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NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 3/16/17

March 16th, 2017 at 9:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Thursday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

9:59pm:

The Raptors recalled small forward Bruno Caboclo and power forward Pascal Siakam from their D-League affiliate, the Raptors 905, the team’s media relations department tweets. Siakam wound up playing in the Raptors’ 123-102 loss to the Thunder on Thursday, contributing seven points in six minutes. Toronto assigned the same players to their D-League affiliate for practice purposes earlier in the day.

2:48pm:

The Cavaliers have recalled newly-signed big man Larry Sanders from the D-League, the team announced today in a press release. The Canton Charge are in action tonight, but it appears that Sanders will be with the Cavs for their game against Utah instead.
The Knicks have recalled forward Maurice Ndour from the D-League, according to the team (Twitter link). Ndour has appeared in 13 games this season for the Westchester Knicks, averaging 13.8 PPG and 6.8 RPG.
Rookie guard Demetrius Jackson has been recalled from the D-League, while Jordan Mickey has been assigned to take his place on the Maine Red Claws, the Celtics announced today (via Twitter). It’s the fourth NBADL assignment of the season for Mickey.

Kevin Love Eager, Ready For Action

March 16th, 2017 at 5:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kevin Love has been activated and will be back in action on Thursday, according to team’s official Twitter feed. The Cavaliers have played without their starting power forward for over a month, as he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on February 14th. Love told reporters, including Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, that he was anxious to return after practicing on Wednesday. “I’m 28 years old, I feel like I’m just coming into the league again because I’m so antsy to get back,” Love said. “It’s good. You’ve got to trust the process, respect the process and give that leg time to heal, give injuries time to heal. But it’s not for lack of wanting to be out there.”

The Bulls can hit the reset button if Dwyane Wade opts out of his contract, ESPN.com’s NBA analyst Kevin Pelton opines. The club could have significant cap space this summer if Wade, now out for the remainder of the regular season with a fractured elbow, turns down his $23.8MM player option and becomes a free agent again. That cap space could grow to approximately $50MM if the Bulls waive Rajon Rondo and stretch out his guaranteed money while also renouncing the rights to their other free agents, Pelton explains. Wade would probably have to settle for much less on the free agent market but opting out would allow him to join a contender such as the Cavaliers or Clippers, Pelton adds. The Spurs or even Warriors could be other possible suitors if Wade goes that route, according to the Sporting News’ Sean Deveney, and the Bucks and Nuggets would also check in on him since they showed interest last summer.
Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue had to get permission to play newly-signed center Larry Sanders on Wednesday, according to Joe Vardon of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Lue sent a ball boy into the stands during the team’s blowout victory over the Pistons to ask GM David Griffin if it was OK to play Sanders, who was supposed to get some work in the D League before making his Cleveland debut. Sanders wound up playing two minutes. “I really just wanted to introduce him to the crowd and have him get in, give him a chance to have a standing ovation,” told reporters including Vardon. “I thought it was good for him.”

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 3/14/17

March 14th, 2017 at 10:12pm CST by Milo Taibi

Here are Tuesday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

10:12 pm:

The Cavaliers have assigned Larry Sanders to the Canton Charge, according to the D-League Digest (Twitter link). Cleveland signed Sanders on Monday.
The Hawks have assigned DeAndre’ Bembry to the Salt Lake City Stars, according to the team’s website. Atlanta doesn’t have its own D-League affiliate, so the rookie will play for Utah’s affiliate, per the league’s flex assignment rule.

5:32pm:

The Cavaliers have assigned rookie guard Kay Felder to the Canton Charge, the D-League affiliate wrote in a press release on its official website. Felder has appeared in 9 games for Canton already this season.

3:58pm:

The Clippers announced they have recalled Brice Johnson from the Salt Lake City Stars (press release). Johnson, the 25th overall pick in the 2016 draft, has largely been inactive this season due to a herniated disk in his back.
The Pistons have recalled Henry Ellenson from the D-League, according to the team.

Kevin Love Eyes Possible Weekend Return

March 14th, 2017 at 6:03pm CST by Austin Kent

After missing over a month with a knee injury, Kevin Love could be back in uniform for the Cavaliers as early as their upcoming road trip beginning this Saturday, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes.

Love underwent arthroscopic surgery last month to clear loose bodies in his left knee. At the time, Vardon says, the forward was expected to be sidelined for six weeks.

The addition of Love – who has already returned to practice in some capacities – would be a welcome one for a Cavs team struggling to hold on to the top seed in the Eastern Conference. In 46 games with the squad this season, Love has averaged 20.0 points and 11.1 rebounds per game.

Though his return will hinge on how he feels following Wednesday’s practice and even today’s work out, the fact that general manager David Griffin is the one who told the media bodes well.

Vardon notes that as long as Love returns before the end of the four-game road trip that concludes on March 24, he’ll have beaten the initial six-week estimate.

Cavs Sign Larry Sanders, Waive Andrew Bogut

March 13th, 2017 at 4:21pm CST by Luke Adams

4:23pm: The Cavs formally confirmed Sanders’ deal today in a press release. The team also announced that Bogut has been waived.

8:21am: The Cavaliers have reached an agreement on a contract with free agent big man Larry Sanders, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). Sanders, who will make his return to the NBA after two years away from the league, will likely get a second-year option for 2017/18 on his new deal, adds Charania.

As Charania explains (via Twitter), Sanders is in Cleveland today with agent Joel Bell to finalize his new contract with the Cavs. The former Buck will take a physical exam this morning, and the two sides are still working on nailing down a decision date for next year’s option. Based on a report from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, it sounds like it will be a team option, with a guarantee date this summer — if Sanders is still under contract beyond that date, his salary for next season will become guaranteed.

In order for Sanders’ deal to become official, the Cavaliers will need to officially waive Andrew Bogut. The former first overall pick joined the team after being cut by the Mavericks, but suffered a fractured tibia just 58 seconds into his first game with the Cavs, ending his season. A report last week indicated that the club intends to release Bogut to open up a roster spot.

As for Sanders, he has been looking to make an NBA comeback this season after walking away from the game for personal reasons more than two years ago. Sanders, now 28, flashed promising upside during his initial stint in the NBA. In the 2012/13 season, the last time he was fully healthy, the former 15th overall pick averaged 9.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game. Injuries and off-court problems limited him to 50 games over his last two seasons in the NBA.

The cap-strapped Cavs can’t offer Sanders more than the minimum salary, so his cap hit will be modest, though the team will be charged an extra $2.50 in taxes for every dollar it spends on Sanders. Assuming he gets a two-year deal, Sanders will have a cap charge of $207,722 on the Cavs’ books this season, and the team would owe an additional $519,305 in taxes on his 2016/17 salary.

According to Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net (via Twitter), approximately half the teams in the NBA expressed some level of interest in Sanders, but the veteran center made it known two weeks ago that he preferred to join the Cavs. Because he hasn’t been on an NBA roster this season – and therefore hasn’t been waived at all – Sanders retains his playoff eligibility for Cleveland.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Cavaliers Notes: Sanders, J. Smith, D. Williams

March 13th, 2017 at 11:22am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers reached an agreement today with free agent center Larry Sanders, who hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since December 2014. Although Sanders has been preparing this season to make a comeback, he probably isn’t ready to jump into the Cavs’ rotation right away, so the team intends to take it slow with him.

According to David Aldridge of TNT (via Twitter), the plan for Sanders is to have him play games with the Canton Charge, Cleveland’s D-League affiliate, for the rest of the regular season. Sanders would still practice with the Cavs, but the goal would be to get him in shape and ready to contribute for the NBA team in the postseason, per Aldridge.

As we wait to see how that plan works, let’s check in on a few more Cavs-related notes…

Before reaching a deal with Sanders, the Cavaliers also talked to veteran free agent forward Josh Smith, says Shams Charania of The Vertical. Although there was contact between the Cavs and Smith, the club was focused on getting something done with Sanders, Charania adds.
Sanders’ contract will reportedly include a non-guaranteed salary for 2017/18 that essentially functions as a team option. That option was “vital” for the Cavs, sources tell Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net. As Amico notes, Cleveland wanted the ability to retain the big man for another year in case he flourishes down the stretch this season.
Although Andrew Bogut‘s time in Cleveland will come to a premature end, the team’s other recent free agent addition is working out well. As Marla Ridenour of The Akron Beacon Journal details, backup point guard Deron Williams is drawing rave reviews from head coach Tyronn Lue and his Cavs teammates.

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls 3/12/17

March 12th, 2017 at 11:58pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Here are Sunday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

11:58pm:

The Warriors assigned Damian Jones to the D-League, writes Connor Letourneau of SFGate. Jones is expected to finish the D-League season with Santa Cruz.

5:00pm:

The Raptors have assigned Jakob Poeltl and Pascal Siakam to the Raptors 905, according to the team’s Twitter feed. Poeltl and Siakam are just two of the 2016 first-round picks who were sent down to the D-League this season, as Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors details.
The Mavericks have recalled Manny Harris and Jarrod Uthoff from the Texas Legends, according to a team press release. Dallas is about to embark on a 4-game road trip and each of the 15 players on the roster will make the journey, Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com tweets.
The Cavaliers have recalled Kay Felder from the Canton Charge, according to the team’s website. Felder has seen action in 37 games for Cleveland this year and he’s averaging 4.0 points per game

Cavaliers Notes: Sanders, James, Liggins, Williams

March 12th, 2017 at 10:03am CST by Arthur Hill

LeBron James would endorse the signing of free agent center Larry Sanders to improve the Cavaliers’ bench, writes Marla Ridenour of The Akron Beacon Journal. A story broke Friday that Cleveland was in “serious discussions” with the former Buck, who hasn’t played in the league since the 2014/15 season. The Cavs need a rim protector after losing Andrew Bogut to a broken leg in his first game with the team. Sanders is only 28 and had talks about joining the organization before Bogut became available. “An athletic big guy, incredible shot-blocking skills, anticipation around the rim, can finish around the rim and block shots and being able to guard perimeter guys as well,” James said. “… It looks like he wants another opportunity and hopefully if we’re the team, hopefully we give him an opportunity. Why not? Everyone deserves a second chance and it looks like he wants to get back to playing the game he loves and hopefully this is his destination.”

There’s more this morning out of Cleveland:

The Cavs chose defense over offense when they decided to keep DeAndre Liggins instead of Jordan McRae, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. McRae, a second-year guard, was waived March 1 to create a roster spot for Bogut. Cleveland believes Liggins is more useful because he can match up with Isaiah Thomas, John Wall, Kyle Lowry or Stephen Curry in a playoff series. In addition, Vardon says some people in the organization questioned McRae’s work ethic.
Kyle Korver will be out of action for about a week with a recurring foot injury, Vardon writes in a separate story. Tests this week showed inflammation of a tendon, which is an injury that has affected Korver before. Coach Tyronn Lue said Korver will be re-evaluated “in a few days.”
Deron Williams continues to look like he will play a major role in the postseason, relays Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. The backup point guard, who signed with the Cavaliers after agreeing to a buyout with Dallas, posted 10 points and four assists in 25 minutes Saturday in a win over Orlando. “That’s perfect for our team, and he’s able to learn the sets on the fly,” James said. “He’s putting us in position, and every game he’s getting an opportunity to get his legs back up underneath him because he didn’t play much before the All-Star break. And then you have the break, which is another week, and then I think he took like another week after that. So he’s using these games to get back into game mode and game shape, and it’s helping him every time out.”

Cavs, Larry Sanders “In Serious Discussions Toward A Deal”

March 10th, 2017 at 6:41pm CST by Milo Taibi

The Cavs are nearing a deal with free agent center Larry Sanders, Sam Amico of Fox Sports reports. While there are still obstacles to be cleared before a deal is complete, the Cavs have an obvious need for a big man following Andrew Bogut‘s season-ending injury. Following Bogut’s injury, David Aldridge of TNT speculated the Cavs could ramp up their pursuit of Sanders (Twitter link).

For a signing to be completed, the Cavs would need to release Bogut. If all goes as planned, Amico notes, a deal could be reached by Monday (Twitter link).

Shams Charania of The Vertical corroborated Amico’s report, writing that Sanders and the Cavs are “in serious discussions toward a deal.” Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders shed further light on the potential signing, claiming Sanders was initially Cleveland’s backup plan at the five. The team opted to sign the more experienced Bogut, who received just one minute of court time before suffering a fractured tibia.

Alex Kennedy of Hoops Hype reported that no deal is imminent for the Cavs, as a decision will likely be made following their road trip. Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com concurred, observing that if a signing were to take place, Sanders wouldn’t be a part of this current road trip.

Brian Windhorst of ESPN gave a measured assessment of negotiations, claiming the Cavs are in talks with several players for Bogut’s roster spot. Sanders playfully foreshadowed his return earlier today, tweeting “Looks like Ima need my goggles back.”

If Sanders signs with the Cavs, he’ll be eligible to play in the postseason. In fact, no current free agent is ineligible for the playoffs, since no one has been waived since March 1 — Bogut would be the first player to fit that bill, assuming his release is made official.

J.R. Smith To Return To Cavs’ Lineup Thursday

March 9th, 2017 at 5:09pm CST by Milo Taibi

J.R. Smith, who has been sidelined since December 20 with a fractured right thumb, will return to action tonight against the Pistons. According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, Smith will be on an undisclosed minutes restriction (link).

Smith was listed as questionable in the days leading up to Thursday’s match-up. The 31-year-old woke up under the weather and was not at shootaround this morning, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (link). Smith, who signed a four-year, $57MM contract over the offseason, has had an abbreviated 2016/17 campaign. Through 21 games, J.R. has averaged 8.6 points while shooting 36.2% from beyond the arc.

Smith confirmed his return with a video on Uninterrupted (Twitter link).

“I am officially back. I will be playing tonight against the Detroit Pistons.” Smith said. “It’s been a good process…thankfully, it’s over. I get back to doing what I love to do more than anything. See you guys tonight at the Palace.”