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.
Five Key Offseason Questions: New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans had the appearance of a budding powerhouse two seasons ago. Carried by superstar big man Anthony Davis, they made the playoffs in 2015 with a young core of players. Later that spring, they fired Monty Williams and replaced him with Warriors assistant and offensive guru Alvin Gentry with the expectation of making deep playoff runs.
Heading into the summer of 2017, the Pelicans are at a crossroads. A combination of injuries, questionable roster decisions, and underperforming players have led to two consecutive losing seasons.
The surprising and bold move to acquire DeMarcus Cousins at the trade deadline didn’t pay immediate dividends. But the combination of Cousins and Davis makes the Pelicans one of the most intriguing teams in the league.
Here’s a look at the major questions confronting the club this offseason:
1. Can the Pelicans sign unrestricted free agent Jrue Holiday?
The Pelicans have made it clear they want to re-sign Holiday, who has been highly productive when he’s been able to stay out of the trainer’s room. Holiday hasn’t played more than 67 games in the past four seasons, but averaged 15.4 PPG and 7.3 APG in 2016/17.
All indications suggest the Pelicans believe Holiday is the point guard who can keep both Davis and Cousins happy in the Twin Towers attack.
The Pelicans hold Holiday’s Bird rights, allowing them to offer more money and years than any other club. They’ll still have stiff competition for his services. It has been reported that the Mavericks covet Holiday and will make him a substantial offer, and other suitors figure to be in the mix as well.
There are several other starter-level floor leaders on the market if Holiday decides to go elsewhere. Losing Holiday wouldn’t necessarily be disastrous, but the Pelicans would prefer to have continuity at that all-important spot.
Draft Lottery Notes: Sixers, Suns, Ntilikina, Nuggets
The Sixers are still actively seeking another first-round pick in Thursday’s draft despite acquiring the top overall pick from the Celtics on Monday, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Philadelphia will take Washington point guard Markelle Fultz at the top of the draft but still have four second-rounders in this draft to dangle, as well as numerous other future picks. The Sixers could trade a player on their current roster in a package with some of those second-rounders or future picks to get another player in the first round, Pompey adds. “I think whether we were selecting at No. 1 or staying at 3, there’s been some talk about our interest in acquiring yet another pick,” President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo told Pompey and other media members. “I’m not going to give up those efforts because we moved up to No. 1.”
In other notable developments involving this year’s lottery:
- Suns GM Ryan McDonough doesn’t anticipate moving the No. 4 pick in the draft, as he told Scott Bordow of the Arizona Republic and other reporters on Monday. The Suns have been rumored to part of three-way deals involving Paul George and Jimmy Butler, and they are also reportedly enamored with UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball, who is expected to be drafted No. 2 overall by the Lakers. However, McDonough says he’s comfortable with staying put and taking whatever player falls to that spot. “We have a good grouping of players regardless of who goes one, two or three we really like,” McDonough told Bordow. “I think at this point there’s one player we feel won’t be there for sure at No. 4 (Fultz) and we’re prepared for every other scenario.”
- The Mavs have hired the coach of potential lottery pick Frank Ntilikina, Vincent Collet, to run their Orlando Summer League team, ESPN’s Chad Ford tweets. Collet is Ntilikina’s coach for SIG Strasbourg in France. The coaching hire means that Dallas, which has the No. 9 pick in the draft, is “all in” on Ntilikina, Ford adds. Ntilikina wants to go to Dallas but the Knicks, who have the No. 8 pick, are also interested in the point guard, Ford reports in a separate tweet. Despite the Mavs’ efforts, the Knicks have shown the most interest in the French point guard, according to the New York Daily News’ Stefan Bondy, having sent scout Makhtar Ndiaye to watch him extensively.
- Danilo Gallinari‘s foray into free agency will have little to no impact on the Nuggets’ lottery selection, according to Nick Kosmider of the Denver Post: President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly told Kosmider and other reporters that the club isn’t targeting a specific need with the No. 13 overall pick. “Whoever we draft, whether it be No. 13 or we move up or we move down, it would be hard for them to have a significant role next season,” Connelly said.
Northwest Rumors: Gallinari, Blazers, Monk, Timberwolves
Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari doesn’t consider Denver his preferred choice in free agency, according to a Premium Sport interview that was relayed by Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia. Gallinari, who will decline his $16.1MM player option in order to enter the market, says the Nuggets are “exactly at the same level” as any other team that pursues him. The only thing in Denver’s favor is that it can offer an extra year, Gallinari adds in the interview.
In other news around the Northwest Division:
- North Carolina swingman Justin Jackson was among six players the Trail Blazers brought in for pre-draft workouts on Monday, the team’s website reports. Considered a potential late-lottery selection, Jackson is currently ranked No. 16 on DraftExpress’ list of Top 100 prospects. A trio of big men with first-round potential were also at the workout, including Isaiah Hartenstein (No. 19), who played in Lithuania last season; University of California’s Ivan Rabb (No. 30); and Oregon’s Jordan Bell (No. 35).
- The Timberwolves will have a tough decision if Kentucky shooting guard Malik Monk is still available when their turn comes up in the lottery, as Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune details. Monk could turn into a prolific scorer in the mold of the Trail Blazers’ C.J. McCollum, Zgoda continues. Alternatively, Minnesota might conclude that the 6’3” Monk will end up being an off-the-bench scorer because of his lack of size and length for his position, Zgoda adds. Minnesota holds the No. 7 overall pick.
- Along with the well-documented Jimmy Butler rumors, the Timberwolves could pursue a number of pricey veterans in trades, Zgoda writes in a separate piece. LaMarcus Aldridge, Dwight Howard, Eric Bledsoe and Wes Matthews are among the players that Zgoda speculates could be potential trade targets for Minnesota.
Cavs Trying To Piece Together Trade For Butler
The Cavaliers are seeking to acquire Bulls All-Star Jimmy Butler by putting together a multi-team trade, league sources told ESPN.com’s Marc Stein. Cleveland needs to get at least one other team involved to obtain the assets Chicago would demand and have been working diligently to do so, Stein adds. (Twitter links)
The Cavaliers’ high payroll, plus their lack of draft picks, makes it difficult to swing a deal for any high-level player. The Trail Blazers own their pick in Thursday’s draft and they also owe the Hawks a first-rounder in 2019. They don’t have any first-rounders coming their way.
It’s logical to assume they’d have to include Kevin Love in any blockbuster deal. Whether the Bulls would be interested in Love is unknown. Perhaps a third-party would facilitate the deal by taking on Love’s contract, which has three years and approximately $74MM remaining, though the final year is a player option.
The Suns might be a team that would get involved in the Cavaliers’ quest for Butler, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune tweets.
Butler’s name continues to swirl in trade rumors, even though numerous executives around the league believe Butler won’t be dealt during draft week. The Timberwolves, Celtics and Suns have all been mentioned as possible suitors for Butler. The Bulls’ asking price is high, as The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski noted, but there has been preliminary contact between Minnesota and Chicago. Boston has a bevy of first-round picks to offer the Bulls, adding another in its deal with the Sixers to swap the first and third overall picks, which was finalized today.
The Cavaliers have also been linked to the Pacers’ Paul George, who informed Indiana he won’t re-sign with the franchise when he becomes a free agent next summer. As is the case with Butler, the Cavaliers would likely to have to get a third party involved to pry away George.
Sixers Acquire No. 1 Pick From Celtics, Will Take Fultz
JUNE 19: The Celtics have formally issued a press release announcing the trade, making it official. Here’s how the finalized deal looks:
Sixers acquire:
- No. 1 overall pick in 2017
Celtics acquire:
- No. 3 overall pick in 2017
- Lakers’ 2018 first-round pick if it falls between No. 2 and No. 5. If Lakers’ pick doesn’t convey, Celtics will acquire more favorable of Kings’ or Sixers’ 2019 first-round pick (unless that pick is No. 1 overall, in which case the Celtics will acquire less favorable selection).
“We are very pleased with the outcome of this trade, which puts us in the enviable position of selecting first overall in consecutive draft years,” Sixers president Bryan Colangelo said in Philadelphia’s own announcement confirming the deal. “History suggests that No. 1 has the greatest odds of producing franchise-level talent and we are confident that this year’s draft class has that very potential. Thursday night will see us take another significant step toward building a successful and sustainable basketball program.”
JUNE 17: The Celtics and Sixers have reached an agreement on a deal that will send the first overall pick to Philadelphia, David Aldridge of NBA.com tweets. The trade will be finalized on Monday and the Sixers will select University of Washington point guard Markelle Fultz, Aldridge adds.
Boston will receive the No. 3 pick in this year’s draft from Philadelphia, according to Marc J. Spears of ESPN.com.
Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe tweets that the Celtics will also receive one future first-rounder along with that pick. Boston will receive the 2018 first-rounder that the Lakers owe the Sixers with protections, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical tweets. If it doesn’t convey, the Sixers will instead give up the Kings‘ first-rounder that Sacramento owes to Philadelphia, Wojnarowski adds. Wojnarowski originally reported the Celtics would get both of those picks.
The Celtics will receive that Lakers pick if it’s anywhere between No. 2 and No. 5, Philadelphia-based reporter Derek Bodner tweets. Otherwise, Boston will get the Kings pick in 2019.
The league made a rule change last summer which allowed teams to put protection on unprotected picks they had received in a previous trade, Bobby Marks of The Vertical tweets.
The Lakers were interested in trading up to snag Fultz but the Sixers’ ability to hand over another high first-rounder was more than Los Angeles could offer, Wojnarowski adds in another tweet.
The final piece to the puzzle was for Fultz to formally work out with the Sixers and that occurred on Saturday night, as Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press reports. “I’m truly blessed to be in this position,” Fultz told Reynolds and other reporters at the workout. “Whatever happens, I’m looking forward to taking my talents to wherever I go.”
While the uncertainty over which player will go No. 1 has apparently been clarified, it’s still unknown what the Lakers will do. Most experts anticipate they’ll choose UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball, which would leave Kansas swingman Josh Jackson available for the Celtics at the No. 3 slot.
The Celtics now have a huge stockpile of future first-rounders at their disposal to facilitate a deal for a star player. They already own the Nets’ 2018 first-round pick, plus the first-rounders of the Clippers and Grizzlies in 2019, along with a handful of second-round picks.
The trade gives the Sixers a dream backcourt of back-to-back No. 1 overall picks, with Fultz joining Ben Simmons, who sat out last season with a foot injury.
Western Rumors: Ginobili, Kings, Evans, Jazz
Spurs guard Manu Ginobili still hasn’t decided whether he’ll retire, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News relays via an interview with Ginobili’s brother conducted by NBA Para Todos. Sepo Ginobili said Manu is trying to decide whether he can still be effective player at age 40, a birthday he’ll reach on July 28. “If he can help and be useful to the team, he will continue,” Sepo said. Manu offered a vague timetable after the Spurs were swept by the Warriors in the Westen Conference finals, saying he would take “three weeks, four weeks, whatever” before he would make a final decision, Orsborn adds.
In other news around the Western Conference:
- Despite dealing DeMarcus Cousins at the trade deadline, the Kings do not have a need at center as the draft approaches, according to Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. The Kings, who have the No. 5 and 10 picks in the first round, drafted Willie Cauley-Stein and Georgios Papagiannis in the first round the past two seasons. They also have a solid veteran in Kosta Koufos on the roster but Cauley-Stein ought to be the starter next season, Jones continues. Cauley-Stein averaged 12.9 PPG and 8.1 RPG after the Cousins trade and can be the key to their interior defense, Jones adds.
- Oklahoma State guard Jawun Evans could fill the Thunder’s need for a backup point, John Helsley of The Oklahoman writes. The Thunder hold the No. 21 overall pick and Evans excels in pick-and-rolls, though he lacks size and isn’t particularly atheltic, Helsley continues. Originally viewed as a second-round pick, Evans has moved into the first round in many mock drafts, Helsley adds.
- Uncertainty over how free agency will play out complicates the Jazz’s draft decisions, as Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune explains. Small forward Gordon Hayward, point guard George Hill and shooting guard Joe Ingles will be on the market in July but the Jazz won’t know if they need to replace them. GM Dennis Lindsey believes the NBA should change that, as he told Jones. “I — and many league executives — would prefer free agency come before the draft,” Lindsey said. “Free agency both fills voids and creates holes, so I think we’d like some clarity before the draft.” Utah has two late first-rounders at No. 24 and 30.
Five Key Offseason Questions: Orlando Magic
High lottery picks don’t always guarantee success. The Orlando Magic can attest to that. The Magic had a top-five pick in three consecutive drafts, starting in 2013, and failed to come away with a franchise player.
Last season, Orlando tried a different approach, packaging the No. 11 overall pick in a trade with the Thunder to acquire Serge Ibaka, who was entering his walk year. When their season fell apart once again, the Magic ended up dealing Ibaka to the Raptors. Orlando finished 29-53 during Frank Vogel’s first season as head coach with the franchise, a six-game slide from the 2015/16 campaign. Now under new management, the Magic will try to snap their streak of five consecutive losing seasons.
Here are five key questions for the Magic as they enter this offseason:
1. Who should they take with the No. 6 pick in the draft?
It’s generally believed that there’s a drop-off after the first five players come off the board on Thursday. Just the Magic’s luck, they have the sixth pick.
If Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball, Josh Jackson, De’Aaron Fox and Jayson Tatum are all gone by the time the Magic’s turn comes up — a pretty safe assumption — they’ll have to strike gold with a less-heralded prospect.
The team’s newly-hired decision-makers, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman and GM John Hammond, have some interesting options and will probably settle on the one with the highest ceiling. Florida State forward Jonathan Isaac could be that guy. His length and ability to guard multiple positions would boost the team’s defense and he has the range to step out and make 3-pointers.
Arizona’s Lauri Markkanen and Kentucky’s Malik Monk would be safer options. Markkanen is a classic stretch four — he made 42% of his 3-point attempts during his lone college season. Monk, a shooting guard, could emerge as the No. 1 scoring option on a team that needs one.
Southeast Notes: Hornets, Cotton, Auguste, Williams-Goss
The Hornets expect their lottery pick to jump right into the rotation, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reports. GM Rich Cho told Bonnell that the second unit needs more answers and the No. 11 overall pick should provide one of them. “One thing we feel like we were really lacking last year, where we took a step back, was the bench,” Cho said. “We need a backup point guard, we need another big, we could use another wing to do some more shooting.” A backup point behind Kemba Walker is a high priority and will be filled by the draft or free agency, Bonnell continues. The club holds a $6.27MM option on reserve guard Ramon Sessions but it’s uncertain whether they will exercise it, given that Sessions is coming off a subpar, injury-marred season, Bonnell continues. Louisville’s Donovan Mitchell would be a strong consideration if the Hornets decide to fill that need via the draft, Bonnell adds.
In other news around the Southeast Division:
- Point guard Bryce Cotton will play on the Hawks’ summer-league team, Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype tweets. Cotton played for the Perth Wildcats in the Australian League last season. The 6’1” Cotton played a total of 23 games for the Jazz, Suns and Grizzlies during the previous two seasons.
- Forwards Zach Auguste and Norvel Pelle will play on the Heat’s summer league team, Keith Smith of RealGM tweets. The 6’10” Auguste played in the Turkish league last season after the Lakers cut him during training camp. The former Notre Dame forward also played on the Lakers’ summer league team. The 6’11’ Pelle played on the Heat’s summer league squad last season.
- Gonzaga point guard Nigel Williams-Goss could be a nice fit for the Wizards with their second-round pick, Chase Hughes of CSNMidAtlantic.com opines. The Wizards, who hold the No. 52 overall selection, need another point guard behind John Wall and Williams-Goss could make an instant impact, according to Hughes.
Five Key Offseason Questions: San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs enjoyed another banner regular season and deep playoff run, only to see their championship aspirations destroyed by a key injury. When superstar Kawhi Leonard landed on the foot of the Warriors’ Zaza Pachulia in Game 1 of the Western Conference series, all the drama was drained from the series.
Gregg Popovich railed on Pachulia’s closeout, which the coach felt was a careless and dangerous play. Whether Popovich’s criticism was justified, it certainly prevented Leonard from playing the rest of the way and turned the intriguing series into a formality.
The Spurs remain one of the league’s elite teams and they could potentially be even better next season, depending upon how free agency plays out.
Here’s a look at the major questions confronting the club this offseason:
1. Can the Spurs sign unrestricted free agent Chris Paul?
The Clippers will undoubtedly offer a max deal in an effort to retain the perennial All-Star point guard. Paul’s free agent tour could be this year’s version of the Kevin Durant sweepstakes. Paul is desperately seeking a ring and the Clippers have consistently underperformed in the postseason.
If he bolts, San Antonio is the favorite to land him. The Spurs have an obvious need at the position and the possibility of CP3 joining Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge would give the NBA a third ‘Super Team’ to rival the Warriors and Cavaliers.
The major stumbling block is that the Spurs don’t have enough cap space to give Paul a max contract without some roster maneuvers. Trading sharpshooter Danny Green and his $10MM deal for next season would help the cause. However, it’s quite possible that Paul could accept a lesser deal with an opt-out after the first or second year if he’s serious about joining the Spurs.
2. If the Spurs fail to land Paul, what should they about their point guard situation?
Tony Parker is expected to miss at least the first two months of the season and Patty Mills is an unrestricted free agent.