Cavaliers Notes: Thompson, Dellavedova, Draft, Free Agency
Of the Cavaliers‘ five upcoming free agents, Tristan Thompson is the one they would most like to re-sign for the long term, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes in a mailbag column. Thompson is putting up the best numbers of his career this season, averaging 14.1 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. He is also a team leader whose work ethic serves as a model for a very young roster.
Sources tell Fedor that the team hasn’t had any conversations with Thompson’s agents about a possible extension. The front office believes he wouldn’t be willing to make a commitment now when he stands to get a huge payday next summer.
Fedor notes that the Cavs’ chances of keeping Thompson seem pretty good because most contenders are either set at center or won’t have much money to spend. One exception could be the Raptors, who have Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol with expiring contracts. Thompson is a Toronto native and may be interested in returning home with a more successful organization.
There’s more on the Cavaliers, all courtesy of Fedor:
- Matthew Dellavedova, another impending free agent, will continue to get playing time despite his broken jumper. Coach John Beilein sees him as one of the team’s best defenders and leans on his ability to run the offense with the second unit. Dellavedova is shooting a career-worst 25% from the field and has made just 3-of-31 shots beyond the arc.
- After selecting Collin Sexton and Darius Garland the past two years, the Cavaliers could face a difficult decision in a 2020 draft that filled with small guards. Fedor believes management would be willing to gamble on North Carolina’s Cole Anthony or Georgia’s Anthony Edwards if they believe they are better long-range prospects than Sexton or Garland. Another name to watch could be Israeli swingman Deni Avdija, who is expected to be the first international player off the board. Cavs general manager Koby Altman recently made a trip to see Avdija, and scouting director Brandon Weems is planning to watch his Maccabi Tel Aviv team later this season.
- The Cavaliers’ rebuilding situation will limit their free agency appeal, so Fedor believes the best strategy could be to make a generous offer for a restricted free agent. Brandon Ingram would be at the top of that list, but the Pelicans will likely match any offer to the centerpiece of the Anthony Davis trade. Other options include the Kings‘ Bogdan Bogdanovic and the Suns‘ Dario Saric.
NBA’s Waiver Claims Order Changes Today
December 1 is a relatively minor day on the NBA calendar, but it will change the way waiver claims are processed for the rest of the season. Starting today, the waiver claim order will be determined by the current NBA standings, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. Up until now, the order had been set by where teams finished last season.
The change is especially significant for the Warriors, who are now first in line after previously being 28th. Devastated by injuries and free agent losses, Golden State is off to a 4-16 start, which is the worst record in the league. However, their ability to make any move is restricted by a hard cap that was imposed with the sign-and-trade that brought D’Angelo Russell to the Bay Area.
Next in line are the Hawks (4-16), Knicks (4-15), Cavaliers (5-14) and Grizzlies (5-13). You can follow changes to the order all season long on our Reverse Standings.
Nine waiver claims have been made since the league’s new year began in July. These moves typically involve fringe players, and a couple of them are no longer on the roster of the teams that claimed them. Tyrone Wallace has been claimed twice — by the Timberwolves in July after the Clippers waived him and by the Hawks in October after he was cut by Minnesota.
Today also marks an important guarantee date for two players, Marks adds. Heat rookie Kendrick Nunn will see his guarantee increase from $300K to $450K once the deadline passes at 5pm Eastern Time (Twitter link). Nunn signed a three-year, $5MM contract at the end of last season, including a $1.4MM salary for this year that will become fully guaranteed along with all league salaries on January 7. Nunn is a surprise Rookie of the Year candidate, starting all 18 games and averaging 16.4 PPG.
Bucks forward Dragan Bender will see his guarantee rise from $600K to $800K if he stays on the roster past the 5pm deadline (Twitter link). He has a two-year, $3.5MM deal with partial guarantees, but has only gotten into two games so far. He will receive $1.68MM if he remains with the team through January 7.
Heat Notes: Waiters, Jones, Whiteside, Winslow
Dion Waiters appears to have returned to the Heat in good standing after serving a 10-game suspension, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Waiters becomes eligible again in this afternoon’s game with the Nets, but coach Erik Spoelstra wouldn’t say when he expects to start using him again. Waiters hasn’t played yet this season, and Miami is off to a 13-5 start with plenty of depth at the wing spots.
Waiters has been suspended twice already this season, once for a preseason argument with Spoelstra over playing time and once for an incident on a team flight that reportedly involved a THC-infused gummy. Still, he seems to have the support of his teammates, many of whom spoke out to welcome him back.
“We talk about the next step, what’s coming now, how we can build from that point on,” said Udonis Haslem, who contacted Waiters several times while he was away from the team. “Those are the conversations that I have with him, and I express my support for him. It’s not a time to turn your back and have a beat-down session. It’s time to be there for your brother.”
There’s more from Miami:
- The Heat may get another reinforcement with the return of Derrick Jones Jr., Jackson adds in the same story. Jones, who hasn’t played since Nov. 7 because of a strained hip, is listed as probable for today’s game.
- The offseason trade that sent Hassan Whiteside to the Trail Blazers is working out for both teams, observes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Whiteside has given Portland a much-needed rim protector amid injuries to other centers and blocked 10 shots Friday night. He didn’t have a future in Miami because Heat management preferred Bam Adebayo and probably wouldn’t have re-signed Whiteside after his contract expires this summer. They also needed to clear cap room to complete the deal for Jimmy Butler.
- Justise Winslow may eventually reclaim his starting role, but he has been effective in two games off the bench since returning from a concussion, Winderman notes in a separate story. It has helped that Winslow is joined on the second unit by two former starters in Goran Dragic and Kelly Olynyk. “He and Goran and KO, they already have a great chemistry, among the three of them,” Spoelstra said. “So that, those minutes with those guys, it’s almost like a bike, again. And I think that helps him find his rhythm, and he’ll continue to get better as we get more games.”
Knicks Notes: Knox, Ntilikina, Porzingis, Ujiri
Knicks head coach David Fizdale is using the term “tough love” to describe his decision to bench second-year forward Kevin Knox, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. Knox was held out of Friday’s loss to the Sixers and had only been averaging 12.1 minutes per night in the previous four games. It’s been a trend for the ninth overall pick in last year’s draft, whose minutes have fallen from 28.8 per game in 2018/19 to 19.8 this season.
“Sometimes they’ve got to go through some tough love to find themselves and watch the game from 25,000 feet, see it, and see the things that I’m emphasizing,” Fizdale said after Saturday’s practice. “I was tough on Frank (Ntilikina) last year and I just feel like Frank has come back with a whole different mindset about how he’s going to go about this season. I’ve been so happy with the way he’s played and produced. But I do think a little bit of tough love on some of these young guys isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”
Knox will be “a consideration, for sure” to return to the lineup today, Fizdale added. Marcus Morris is listed as questionable for the game because of cervical spasms in his neck.
There’s more from New York this morning:
- Ntilikina tells Botte that he benefited from last year’s experience and encourages Knox to find ways to help the team when he’s not on the court. Ntilikina began this season out of the rotation, but has made 14 consecutive starts at point guard. He said an offseason meeting with Fizdale gave him a new perspective. “There’s a lot of noise with this team, a lot of expectations,” Ntilikina explained. “Around this city, a lot of expectations. Obviously, those expectations are for us to get better. But what we have to understand, too, is we have expectations, and [Fizdale] wants us to get better, and he wants us to be the best team possible. He wants us to be the best possible, that’s the same for every player.”
- Former Knicks guard Trey Burke, who was part of the package sent to Dallas in the Kristaps Porzingis trade, offered some insight into Porzingis’ perspective on the deal and his falling out with management in New York, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. “A lot of things the press said, he felt like wasn’t true,’’ Burke said. “He feels like there was a narrative that got out about him, he couldn’t defend himself. I don’t know if (Dallas) told him not to talk that much, but he wasn’t talking. I do think he has his side.’’
- The Knicks may try to lure Raptors executive Masai Ujiri after the season ends, and there are fears in Toronto that he might accept their offer, according to Steve Popper of Newsday. Ujiri may view New York City as a larger platform to help expand his Giants of Africa foundation, which aids children in his home continent.
Al-Farouq Aminu Out Indefinitely With Torn Meniscus
Magic forward Al-Farouq Aminu has a torn meniscus in his right knee, the team announced on Twitter. An MRI revealed the damage. He will be evaluated further to determine how the injury will be treated and how long he will be out of action.
Aminu, 29, signed a three-year, $29MM deal with Orlando in July. He is playing 21.1 minutes per night through 18 games, mostly in a reserve role, and is averaging 4.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
The news is the latest injury blow to a Magic team already missing starting center Nikola Vucevic, along with Michael Carter-Williams. It should mean more minutes for Aaron Gordon, who returned from an ankle injury this week, and Jonathan Isaac, as well as a potential opportunity for third-year forward Wesley Iwundu.
Orlando is carrying an open roster spot that could be filled if depth becomes an issue, points out Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Wizards Notes: Howard, Miles, Beal
After injuries wiped out nearly all of his 2018/19 season, Dwight Howard made promises to new Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard that he never got a chance to fulfill, writes Fred Katz of The Athletic. Howard suffered a back injury before training camp and played just nine games last year. Entering the second season of his two-year contract, Howard vowed to Sheppard that things were going to be different.
“I told Tommy I was gonna lose 30 pounds and come back in the best shape of my life and we were gonna have a shot at winning a championship,” Howard said. “That was my goal all summer, to lose weight and come back better than ever.”
Howard delivered on his promises, but not in D.C. He was traded to Memphis in July to create more minutes for centers Thomas Bryant, who re-signed this summer, and Moritz Wagner, who was acquired in a trade. Howard reached a buyout with the Grizzlies and accepted a non-guaranteed offer from the Lakers. It marked his second straight summer with a buyout arrangement and his seventh team in the past five years, but he’s grateful for the chance to rebuild his reputation.
“A lot of times, you gotta outlive the lie,” he said. “I’ve been lied on for many years about who I am as a player, person, my character. So, I just wanted to get into good shape. If I say something, I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna be that way, and (that’s) not gonna change.”
There’s more Wizards news to pass along:
- The team is holding out hope that C.J. Miles won’t need surgery for his injured left wrist, relays Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. Miles damaged ligaments while taking a charge in Tuesday’s game and can’t visit a specialist until Monday when the Wizards are back from their current road trip. An operation would sideline him for about four months and likely end his season. “Right now, they’re talking to the doctors, talking to C.J. as well and our staff and have a game plan, I’m sure, the next couple of days,” coach Scott Brooks said.
- Bradley Beal doesn’t regret his decision to accept a two-year extension, even though Washington is off to a poor start at 6-11, according to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. Beal could have turned down the offer and possibly paved the way for a trade to a contender, but he opted to commit to the organization through at least 2021/22. “It’s easy for people in all walks of life to see the grass as greener on the other side and not to see and appreciate your current environment,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “And I do admire that in Bradley.”
- Beal blamed weight gain over the past two seasons on Couvade Syndrome, also known as “sympathetic pregnancy,” writes Quinton Mayo of NBC Sports Washington. Beal’s partner has delivered two children in the past two years. “I gained about 12-15 pounds,” he said. “Coach Brooks used to make fun of me and say my uniform was fitting a little tighter, and not in a good way. I was up at 3, 4 o’clock in the morning eating ice cream when I shouldn’t have been eating ice cream. That’s all because momma was pregnant and I had the exact same symptoms. I was craving stuff that I never had the desire to eat before.”
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/30/19
Here are Saturday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Pacers assigned Victor Oladipo and Edmond Sumner to their Fort Wayne affiliate, the team announced in a press release. Both players are recovering from injuries and are scheduled to practice with the Mad Ants today, Tuesday and Wednesday. Oladipo, an All-Star the past two years, suffered a ruptured quad tendon in his right knee last season. Sumner had a non-displaced fracture of the third metacarpal in his right hand.
- The Kings recalled Wenyen Gabriel and Caleb Swanigan from their affiliate in Stockton, according to a tweet from the team. Swanigan was sent back to the G League after today’s game, the Kings tweeted.
Five Key Stories: 11/23/19 – 11/30/19
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:
Nets guard Kyrie Irving missed his first trip back to Boston because of a shoulder injury, then responded on Instagram to derisive chants from Celtics fans. “It happens all the time and Tonight just shows how Sports/Entertainment will always be ignorant and obtrusive,” Irving wrote. “It’s one big SHOW that means very little in the real world.”
Zach LaVine had a meeting with Bulls coach Jim Boylen to discuss a perceived lack of trust. The clash came after LaVine was pulled from a game early after a couple of defensive mistakes.
Carmelo Anthony continues to impress since signing with the Trail Blazers last week and said he never intended for this season to be a farewell tour. Playing on a one-year, non-guaranteed contract, Anthony is averaging 17.7 PPG as Portland has turned its season around with three straight wins.
The Magic were successful in their petition to the NBA to have the remaining $16.7MM of Timofey Mozgov‘s salary removed from their books. The 33-year-old underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his knee in January.
The NCAA upheld a 12-game suspension for potential No. 1 pick James Wiseman. The Memphis center will also have to make a donation of $11.5K, which is the amount his family received as moving expenses from coach Penny Hardaway.
Here are 10 more noteworthy headlines from around the basketball world this week:
- Celtics guard Kemba Walker recovered quickly after a scary collision last Friday in Denver. He missed one game with a sprained neck, but returned to score 39 points on Wednesday.
- Thunder swingman Hamidou Diallo will miss some time after suffering a hyperextension sprain in his right elbow. The team plans to re-evaluate him in four to six weeks.
- C.J. Miles could be lost to the Wizards for the rest of the season because of damaged ligaments in his left wrist. He will see a specialist Monday to determine if surgery will be necessary.
- Khris Middleton returned to the Bucks‘ lineup ahead of schedule after suffering a left thigh contusion.
- Josh Hart apologized to the Lakers and some of his former teammates for comments he made on his podcast. Hart said the statements were made in jest and he didn’t expect them to air.
- An ESPN report suggests the Mavericks may be among the teams that will try to trade for Andre Iguodala. Dallas could use a defensive specialist like Iguodala to complement its high-powered offense.
- Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge wishes he had handled last season differently. Ainge recognizes that the talent didn’t fit together and the season wasn’t enjoyable for coach Brad Stevens.
- Kevin Love discussed the persistent rumors that the Cavaliers might trade him to a contender, even though he’s only in the second season of a four-year extension. Love said he will try to help his young teammates as long as he is in Cleveland.
- Jabari Parker would be willing to consider returning to the Bucks when he hits the open market again. Parker’s two-year deal with the Hawks includes a player option for next season.
- Alex Poythress, who was on a two-way deal with the Hawks last year, reached an agreement to play in Turkey.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 11/23/19 – 11/30/19
Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team creates original content to complement our news feed. Here are our original segments and features from the past seven days:
- We introduced our “Reverse Standings” feature for the 2019/20 season.
- Our Trade Candidate Watch focused on the Southeast Division.
- Our Free Agent Stock Watch looked at the Southwest Division.
- In this week’s Community Shootarounds, we asked:
Ja Morant Sidelined With Back Spasms
Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant will be out of action on a “week-to-week basis” with back spasms, tweets Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
The star point guard first hurt his back in Monday’s game at Indiana when he collided with a camera operator after a layup attempt, writes David Cobb of The Commercial Appeal. He was helped off the court and appeared to be pointing to the middle of his upper back, Cobb adds, but later returned to the game.
Morant scored just 11 points against the Jazz last night, shooting 4 of 13 from the field, and appeared to be bothered by back pain. He is off to a strong start in his first NBA season, averaging 18.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 6.4 assists through 17 games.
Morant’s absence provides an opportunity for Tyus Jones, who came to Memphis this summer when the Timberwolves declined to match a three-year, $24MM offer sheet. He is averaging 19.3 minutes per night as a backup to Morant. Marko Guduric and De’Anthony Melton should also get an increase in playing time.