Cleveland Cavaliers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Northwest Notes: Wolves, Thunder, Lopez

May 20th, 2015 at 5:46pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Timberwolves secured the top pick in Tuesday night’s NBA Draft lottery, and though the franchise is unlikely to trade the pick, team owner Glen Taylor indicated that the idea will at least be discussed internally, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com writes. “You never know what it could mean, if you could get the right one or two guys that could change your team,” Taylor said. “When you already have a bunch of young guys, you have to look at this type of stuff. But I think it’s a very hard decision to make.”

Here’s more from the Northwest Division:

The Wolves owner also noted that the Cavs were reluctant to part with Andrew Wiggins, last year’s No. 1 overall pick, in the deal for Kevin Love, Berger adds. “They didn’t want to do that,” Taylor said. “I can tell you, because I ended up negotiating with their owner. They didn’t want to do that, because you just don’t know how good Wiggins could be in the future and you’re going to hear about that forever and ever and ever. So I think it’s probably highly unlikely, but I think it’s part of the discussion.”
The Thunder achieved payroll flexibility as a result of the James Harden trade, and while the deal hasn’t resulted in an NBA title as a result, it has allowed the franchise to add a number of useful players to its roster, Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman writes.
Robin Lopez is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and the big man indicated that he would like to return to the Blazers for the 2015/16 campaign, Mike Richman of The Oregonian writes. “Nothing’s 100% certain,” Lopez said. “Obviously I’ve loved my time here in Portland. I would love to come back. I’d be very open to coming back, but it’s hard to say 100%. You just never know what’s going to happen.“
With the Timberwolves having secured the top overall pick in June, Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders breaks down Minnesota’s potential choices and what each player could bring to the franchise. The three players who make the most sense for the franchise to potentially take are Karl-Anthony Towns, Jahlil Okafor, or Emmanuel Mudiay, Brigham opines.

Cavs Notes: Thompson, Dellavedova, Blatt

May 17th, 2015 at 8:24pm CST by Will Joseph

The decision by Tristan Thompson, who is represented by Klutch Sports agent Rich Paul, to not sign a big contract extension with the Cavaliers has paid off, especially considering how well he filled in for Kevin Love during the playoffs after the all-star went down with an injury, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun writes. The Cavs reportedly offered Thompson a four-year, $52MM extension this past fall before the October 31st deadline for rookie scale extensions passed. Thompson, 24, can become a restricted free agent this summer provided Cleveland tenders him a qualifying offer worth $6,777,589. The power forward is known as a superior offensive rebounder and a solid defender.

Here’s more news out of Cleveland:

Matthew Dellavedova, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, has become a steady contributor for the Cavs and was an X-factor in their series against the Bulls, Zac Jackson of FOX Sports Ohio writes. Dellavedova, who LeBron James recently called “the toughest guy on our team,” has played well in a backup point guard role. Since an early-season knee injury cost him 15 games, Dellavedova has played at least 10 minutes in all but four of Cleveland’s games, Jackson notes.
Cavs owner Dan Gilbert squashed the idea that coach David Blatt will be fired regardless of how the team finishes the season in a tweet responding to comments Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher made on the radio. Blatt’s timeout blunder in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Bulls reignited the debate about whether or not the first-year coach was in over his head.

Central Notes: Pistons, Thompson, Hunter

May 17th, 2015 at 4:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cavs are doing everything possible to make sure that Kyrie Irving will be ready for Wednesday night against the Hawks, including giving him rest. The point guard sat out of practice on Friday in an effort to heal up.

“We sat Ky out and he’s going through a lot of treatment and we’re monitoring and just hoping that he progresses from here until game time,” coach David Blatt said, according to Tom Withers of The Associated Press. “We’re very much on top of this obviously and Ky is doing everything he possibly can to get well.”

Here’s a look at the Central Division..

Per the terms of the Ben Gordon deal, the Pistons sent their first-round choice to the Hornets last year. Considering the underwhelming rookie performance of the top-heavy 2014 draft class, that might have been for the best, Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press writes. Since the pick was only No. 1-protected for this draft, the Pistons likely would have lost it at Tuesday’s lottery if they had kept it last year.
Before the season started, many thought Tristan Thompson was making a big mistake in turning down a massive contract offer from the Cavs. Now, it looks like his gamble will pay off, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun writes. Thompson could have chosen the safe route and accepted Cleveland’s offer, reported to be worth $13MM per year over four seasons. Now, after a good season and filling in admirably for Kevin Love in the playoffs, he stands to get at least that much and maybe more.
Vince Hunter grew up watching the Pistons and he would relish the opportunity to return to play for his hometown team, Rod Beard of The Detroit News writes. “It would be a great opportunity for me to be in Detroit,” he said. The UTEP guard averaged 14.9 points and 9.2 rebounds, shooting 53% from the field last season.

Draft Rumors: Porzingis, Wood, Dawson

May 15th, 2015 at 10:29am CST by Chuck Myron

At least one GM is among the multiple executives who believe Latvian power forward Kristaps Porzingis has a shot to be drafted as highly as No. 2, reports Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. The head of basketball ops for another team said that he’s a “lock” for the top five and that it wouldn’t be surprising to see him go within the top three, adding that he’d draft him in front of Jahlil Okafor, the Duke center who occupied the top spot in projections for most of the season. The 19-year-old is No. 5 in Chad Ford’s ESPN.com rankings and No. 8 with Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress. Here’s more as draft rumors kick into high gear:

Christian Wood, a power forward out of UNLV, is hoping to follow in Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s footsteps as a ball-handler with unusual height and length, Howard-Cooper writes in the same piece. The Bucks intend to interview Wood, Virginia small forward Justin Anderson and others today, tweets Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times.
Both the DraftExpress team and Ford go in depth on the measurements from the combine, with Ford, in his Insider-only piece, noting that most top prospects sized up well and that this year’s draft class is among the longest groups in memory in terms of both height and wingspan.
Michigan State power forward Branden Dawson has interviewed with the Wizards, Clippers and Pelicans at the draft combine, as he told Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. Ellis, in the same report, adds Stanley Johnson, Frank Kaminsky and Rashad Vaughn to the list of prospects with whom the Pistons have spoken.
Terry Rozier met with the Pistons, too, as well as the Mavs, Suns, Knicks and Spurs, reports Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (on Twitter).
The Sixers, Lakers, Cavs and Bucks have interviewed Cameron Payne, Kyler also tweets. Payne spoke with our Zach Links recently about his draft prospects.
Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer adds the Hornets and Warriors to the list of teams speaking with Rakeem Christmas (Twitter link).

Draft Notes: Lyles, Anderson, Wood

May 14th, 2015 at 5:29pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The 2015 NBA Draft combine is underway in Chicago and Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required) offers up a primer for all of the scheduled events. The return of five-on-five play to the event has scouts and GMs excited, but that anticipation is tempered by the fact that only one player ranked in the top 30 — Terry Rozier, will be participating in the scrimmages, Ford notes.

Here’s more regarding the 2015 NBA Draft:

Kyle Tucker of The Courier-Journal caught up with ESPN’s Chad Ford to talk about the Kentucky Wildcats’ seven NBA Draft hopefuls. Ford spoke highly of Trey Lyles, but says that he needs to prove himself in workouts between now and the draft.
Former Virgina swingman Justin Anderson met with the Celtics today, and the player has a workout scheduled with the team on June 1st, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com tweets.
The Wolves interviewed UNLV big man Christian Wood, and are also expected to sit down with Texas center Myles Turner, Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune tweets.
Arizona forward Stanley Johnson interviewed with the Hornets today, and Johnson touted himself as “the best two-way player in the draft,” Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer notes (Twitter link).
Former Syracuse forward Rakeem Christmas met with the Bucks, Magic, and Suns today, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports (Twitter links). Christmas is also scheduled to workout for the Sixers, but he will not interview with the team at the combine, Pompey notes.
Projected second-rounder J.P. Tokoto interviewed with the Cavaliers, Clippers, and Pistons on Wednesday, Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel relays (via Twitter). The guard met with the Hawks, Nets, and Mavs today, Gardner adds.

Central Notes: Shumpert, Turner, Johnson

May 14th, 2015 at 4:16pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Iman Shumpert has been a significant factor in the Cavaliers‘ success since he was acquired in what was a season-altering trade for Cleveland, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today writes. With the guard averaging 12.6 points in the series against the Bulls, Shumpert is dispelling notions that he’s strictly a defensive player, Zillgitt adds. “As long as we win, I don’t really care,” Shumpert told Zillgitt about being overlooked as a scorer. “I feel like the right people see what’s going on. Everybody around the league knows what’s going on. If you really understand basketball, you know what’s going on. I don’t take it personally, and I don’t search for credit. I just search for wins.” Shumpert is set to become a restricted free agent this summer.

Here’s more out of the Central Division:

The Bucks interviewed Texas big man Myles Turner, who is a potential lottery pick, Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets. Regarding Milwaukee, Turner said, “They’re long and athletic right now, they’re young. They’ve got coach [Jason] Kidd and I like his plan and his vision in place. Everything I just said describes me — young, long, athletic. So I’d fit well.”
The 6’11” Turner met with Pistons team executives today as well, Vincent Ellis of The Detroit Free Press reports (Twitter link). Turner also interviewed with the Pacers, notes Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star (via Twitter). The big man said that the Pacers told him they were focused on changing their style of play, Buckner notes.
The Pacers interviewed Arizona freshman forward Stanley Johnson today, Buckner tweets. Johnson calls Pacers forward, and former Wildcat Solomon Hill, one of his closest friends in the NBA, Buckner adds. Johnson also sat down with representatives from the Pistons, Ellis tweets.
All signs are pointing to Bulls assistant Ed Pinckney leaving Chicago after the season to join coach Chris Mullin‘s staff at St. John’s University, Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv tweets.

Eastern Notes: Wizards, Blatt, Fournier

May 12th, 2015 at 8:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

League insiders are split in their opinions regarding the Wizards’ chances to lure Kevin Durant to Washington D.C. when he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2016, Zach Lowe of Grantland writes. While the franchise’s future appears brighter than many teams in the East, its success is tempered by the fact that it plays in a relatively weak conference, Lowe adds. What the Wizards will also need to decide upon is how aggressive they wish to be in pursing Durant, considering his mounting injuries, the Grantland scribe notes. Lowe also opines that the team should consider if coach Randy Wittman is the coach who will take them to the next level, and if not, then Washington should attempt to find that person this offseason.

Here’s more from the NBA’s Eastern Conference:

David Blatt has proven himself to be a good coach during his career overseas, but that doesn’t mean he is the right coach for LeBron James and the Cavs‘ current roster, Ethan Skolnick of Bleacher Report writes.
Swingman Evan Fournier did not disappoint during his first season with the Magic, John Denton of NBA.com writes in his season review of the player. Fournier proved himself to be one of the Magic’s best outside shooters and finishers at the rim, though he did miss 24 games due to various injuries, Denton notes. In 58 appearances the 22-year-old averaged 12.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 28.6 minutes per night.
The Heat have not traditionally had great luck in regards to the NBA draft lottery, and the team will need that to change if it is to retain its first-rounder this year, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel writes. Over the past 15 years, no team seeded beyond No. 10 has moved up in the lottery, Winderman notes, and if Miami’s pick falls out of the top 10 selections it will convey to the Sixers.

And-Ones: Bogdanovic, Pierce, Haywood

May 10th, 2015 at 9:40pm CST by Will Joseph

Bojan Bogdanovic, in an interview with Hrvoje Sliskovic of Jutarnji List, said he is happy with the Nets and does not want to be traded. A source told Robert Windrem of NetsDaily that Bogdanovic should have nothing to fear, however, saying, “He is not going anywhere.” The shooting guard was benched earlier this season by Nets coach Lionel Hollins, but seemingly responded well with a solid year. He won Rookie of the Month honors in April. Nets GM Billy King recently talked about Bogdanovic being in the team’s rotation going forward.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

Paul Pierce, who has a player option for 2015/16 worth $5,543,725 he can opt out of this offseason, continues to prove his worth with the Wizards despite being 37, Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders writes. Pierce’s winning shot in Game 3 of an Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Hawks provided another example, Hamilton writes. “These are the moments why you have a guy like him,” Wizards head coach Randy Wittman said about the shot.
Brendan Haywood is this summer’s top trade chip in terms of shedding expiring salary, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders writes in a list about the topic. Haywood is due to make $10,522,500 next season in the final year of his deal. Depending on their luxury-tax position, the Cavaliers can bring in a player making $13-15.5MM in salary in return for Haywood, Pincus notes. The team acquiring the veteran center would presumably cut him, Pincus adds, clearing a good chunk of money off their books. Others Pincus lists as top trade chips include: Caron Butler of the Pistons, Wilson Chandler of the Nuggets and the Nuggets‘ Ben Gordon.

Eastern Notes: Thompson, Wizards, Hawkins

May 9th, 2015 at 12:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The connection between LeBron James and Tristan Thompson, who share Klutch Sports agent Rich Paul, could make Thompson’s pending free agency more interesting given James’ obvious influence on the Cavaliers‘ personnel decisions, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com writes. The dynamic between the three men has also helped heal the wounds in the Cavs organization that stemmed from “The Decision” James had made back in 2010 to join the Heat, McMenamin adds. Thompson can become a restricted free agent this summer provided Cleveland tenders him a qualifying offer worth $6,777,589.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Wizards coach Randy Wittman took exception during a press conference to a report that point guard John Wall clashed with the team’s medical staff over the diagnosis of his injured hand, RealGM.com relays. “I have to get this off my chest,” said Wittman. “You guys that know me know I’m completely honest with you guys. I don’t always tell you everything, but I don’t ever come out here and tell you a lie. And what was reported today by Michael Lee [of the Washington Post] was a flat-out lie about John clashing with doctors and the training staff. That’s unfair to this kid. That is so far from the truth, I’ve got to say something. Your inside source is obviously not on the inside. Our doctors are busting their [expletive] to have something like that said. That’s not right. I have to stand up for those people in there.”
As for Wall, who was diagnosed with five displaced fracture in his left hand and wrist, there isn’t much optimism that the star can return to action for the Wizards during the 2014/15 NBA playoffs, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today tweets.
UC Davis senior guard Corey Hawkins worked out for the Sixers this past week, an event which was confirmed by Hawkins himself via his Twitter account. The 6’3″ guard is the No. 97 overall prospect according to DraftExpress.

Central Notes: Middleton, Pistons, Blatt, Love

May 7th, 2015 at 9:51am CST by Chuck Myron

One executive told Sean Deveney of The Sporting News that Khris Middleton will draw an offer of around $15MM in restricted free agency this summer, explaining that Middleton should get a salary in the range of the $14.7MM Chandler Parsons received this season based on Middleton’s superior defense. Such an offer would be close to the estimated $15.8MM max for Middleton in 2015/16. It would challenge the notion that the Bucks would be likely to match competing bids for the versatile former second-round pick, but Milwaukee has no shortage of flexibility, as I examined when I looked at their offseason ahead. Here’s more from around the Central Division:

Technology and increased revenue that makes more money available for scouting have changed the way teams evaluate European players, Pistons GM Jeff Bower said, according to Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Bower and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy recently took a scouting trip to Europe ostensibly to look at draft prospects Kristaps Porzingis and Mario Hezonja, Langlois notes. “The comparisons are much easier to make and the levels of competition are much easier to round off today more so than 10 to 15 years ago,” Bower said.
David Blatt has an abrupt, self-confident manner and can come across a bit harsh, but the strength of his conviction has no doubt helped him endure the pressure and second-guessing incumbent of coaching a LeBron James team, as Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com examines.
The presence of James and the chance to win that comes with him would seem to be as much of an enticement for Kevin Love to remain with the Cavs as any, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com.