Central Notes: Liggins, MCW, Bucks, Stuckey
Cavaliers shooting guard DeAndre Liggins has long been heralded as a scrappy, defensive stopper, but a recent stint in Cleveland’s rotation has pushed the 28-year-old journeyman into the spotlight. After winning the D-League Defensive Player of the Year award last season, Liggins has thrived with the defending champions, especially now that he’s seeing more time with the first unit.
“The biggest difference now,” Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue tells ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, “[Is that] he’s playing with the starters and now he doesn’t have to handle the ball as much. He doesn’t have to make plays. So now he can just do what he does, and that’s defend, maul people on defense.”
The wing, who models his game after fellow Chicago native Tony Allen played over 20 minutes three times last week while filling in for the injured J.R. Smith. Smith returned to the Cavaliers’ starting lineup on Saturday night, but it appears likely that Liggins will continue to see more action than he had been seeing prior to the opportunity.
You can read more of McMenamin’s in-depth discussion with Liggins – one that touches on his personal history and the domestic assault charges that nearly derailed his career – at ESPN. Here’s more from around the Central:
- Fred Hoiberg is uncertain when the Bulls will be able to welcome reserve point guard Michael Carter-Williams back to the lineup, says ESPN’s Nick Friedell. Asked if a return by the end of the month was possible, Hoiberg suggested that the team will have a better idea when the guard removes his soft cast. Out since October 31, Carter-Williams only switched into his soft cast last week.
- If the Bucks have decided to locate their recently announced D-League affiliate in nearby Racine, Wisconsin, official word hasn’t yet trickled over to the mayor of the city. As Patrick Leary reports for The Journal Times, the franchise has not made it clear whether or not it will occupy the forthcoming $46MM Racine Event Center and the delay has impacted the publication of a facility financing package. For a while now, the Bucks have been in the process of choosing a location for an affiliate, but the timetable been pushed back on multiple occasions. Other possible Wisconsin locations include Oshkosh and Sheboygan.
- Bucks veteran Jason Terry has impressed coaches and opponents around the league, says Chase Hughes of CSN. At 39 years and 85 days old, Terry is the third oldest player in the NBA. Recently Wizards head coach Scott Brooks cited the guard’s willingness to prepare every day and to maintain his body as the keys to his longevity.
- The Pacers have several options at the two down the stretch, but recently head coach Nate McMillan has shown a proclivity to role with 10-year veteran Rodney Stuckey instead of starter Monta Ellis. As Nate Taylor writes at the Indy Star, McMillan has played Stuckey with the rest of the starting unit in the final minutes of each of Indiana’s past three games. Taylor reports that it’s Stuckey’s ability to contribute on both ends of the floor that has earned him the extra playing time.
Cavaliers Notes: Liggins, CBA, Backup PG, McRae
DeAndre Liggins earned a place in the Cavaliers’ rotation with his impressive play filling in for J.R. Smith last week, according to Jason Lloyd of The Akron Beacon Journal. The 28-year-old swingman landed a roster spot in Cleveland during the preseason after being out of the NBA for two years. “Shump [Iman Shumpert] and Liggs can both be on the floor together,” said Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue. “Right now, the last three games, Liggs has definitely earned a spot in the rotation with the way he’s played. His defensive presence has been great for us, his energy. We’’ll just see how it goes.”
There’s more news out of Cleveland:
- The chances that owners and players will agree to a new collective bargaining agreement by Thursday aren’t quite as bad as Carmelo Anthony stated earlier today, Lloyd writes in the same piece. Cavs veteran James Jones, who serves as secretary/treasurer of the union, said there’s not a snag in negotiations; there are just a lot of things left to agree on. “Last time we left it, there were still items that needed to be discussed and those haven’t been resolved yet,” Jones said. “Every day that a deal isn’t struck just makes it a little more tense and a little less certain that a deal will be struck.”
- Lue cautions that the Cavaliers are an incomplete team and hints that a long-awaited move could be coming soon, Lloyd notes in a separate story. “It’s going to take more than [20 games],” Lue said. “Until we get a backup point guard. When we get a backup point guard, we can understand what our rotation’s going to be. We don’t have to switch it on a night-to-night basis, so our team can get in a better flow.” Players who signed free agent contracts during the summer can be traded starting on Thursday, so the Cavaliers may be planning to deal for a backup to Kyrie Irving.
- Jordan McRae‘s playing time has been reduced lately, but it’s only because Lue is testing his options at reserve point guard, relays Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. McRae has three DNPs and just 10 minutes of court time in the past five games. “I told you we used Shumpert for four games, came back with Kay Felder, I mean Ligs [Liggins], then we did Jordan, then we came back with Kay too,” the coach said. “So, he’s not completely out of the rotation, just trying look forward and trying to figure it out right now.”
And-Ones: Rockets, Parsons, Sixers, Stern, Cavs
Coach Mike D’Antoni said there’s “always an open door” in regards to Donatas Motiejunas playing for the Rockets, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle passes along. “We can’t wait to have him if that works out,” D’Antoni said on Wednesday. “He will definitely be a positive. No negatives there.”
Here’s more from around the league:
- Chandler Parsons, who signed a max contract with the Grizzlies over the summer, is the biggest disappointment in the league this season, Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders contends. Parsons has been limited to only six games this season because of a knee injury and he’s averaging a pedestrian 7.7 point per contest.
- The Sixers should deal Nerlens Noel, whom Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors profiled as a trade candidate recently, to the Bulls for Nikola Mirotic, Brigham argues in the same piece. The scribes believes Noel could anchor Chicago’s bench unit and Mirotic could turn his season around with more playing time in Philadelphia.
- Former commissioner David Stern said he never canceled the proposed 2011 trade of Chris Paul from New Orleans to the Lakers because the GM at the time, Dell Demps, wasn’t authorized to make it, RealGM.com relays via Sports Business Radio. The league had assumed control of the New Orleans franchise, called the Hornets at that time and now the Pelicans, giving Stern the authority to nix it. “The GM was not authorized to make that trade,” Stern said. “And acting on behalf of owners, we decided not to make it. I was an owner rep. There was nothing to ‘void.’ It just never got made.”
- John Holland, whose rights are owned by the Cavs’ D-League franchise in Canton, has returned to D-League, international journalist David Pick tweets. The 6’5” swingman was one of Cleveland’s final training camp cuts in October.
Tyronn Lue Talks Cavs’ Backup PG Situation
At 15-5, the Cavaliers remain in first place in the Eastern Conference, having defeated the second-place Raptors three times already. Still, head coach Tyronn Lue has been forced to play some players out of position and have Kyrie Irving and LeBron James spend some time on the floor with the second unit due to a lack of a clear-cut backup point guard, writes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Without a go-to option for that spot, Lue says he has had to keep changing things up, rather than sitting back and let everyone play a specific role.
“It’s going to take more than that, until, you know, we get a backup point guard,” Lue said. “When we get a backup point guard, we can understand what our rotation’s gonna be. We don’t have to switch it on a night-to-night basis, so our team can get in a better flow.”
A year ago, the Cavs’ championship team featured Matthew Dellavedova and Mo Williams backing up Irving at the point. However, Dellavedova signed a four-year offer sheet with the Bucks that the Cavs decided not to match, and Williams abruptly decided to retire at the start of training camp this fall, leaving Cleveland short-handed at the position.
“It’s part of the business. Delly got $39MM, so for us to match that would’ve been tough,” Lue said. “When guys play well and perform, you want to see guys get paid. I mean he competed, he put his work in, got better and better each year, so you can’t be mad about that. The amount he got was tough. We thought Mo Williams was coming back, so, it’s not like it’s on the organization. … We felt Mo Williams was coming back, he said he was coming back to play, and then all of a sudden he didn’t, so it kind of put us in a bind.”
Williams technically remains on the Cavs’ 15-man roster, but after his sudden retirement, his decision to undergo knee surgery, and comments he made suggesting no one cared about his health but him, there’s little chance of him suiting up again for the team. He’s still under contract because Cleveland has been unable to agree to a buyout, and may use his contract to help accommodate a trade.
Meanwhile, Kay Felder, a 2016 second-rounder, could eventually develop into a solid backup for Irving, but he’s not ready to assume that role yet, so the Cavs will likely explore the trade market for a possible solution in the coming weeks, writes Vardon. There are also a few options in free agency, including Mario Chalmers, a former teammate of LeBron’s in Miami. Chalmers continues to recover from an Achilles injury and is expected to be ready to contribute to a team soon, though it’s not clear if the Cavs would have any interest in him.
Smith's MRI Shows No Damage
- LeBron James has no desire to sit down with Knicks president Phil Jackson to discuss comments the executive made during a recent interview about the Cavs forward, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com relays. “Didn’t affect me, just know how much further we still have to go and how far we still have to go as African-Americans, even in the light of today,” James said about Jackson’s opinions. “For me, I’ve built my career on and off the floor on the utmost respect, and I’ve always given the utmost respect to everyone — all my peers, people that’s laid the path for me and laid the path for coaches, players, things of that nature. I’ve always given respect to them, and it’s always, like I told you before, it’s always shade thrown on me, so. It means we got a lot more work to do, myself and the team.“
- The Cavaliers received some good news regarding J.R. Smith, who exited Monday night’s contest against the Raptors after suffering a left knee injury in the first quarter. Smith underwent an MRI today that showed no damage and the guard’s status is considered day-to-day, Shams Charania of The Vertical reports (via Twitter).
J.R. Smith's Knee Injury Being Evaluated
- J.R. Smith didn’t return to the Cavaliers‘ game on Monday against Toronto after suffering a left knee injury in the first quarter. As Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com details, initial X-rays were negative, but Smith will be further evaluated to determine the extent of the injury.
Central Notes: Jones, Cavs, Johnson, Bulls
- The Cavaliers are in the market for a backup point guard and could fulfill that need later this month, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. That potential acquisition will likely come after December 15th, when free agents who signed contracts over the summer can be traded, Vardon adds. Cleveland doesn’t have a true point guard to back up Kyrie Irving other than rookie Kay Felder, who has played sparingly.
- Stanley Johnson needs to improve his work habits in order to reclaim his rotation spot, Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy told Aaron McMann of MLive and other beat reporters. Johnson, a 2015 lottery pick, was benched in two games the last two weeks and also served a one-game team suspension after showing up late for the morning shootaround, McMann continues. Johnson only played four garbage-time minutes against the Hawks on Friday. “He’s got to be a better practice guy,” Van Gundy told McMann. “He’s got to be a better workout guy. He’s got to be better with all that stuff. Really working to get better. Once he’s out there competing, you don’t have a problem with that. He’ll play as hard as anybody, but he’s got to understand that’s not the whole thing. It’s preparing to play.”
- Bulls forward Doug McDermott could return sometime next week from a concussion that has sidelined him the last eight games, Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com writes. McDermott has suffered two concussions this season and the might practice with the team’s D-League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, as well as the NBA team before he returns, Goodwill adds. “It’s gonna take him at least a couple days to have full practices,” Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg told Goodwill and other reporters.
Cedi Osman Eager To Join Cavs Next Season
The Cavs recently met with Turkish swingman Cedi Osman, who told them he wants to play in the NBA next season, a source told international journalist David Pick (Twitter link). Cleveland holds Osman’s rights by virtue of a draft-night trade in 2015.
The reaffirms a summertime report that Cavs GM David Griffin and his staff were keeping a close eye on Osman with the idea of signing him next season.
The 21-year-old Osman, who was born in Macedonia, was selected with the No. 31 overall pick by the Timberwolves. His draft rights, along with those of forward Rakeem Christmas and a future draft pick, were then shipped to the Cavs in exchange for the draft rights of point guard Tyus Jones.
The draft-and-stash prospect is a member of the Turkish national team and plays for Anadolu Efes Istanbul. He averaged 7.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in 20 minutes last season.
In his DraftExpress profile prior to the draft, the 6’8”Osman was considered “a very mature prospect with a great pedigree and a clear passion for the game,” adding that “he has already established a niche for himself as an offensive garbage-man who is willing to do the dirty work defensively and contribute with his unselfish mentality and strong feel for the game.”
If Osman were to sign with the Cavs, he’d probably have to settle for a relatively modest salary. Though the Cavs only have eight guaranteed contracts for the 2017/18 season, all but two of them are at least $10MM, with the trio of LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving alone eating up $75MM in cap space. There could be a need for a wing player, as James Jones becomes a free agent after the season and Mike Dunleavy‘s $5.175MM salary for next season is not guaranteed.
And-Ones: Postponement, Goodwin, Adams, Smith
The Sixers and Kings will have to find room on their schedules for a make-up game after tonight’s contest in Philadelphia was postponed because of excess moisture on the floor of Wells Fargo Center. Crews worked for about an hour trying to dry the court before the game was officially called off. No makeup date was announced, but there is speculation that it will be rescheduled when the Kings make their next Eastern swing in late January. Both teams are off and the arena will be available on January 30th, tweets The Vertical’s Bobby Marks.
There’s more basketball news tonight:
- Archie Goodwin, who was waived by the Pelicans November 20th, has been claimed by the Greensboro Swarm of the D-League, according to a tweet from D-League Digest. The Hornets’ affiliate reportedly tried to trade Goodwin’s rights, but couldn’t work out a deal (Twitter link). Goodwin spent the last three seasons with the Suns, but was released in the preseason. The Pelicans signed him earlier this month when injuries left them shorthanded, but he played just three games in New Orleans.
- Shooting guard Jordan Adams, who was claimed by the Oklahoma City Blue on Monday, has failed his physical, according to D-League Digest (Twitter link). The team will still retain the rights to Adams and will not move back to the top of the waiver order (Twitter link). Adams, a UCLA product, was waived by the Grizzlies during the preseason. A first-round pick in 2014, he had spent the past two seasons in Memphis, playing 30 games in 2014/15 and two games last season.
- Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue says a mental lapse by J.R. Smith that led to an easy Bucks basket Tuesday night is a sign of an overall focus problem by the team, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. Smith walked to the Milwaukee bench to greet Jason Terry during an inbounds play, leaving Matthew Dellavedova open for an easy layup. “Obviously we both know it wasn’t intentional, but it was just a lack of focus,” Smith said. “One of the multiple things that compounded onto the loss was just as a team we haven’t been as focused as we previously were.”
Dellavedova Settles Into New Role
- Matthew Dellavedova, an important reserve on the Cavaliers‘ championship team, is settling into his new role as a starter with the Bucks, writes Jason Lloyd of The Akron Beacon Journal. Cleveland entered the summer planning to match any offer to the restricted free agent, but decided the four-year, $38MM agreement he reached with Milwaukee would have placed too great a strain on the salary cap. “It was tough to decide to leave because you’re coming off the highest of highs and I loved my time in Cleveland,” Dellavedova said. “Fun team, great group of guys, great organization and fans, obviously. But I had an opportunity here that I couldn’t pass up to see how good I could be as a starting point guard and really challenge myself. You never know if or when that opportunity will come along again.”