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Cavaliers Hire Koby Altman As GM

July 24th, 2017 at 5:12pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Cavaliers have named Koby Altman their new GM, according to the team’s website.

Altman, who spent the last five seasons with the franchise, was promoted to Assistant GM in September of 2016. He’s been serving as the interim GM since the team parted with David Griffin.

“Over the past month, Koby Altman has led our front office group through this transition period, impressing many inside the franchise and outside the organization, as well,” Owner Dan Gilbert said. “We are very excited that he will now be officially leading the basketball side of our franchise. Koby has the credentials, knowledge, experience and instincts to be an outstanding General Manager.

“In addition to these positive attributes and outstanding relationships around the league, Koby will inspire and impact the best possible culture throughout the organization. We are going to see a capable and passionate leader who will also cultivate new ideas and innovation. The speed of the game is ever faster on the court and in the front offices around our league. I am confident that Koby is equipped and prepared to lead and succeed in this dynamic environment.”

Gilbert added that other front office moves are expected to take place. “We are looking forward to announcing additional restructuring involving these remarkable executives in the very near future,” said Gilbert.

Altman has his work cut out for him in Cleveland. Kyrie Irving recently requested a trade and as Austin Kent of Hoops Rumors noted, the organization may have helped itself in trade negotiations by legitimizing Altman’s role.

Latest On Kyrie Irving

July 24th, 2017 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

There’s little chance that the Cavaliers will salvage their relationship with Kyrie Irving, according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe, who says the team is “acting as if a trade is almost inevitable.” Per Lowe, the Cavs also seem confident that they’ll be able to land a significant haul for Irving, despite the fact that stars like DeMarcus Cousins, Paul George, and Jimmy Butler have returned underwhelming hauls so far this year.

Lowe’s latest piece on Irving explores possible trade scenarios involving the Suns, Celtics, Heat, Knicks, Hawks, Bucks, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Pelicans, and more. While many of those proposed scenarios appear to be speculation on Lowe’s part, they give the impression that the Cavs certainly won’t be limiting themselves to Irving’s reported wish list of four teams as they seek out the best possible deal.

Here’s more from Lowe, along with other updates on Irving:

The Cavaliers‘ highest priority in an Irving trade is to get a “blue-chip” young player in return, sources tell Lowe. Cleveland’s ideal scenario would be a deal that nets the club that blue-chip player, plus a veteran or two, plus draft picks. In other words, the Cavs are aiming for a trade package that provides the best of both worlds — players that can help the team contend for a championship in the short term, and valuable long-term assets.
Since Irving made his trade request, the Cavaliers‘ front office has studied every trade involving a star player over the last decade, per Lowe. One particular deal that caught the club’s eye was the one that sent Goran Dragic from Phoenix to Miami for a package that included multiple first-round picks.
Many teams, including the Celtics, have called the Cavaliers to let them know they want to be kept in the loop as trade talks progress, writes Lowe.
The Nets still have a chunk of salary cap room remaining and could be an interesting trade partner in a multi-team scenario, but there have been no rumblings yet about their potential participation, according to Lowe.
The Kings have no interest in moving De’Aaron Fox in a deal for Irving, reports James Ham of CSNBayArea.com.
One Western Conference team executive tells Chris Mannix of The Vertical that he thinks the Cavaliers may end up having to wait until after December 15 to make a deal, after this year’s free agent signees become trade-eligible. If that happens, it might create an awkward few months in Cleveland, with Irving still on the roster when the season begins.

Derrick Rose Meeting With Cavs On Monday

July 24th, 2017 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

Free agent point guard Derrick Rose is meeting with Cavaliers officials in Ohio on Monday to continue exploring the possibility of a deal with the club, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Previous reports have indicated that Rose and the Cavs have engaged in serious discussions about a one-year contract.

Cleveland is said to be offering Rose a minimum salary contract, which would only pay him about $2.1MM for the 2017/18 season. That would represent a significant pay cut for Rose, and it’s less than what he could earn from a team like the Lakers, who have their full $4.3MM room exception available. Rose met with the Lakers on Friday.

While the Cavaliers’ offer is modest, league sources tell Wojnarowski that Rose has been leaning toward the opportunity in Cleveland. The Cavs are a more viable contender than the Lakers, which is expected to be a key factor for the former MVP, and Kyrie Irving‘s trade request also figures to play a part in Rose’s interest.

With Irving on the roster, Rose would be part of a backup point guard rotation that also includes Jose Calderon, but if Irving doesn’t start the 2017/18 season in Cleveland, the door would be open for Rose to play a more substantial role. However, according to Wojnarowski, the Cavs haven’t gained traction toward a possible Irving deal yet, despite fielding multiple trade calls and offers in recent days.

Rose, who turns 29 in October, is coming off a season in which he struggled with his outside shot more than ever (.217 3PT%) and wasn’t an elite distributor or defender. Still, he continued to display an ability to get to the rim and put the ball in the net, averaging 18.0 PPG in 64 games with the Knicks.

LeBron James Unwilling To Waive No-Trade Clause

July 23rd, 2017 at 7:02pm CST by Austin Kent

The Cavaliers will have their work cut out for them sorting through the drama of Kyrie Irving‘s recent trade request. The All-Star point guard is reportedly concerned about the roster he might be left with if LeBron James leaves the team next summer.

Simply getting ahead of the issue and trading James before he could possibly bolt via free agency, however, isn’t a realistic option. Per Chris Haynes of ESPN, James has no intention of waiving his no-trade clause to facilitate a rebuild.

James, one of three players in the NBA with such a clause, has signed a series of short contracts ever since he returned to the Cavaliers in the summer of 2014, a strategy that has helped him maximize his earning potential while applying consistent pressure to the team’s front office.

Given that 2017/18 is the last guaranteed year on his current deal, James could technically opt out of his 2018/19 player option, hit free agency and potentially join another club in less than a year, something that has been speculated about over the course of the last month.

While there’s no substantive indication that he will leave for the Lakers (or any other franchise), the fact that it’s a possibility is apparently concerning to Irving, who doesn’t want to be left out in the cold, alone with a roster built around James’ playing style.

That limits team owner Dan Gilbert and recently appointed Koby Altman in what they can do to resolve Irving’s concerns, if they do in fact decide to react at all.

Community Shootaround: Kyrie Irving To The Sixers

July 23rd, 2017 at 4:16pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Kyrie Irving demanded a trade in what was arguably the NBA’s biggest news story this past week. The point guard’s most preferred destination is San Antonio, though he reportedly would be happy with being dealt to the Heat, Wolves or Knicks if it’s not the Spurs.

Irving didn’t name the Sixers as a preferred landing spot, but Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders argues that a trade to Philadelphia makes the most sense. Hamilton believes the Cavs must operate as though LeBron James will leave once he’s able to in the summer of 2018, meaning they should not trade for veteran players. Instead, the team should look to rebuild and target young players and assets.

The scribe contends that Irving could come to Philly and become the team’s No. 1 option, something that’s important to the 25-year-old. Hamilton believes a package of Markelle Fultz, Jahlil Okafor, and a couple future first-rounders would be a good haul for Cleveland.

Tell us what you think about an Irving-to-Philly trade. Do you believe a package centered around Fultz would be enough to entice the Cavs or should they go with a different offer from the Sixers or another team. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!

Cavaliers Were Close To Acquiring Paul George

July 23rd, 2017 at 9:50am CST by Arthur Hill

The Cavaliers nearly landed Paul George in a three-team deal in late June, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Dave McMenamin and Brian Windhorst.

The trade would have sent Kevin Love to Denver and Gary Harris and other assets to Indiana, but Pacers president Kevin Pritchard reportedly backed out before everything was finalized.

Prior to the draft, Cleveland made trade offers to the Pacers for George and to the Bulls for Jimmy Butler. Once the Wolves acquired Butler on draft night, the Cavs stepped up their efforts for George, with the Nuggets agreeing to send Harris and the No. 13 pick to Cleveland, which would include those assets in a deal with Indiana. However, the Pacers put the trade on hold as they talked to the Trail Blazers about a deal to acquire all three of Portland’s first-rounders in exchange for George. Both proposals eventually fell through.

The Cavs continued to work on the trade following the draft, and an agreement was reached on June 30th. All three teams tentatively okayed to the deal on a conference call, and Cleveland began targeting free agents to fit with George. However, Pritchard changed his mind and the news broke soon after that George was headed to Oklahoma City.

The failed trade was part of a tumultuous offseason for the Cavaliers, as the ESPN authors examine in a lengthy piece. Cleveland also parted ways with GM David Griffin and was unable to land Chauncey Billups, who interviewed twice as a potential replacement. The team missed out on marquee free agents and had to settle for Jose Calderon and Jeff Green. Then star guard Kyrie Irving held a meeting with owner Dan Gilbert on July 7th where he issued a request to be traded.

Irving was reportedly angry that his name had been included in offers for Butler and George, and has been unhappy for some time with how much James dominates the ball. He also believes the team defers too much to James, noting that LeBron’s friend, Randy Mims, was given a position as executive administrator and flies on the team plane, while none of Irving’s friends has a similar arrangement.

The front office and the players have been aware of Irving’s intentions for two weeks, and there is confidence in the organization that the team can get enough assets for Irving to remain a contender. The Cavs have been inundated with calls from interested teams since the story broke on Friday.

Irving’s Motivation For Trade Request Explained

July 23rd, 2017 at 9:16am CST by Arthur Hill

Kyrie Irving‘s decision to ask for a trade isn’t a betrayal of LeBron James, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Irving is aware of the rumors that James might leave for Los Angeles when he becomes a free agent next summer. The All-Star point guard is concerned about the roster he would be left with if that happens, which he explained to team owner Dan Gilbert when they had their meeting.

Wojnarowski explains that the Cavaliers have been making personnel decisions to find players who complement James in a methodical, half-court style. Those players wouldn’t easily transition to an up-tempo approach that would make sense if Irving becomes the focal point. The team has given big-money, long-term deals to Tristan Thompson and J.R. Smith, clients of Klutch Sports like James, that would clog the team’s cap space and slow a potential rebuilding project if James leave.

Irving has two seasons left on his contract, along with a player option for 2019/20. He is worried about being stuck on a non-competitive team if James is suddenly gone and has seen from this summer’s Paul George situation how difficult it can be to trade a player who is close to free agency.

So Irving decided to make his move now, which Wojnarowski notes is a way of exercising the power for NBA stars that James helped to create.

Should The Hornets Enter The Bidding For Irving?

July 22nd, 2017 at 8:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Hornets should consider making an offer for Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving, writes Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. He lists the pros and cons of offering Kemba Walker as part of a trade package, noting that Irving is a more prolific scorer, has much more playoff experience and is two years younger. However, Walker is a better defender, a proven fit with the current team and has a smaller contract. Irving is signed for nearly $18.9MM next season and more than $20MM in 2018/19, with a player option for more than $21.3MM the following season. Walker will make exactly $12MM in each of the next two years.

Latest On Kyrie Irving

July 22nd, 2017 at 5:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kyrie Irving‘s request to be traded is the latest story to rock the league during an eventful offseason. The news broke Friday, but Irving’s meeting with Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert took place about two weeks ago, according to Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com.

The Cavs tried to keep it quiet so they could work on a deal without the distractions that are starting to happen now. Apparently some players learned about the news and started talking, which is how the trade request became public.

Pluto also speculates that Irving’s demand validates rumors last month that former Bulls star Jimmy Butler was warned by Cavaliers players not to push for a trade to Cleveland. They have a close friendship, so Irving may have told Butler that he was planning to leave the team. Butler was subsequently traded to the Timberwolves, one of the teams Irving included on his list of preferred destinations, along with the Spurs, Knicks and Heat.

There’s more today on the Irving trade front:

The Wolves have a strong interest in acquiring Irving, even though they just signed former Pacers point guard Jeff Teague, Pluto adds in the same story. Pluto believes the Cavs should ask for Andrew Wiggins, whom the Cavs made the overall No. 1 draft pick in 2014, as part of the deal. Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns are untouchable, but Wiggins will be a free agent next summer if he doesn’t sign an extension before the October deadline.
The Knicks have offered Carmelo Anthony and a parcel of draft picks, adds Pluto, who says Cleveland should insist on Kristaps Porzingis. Other teams that have expressed interest include Sacramento, with rookie De’Aaron Fox as part of the offer, and Phoenix, with a package centered around Eric Bledsoe.
Pluto also notes that a trade would take away Irving’s opportunity to sign a super-max extension like the one John Wall just agreed to with the Wizards. The move could cost Irving between $50MM and $70MM.
Butler and Towns have done some recruiting work with Irving and have made it clear to Wolves management they would like to acquire him, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, who first broke the story of Irving’s trade request. Windhorst believes Teague would likely be included in any Minnesota-Cleveland deal and notes that as a newly signed free agent he can’t be traded until December 15th.
The Spurs would be Irving’s first choice if he could pick a team, writes Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.
The Cavaliers had a deal on the table involving Irving before the draft, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. The trade was put together by former GM David Griffin, but the Cavaliers didn’t pull the trigger because they didn’t know that Irving wanted to leave.

Poll: Where Should Derrick Rose Sign?

July 22nd, 2017 at 1:10pm CST by Joshua Fischman

Former first overall draft pick and the 2011 NBA Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose is nowhere near the player he used to be thanks to a litany of devastating leg injuries. However, he is coming off a productive offensive season and is easily the most coveted unrestricted free agent on the market.

Rose averaged 18.0 PPG, 4.4 APG, and 3.8 RPG last season with the Knicks, while shooting 47.1% from the field. The point guard also logged 32.5 minutes per his 64 contests, the most playing time he has had in the past four seasons. Despite Rose’s solid season, the rebuilding Knicks appear unlikely to bring him back.

Reports suggest that the leaders for Pooh’s services are the Cavaliers and Lakers. Cleveland will meet with Rose in the coming days and reportedly are offering him a starting position, either alongside Kyrie Irving or in Irving’s place if Cleveland’s point guard is traded. As for the Lakers, Rose had an approximately three-hour meeting with the purple and gold and reports indicate that the meeting went well for both sides. While it is unclear whether Rose would start for the Lake Show, he would be expected to mentor rookie Lonzo Ball on a much improved team.

Two other squads that have met with Rose in recent weeks are the Bucks and Clippers. The Bucks could appeal to Rose’s desire to win, boasting several rising stars in Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Jabari Parker. Milwaukee is also coached by legendary point guard Jason Kidd and is situated very close to Chicago, where the family-minded Rose’s family resides. The Clippers already have Patrick Beverley and Milos Teodosic at point guard, as well as Austin Rivers, who is more of a combo guard, but when replacing Chris Paul, can a team ever really do too much?

What do you think? Where should Rose end up signing? Place your vote in our poll and then catapult into the comments section below to share your thoughts.

Where should Derrick Rose sign?

Cavaliers 43.51% (1,687 votes)

Lakers 21.38% (829 votes)

Bucks 19.04% (738 votes)

Other 9.85% (382 votes)

Clippers 6.22% (241 votes)

Total Votes: 3,877