in 2017/18, starting on a two-way deal before earning a standard contract.
Lakers Notes: Irving, Russell, Horton-Tucker, Adams
Kyrie Irving or D’Angelo Russell? The Lakers may wind up chasing whichever free agent point guard doesn’t sign with the Nets, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. Rumors have had Irving headed to Brooklyn for a few weeks, but there were rumblings recently that the Nets’ front office isn’t sold on Irving without Kevin Durant.
If Brooklyn adds Irving, that means Russell, a restricted free agent, will likely be renounced. If Irving goes elsewhere, the Nets are expected to work out a new deal with Russell. Either way, that puts a talented guard on the market for the Lakers, who are looking for someone to pair in a Big Three with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Russell had a checkered history during the two years he spent in L.A., but Nick Young is gone, along with the other former teammates he feuded with.
Irving has championship experience and has played with LeBron before. However, at 27, he’s four year’s older than Russell and probably much more expensive. He won’t take less than a max deal, while Pincus suggests the Lakers may be able to land Russell for about $80MM over four seasons.
There’s also a sense that Irving is more difficult to handle, with a rival executive telling Pincus, “They’re both divas, but Irving takes it to another level. Russell may be high-maintenance, but he’s no Kyrie.”
- The Lakers are trying to convince the Hawks to become part of the Davis trade, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin said on Sports Center (video clip tweeted by Lakers Outsider). Lakers GM Rob Pelinka wants to open more cap room by sending Moritz Wagner, Isaac Bonga and Jemerrio Jones to Atlanta in a three-team deal. The Hawks agreed to a trade with New Orleans for the No. 4 pick on draft night, so it’s possible those moves will turn into a single transaction.
- L.A. sent $2.2MM to the Magic for the rights to the rights to the 46th pick, McMenamin tweets. They used that selection to take Iowa State’s Talen Horton-Tucker.
- The Lakers received permission from the Warriors today to talk to assistant coach Ron Adams, according to Ohm Youngmisuk and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. There’s no indication that Adams is interested in leaving Golden State, but L.A. could change his mind by making a large offer.
Wizards To Decline $20MM Option On Jabari Parker
The Wizards won’t exercise their $20MM team option on Jabari Parker, but they may try to re-sign him, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
The move has been expected, dating back to when Washington traded for Parker in February, Haynes adds. But he cites “mutual interest” between Parker and the team in working out a longer arrangement once he becomes an unrestricted free agent next weekend. The Wizards view him as a player with potential whose development has been slowed by ACL tears in 2014 and 2017.
Parker’s asking price will start at $15MM per year, sources tell Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington, and that number could rise or fall depending on the market. He adds that the Wizards will probably need Parker to relax that demand, especially after drafting Rui Hachimura, who has similar talents. Re-signing Thomas Bryant, Tomas Satoransky and possibly Bobby Portis will be higher priorites, according to Hughes.
Parker, 24, had a difficult time in Chicago after signing a two-year, $40MM deal last summer, especially once Jim Boylen replaced Fred Hoiberg as head coach. However, Parker was much better after the trade, averaging 15 points and 7.2 rebounds in 25 games with Washington.
Five Key Stories: 6/15/19 – 6/22/19
If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:
The Pelicans have reached an 
agreement to trade superstar big man Anthony Davis to the Lakers in exchange for guards Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart, forward Brandon Ingram and three first-round picks, including the No. 4 overall pick in this year’s draft. As indicated below, the Pelicans then flipped the No. 4 overall pick to the Hawks for three additional top-35 picks and the removal of Solomon Hill‘s expiring contract from their books. The remaining two first-rounders include a 9-30 protected first-rounder in 2021, which becomes unprotected in 2022, and an unprotected first-rounder in 2024. Additionally, New Orleans will have the right to swap unprotected first-rounders in 2023 and the option to defer the 2024 pick until 2025. While this is quite an awfully large haul for the Lakers to give up, they immediately become championship contenders with Davis joining forces with LeBron James. While waiting to consummate the trade until July 30 would best suit the Lakers’ free agent capability, it appears as though the trade will become official on July 6, immediately after the July moratorium.
The Grizzlies and Jazz reached an agreement on a trade that will send standout point guard Mike Conley to Utah in exchange for Jae Crowder, Kyle Korver, Grayson Allen, the No. 23 pick in this year’s draft (which Memphis used to move up and select Gonzaga’s Brandon Clarke at No. 21), and the Jazz’ 2020 first-round pick. The 2020 first-rounder is protected for picks 1-7 and 15-30 in both 2020 and 2021, with lessened protections through 2024. The deal will be completed once the new league year begins in July, with Utah using cap room to absorb Conley’s $32.5MM salary. The Grizzlies are in position to create a massive $25MM traded player exception in the deal.
The relationship between Rockets guards James Harden and Chris Paul has been described by sources as “unsalvageable,” with neither future hall-of-famer interested in playing with the other any longer. General manager Daryl Morey has denied that Paul has requested a trade, but a plethora of reporting suggests that his may just be semantics, and that while Paul hasn’t technically requested a trade, he’s made it known he wants out. Apparently, the two stars not only dislike, but also have little respect for one another, which would seem to make it awfully difficult for the two to coexist moving forward.
As was widely expected, Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, and R.J. Barrett went 1-2-3 to the Pelicans, Grizzlies, and Knicks, respectively, in the 2019 NBA Draft. The big surprise of the night was Oregon’s Bol Bol, once reagrded as a top-5 prospect for his class, dropping all the way down to pick No. 44 in the second round.
As is customary on and around draft day every year, there were multiple trade agreements involving first round picks and/or current NBA players. Below are the most noteworthy of the bunch:
- The Pelicans have reached an agreement with the Hawks on a trade that will send the No. 4 overall pick (Virginia’s De’Andre Hunter), the 57th pick, a future second-round pick, and Solomon Hill‘s expiring contract to Atlanta in exchange for picks No. 8 (Texas’ Jaxson Hayes), No. 17 (Virginia Tech’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker), No. 35, and Cleveland’s heavily protected 2020 first-rounder
- The Timberwolves and Suns reached an agreement on a trade that will see the No. 6 overall selection (Texas Tech’s Jarrett Culver) sent to Minnesota in exchange for the No. 11 pick (UNC’s Cameron Johnson) and forward Dario Saric.
- The Celtics have agreed to trade the No. 24 overall selection (Virginia’s Ty Jerome and big man Aron Baynes to the Suns in exchange for the Bucks’ 2020 first-round pick.
- In yet another move for the Suns, they traded forward T.J. Warren and the No. 32 overall pick to the Pacers in exchange for cash in what can only be considered a salary dump for Phoenix.
- In a cost-cutting move, the Bucks traded swingman Tony Snell and the No. 30 overall selection to the Pistons in exchange for forward Jon Leuer.
- The Sixers traded swingman Jonathon Simmons and the No. 42 overall pick to the Wizards for cash consideration.
Here are 12 more noteworthy headlines from the past week:
- Celtics center Al Horford will not pick up the 2019/20 player option on his contract, and Horford is likewise not expected to re-sign with the Celtics this summer.
- Pelicans forward Julius Randle will turn down his player option for next season and hit the free agent market.
- As expected, Bucks swingman Khris Middleton will opt out of his contract, declining his 2019/20 player option to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
- Kings forward Harrison Barnes has decided to turn down his player option for the 2019/20 season.
- Heat center Hassan Whiteside has opted in to the final season of his contract, where he will earn just under $27.1MM.
- Suns guard Tyler Johnson exercised his player option for the 2019/20 season. He will earn just over $19.2MM.
- Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has picked up his 2019/20 player option, which will see him earn $13MM next season.
- Mavericks big man Dwight Powell has officially exercised his player option for the 2019/20 season.
- The Nets will not make a qualifying offer to forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, thereby making him an unrestricted free agent.
- The Pelicans have picked up the 2020/21 team option for head coach Alvin Gentry.
- The Raptors and Clippers are still the frontrunners for the services of NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard in free agency.
- The Pelicans exercised their team option on the $1.7MM contract of big man Jahlil Okafor.
Celtics Notes: Irving, Harrison, Free Agency
It seems pretty evident at this point that the Celtics and point guard Kyrie Irving will go their own ways this summer. And if prior reports weren’t enough to convince you, ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan’s report while appearing on the Hoop Collective podcast (h/t to Alexis Mansanarez of Sporting News) this week should do the trick.
Per MacMullan, by the time this past season ended, Irving had issues with the city of Boston itself, as well as head coach Brad Stevens, general manager Danny Ainge, and teammates Terry Rozier and Jaylen Brown.
“I’ve been told this by many people: He didn’t like living in Boston,” MacMullan said. “He just didn’t. By the end, he had issues with Brad. By the end he had issues with Danny. By the end he had issues with pretty much all of us.”
There’s more news from Boston this weekend:
- With Al Horford poised to leave Boston in free agency and Aron Baynes in agreement to be traded to the Suns, the Celtics really need to focus on obtaining some more big men in free agency to help fill out the roster alongside Robert Williams and Guerschon Yabusele, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston.
- Should the Celtics strike out in free agency, a potential back-up plan is to absorb another team’s large, unwanted veteran contract with one season left on their deal in addition to attached future assets, per Brian Robb of Boston Sports Journal. One name that comes to mind is Grizzlies forward Chandler Parsons.
- According to Jonathan Givony of ESPN, free agent guard Aaron Harrison, who last played in the NBA for the Mavericks during the 2017/18 season, will join the Celtics for summer league play. Per Givony, Harrison is coming off an outstanding season in Turkey with Galatasaray, and he looks to be interested in turning that success into another NBA contract.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 6/15/19 – 6/22/19
Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team creates original content to complement our news feed. Here are our segments and features from the past seven days:
- Arthur Hill and Chris Crouse made picks back-and-forth in this year’s 2019 NBA Mock Draft, correctly identifying the top 7 selections from the actual draft.
- Our Five Key Offseason Questions series focused on the following teams this week:
- We finished up our 2019 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest series with the NBA’s 2019 conference champions, the Golden State Warriors and NBA-champion Toronto Raptors.
- Chris Crouse also hosted a live chat during the 2019 NBA Draft. Check out the transcript, here.
- Our lone Community Shootaround discussion post this week addressed the draft, asking our readers to give us their initial assessments of the winners and losers from this year’s event.
And-Ones: Wiseman, Barrett, Dedmon, Barbosa, DeMarco
The latest 2020 mock draft has Memphis freshman center James Wiseman going to the Knicks with the No. 1 pick. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony has Georgia guard Anthony Edwards going to the Cavaliers at No. 2 and North Carolina guard Cole Anthony heading to the Suns at No. 3.
We have more from around the basketball world:
- Top pick Zion Williamson and his former college teammate R.J. Barrett could face each other in the Las Vegas summer league opener, the Associated Press reports. The Pelicans’ summer squad will face the Knicks on July 5.
- Dewayne Dedmon, Bojan Bogdanovic and Rudy Gay are among the underrated free agents heading to the market, Ameer Tyree of the Sporting News writes.
- Former NBA guard Leandro Barbosa will return to the Brazilian league and re-sign with Minas Storm, Sportando reports.
- Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco has agreed to become the head coach of the Bahamas Basketball Federation’s national team, according to a report from ESPN’s Marc Spears. The Bahamas did not qualify for the FIBA World Cup this summer but it does have some NBA talent, including Deandre Ayton and Buddy Hield.
Northwest Notes: Russell, George, Porter, Adams, Nuggets
Could the Timberwolves figure out a way to sign D’Angelo Russell? ESPN’s Zach Lowe hears that Minnesota will try to make a run at the Nets guard, who will be a restricted free agent unless Brooklyn renounces his rights (hat tip to RealGM). “There has been a lot of Minnesota (signing) D’Angelo Russell noise,” Lowe said. “And it’s not all Karl Towns commenting on Instagram because they’re friends. Minnesota has communicated to the league, not the NBA league, just the league at large that they believe they have a pathway to get D’Angelo Russell.”
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- The Thunder will get a better read on Paul George‘s status in late September, Erik Horne of The Oklahoman reports. He’s expected to miss most of the preseason after undergoing offseason surgeries to his right rotator cuff and left labrum. “He’s doing well,” GM Sam Presti said. “He’s going to make a full recovery.” Shooting guard Andre Roberson, who hasn’t played since January 2018 after suffering a serious knee injury, has been training in Texas, Horne adds.
- Forward Michael Porter Jr. will make his Nuggets debut in the Las Vegas Summer League next month and he’s ready to go, Parth Upadhyaya of Denver Post relays. After being selected at the end of the lottery last season, Porter sat out last season to rehab from back surgery. “He’s been in the gym twice a day for a long time,” president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said. “He’s been fully cleared for several months.”
- Thunder center Steven Adams won’t play for New Zealand in the FIBA World Cup this summer, according to Sportando.
- The Nuggets did not retain assistants Mark Price and Bob Weiss, Mike Singer of the Denver Post tweets.
Atlantic Notes: Leonard, Nets, Horford, Barrett, Raptors
The Raptors’ pitch to Kawhi Leonard to remain with the organization is still being discussed but is near completion, GM Bobby Webster told the Toronto Star’s Doug Smith and other media members. “There’s definitely more (things to be done),” Webster said. “As you can imagine, there are a ton of thoughts and ideas.” Aside from the financial implications — the Raptors can offer their superstar a five-year deal worth nearly $190MM while other suitors can give him a four-year, $140.6MM contract — the organization is expected to emphasize its championship pedigree, the medical staff that earned Leonard’s trust, and a chance to keep winning in familiar surroundings, Smith adds.
We have more from around the Atlantic Division:
- The Nets have continued to clear cap room to sign two high-level free agents and there’s an expectation that this summer will be transformational for the Nets, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Draft-night trades cleared $2MM more in cap room, moving the team within $2MM of landing some combination of Leonard, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. GM Sean Marks indicated that going after big fish in free agency is the next logical leap for the franchise.
- Al Horford would be a “no-brainer” free agent target for the Sixers if they don’t re-sign both Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Horford would be a natural fit at power forward alongside Joel Embiid and could play center in games that the oft-injured Embiid sits out, Pompey notes. Horford will decline his $30.1MM player option with the Celtics and pursue a multi-year contract in free agency.
- There were mixed views on R.J. Barrett within the Knicks organization but GM Scott Perry was determined to draft the Duke freshman with the No. 3 pick, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. Barrett made a strong impression during a June 10 visit with the Knicks. “When we bring guys in, we allowed them to spend time with the front-office staff, coaching and medical staff. It became apparent he was going to be an excellent fit from a culture standpoint,” Perry said. “He did nice things on the court when he worked with coaches. He reaffirmed what we had seen during the college season. … We were comfortable remaining in the draft position at 3.”
- The Raptors had some discussions about moving into the late first round or early second round of the draft but weren’t willing to give up future assets, Blake Murphy of The Athletic tweets.