Pacers Trade Caris LeVert To Cavaliers
FEBRUARY 7: The Cavaliers have officially acquired LeVert from the Pacers, the team announced today in a press release. The full terms of the deal are outlined below.
“We are very excited to add a dynamic young player of this caliber and experience,” Altman said in a statement. “Caris LeVert fits uniquely into our culture and his Ohio roots brings an immediate connection to our community. We look forward to seeing what type of impact he can make on this roster. We also want to send our best wishes to Ricky Rubio and his family. Ricky has been the consummate professional and his leadership both on and off the court was invaluable and we respect everything he brought to this franchise.”
FEBRUARY 6: The Cavaliers are acquiring Caris LeVert and Miami’s 2022 second-round pick from the Pacers in exchange for Ricky Rubio, Cleveland’s 2022 lottery-protected first-round pick, Houston’s 2022 second-round pick, and Utah’s 2027 second-round pick, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (all Twitter links).
LeVert is in Cleveland ahead of Sunday’s game between the Pacers and Cavs and was discussing the trade with Cleveland’s president of basketball operations, Koby Altman, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic (via Twitter). Pacers coach Rick Carlisle confirmed to reporters that the terms of the trade have been agreed to in principle, Vardon tweets.
LeVert, a native of Columbus, is excited to return home to Ohio and join the rising Cavaliers, Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter). LeVert will be eligible for an extension this summer. He’s making $17.5MM this season and $18.8MM in 2022/23.
Rubio, who unfortunately suffered a torn ACL in his left knee at the end of December and is out for the season, was involved for salary-matching purposes. He’s on an expiring $17.8MM contract and will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The disabled player exception the Cavaliers received after Rubio’s injury, which is worth $8.9MM, will be voided upon completion of the trade, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets.
Cleveland has been scouring the trade market for guard help after season-ending injuries to Rubio and Collin Sexton, who suffered a torn MCL in November which required surgery. The Cavs were later granted a disabled player exception for Sexton, which they still hold. It’s worth $3.17MM, half of Sexton’s salary this season. They previously made a minor trade to acquire Rajon Rondo from the Lakers, but were still in pursuit of a younger player who could play a bigger role.
The Cavs had been rumored to be interested in LeVert for weeks, but one recent report said they were resistant to Indiana’s high asking price. Obviously the Cavs value LeVert highly to give up their protected 2022 first-round pick and Houston’s second-rounder, which figures to be in the early 30s.
LeVert, 27, is averaging 18.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG, and 4.4 APG on .447/.323/.760 shooting through 39 games this season (31.1 MPG). His last outing in a Pacers uniform was a stellar one, putting up 42 points, five rebounds, and eight assists on 19-26 shooting in Indiana’s 122-115 loss to Chicago Friday.
For the Pacers, it’s a significant haul for a player with one additional year remaining on his contract. Although LeVert is a talented shot creator and scorer, he has his share of weaknesses. He’s more of a shoot-first, pass-second type of player and isn’t a great shooter. He’s also a subpar defender. Apparently the Cavaliers think they will be able to cover some of LeVert’s defensive limitations with their third-ranked defense, anchored by Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
It will be interesting to see if the Pacers continue to make deals ahead of the February 10 trade deadline. They are reportedly willing to listen to offers for several players, including Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner, Justin Holiday, and Jeremy Lamb.
The Cavs currently hold a 32-21 record, fourth in the East, while the Pacers are 19-35, 13th in the East.
Sixers, Nets Haven’t Engaged In Recent Trade Talks
Although a report on Friday stated that the Sixers intend to pursue James Harden prior to this week’s trade deadline and that the Nets are open to talking, it doesn’t sound as if any discussions have occurred between the two teams since then.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey reached out to Sean Marks of the Nets about a month ago to ask about Harden and was flatly turned down. That exchange it still the only direct communication between Morey and Marks this season, per ESPN’s duo.
Both Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer and Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report have also heard the two teams haven’t talked at all lately, with Pompey citing a source who referred to the conversation a month ago as “non-productive.”
Fischer suggests the Nets have no plans to discuss any Harden trade scenarios before Thursday’s trade deadline and Pompey hears from one source that Simmons won’t be traded until at least the draft. However, Wojnarowski and Shelburne aren’t yet closing the door on the possibility that the two teams will take this week, and neither is Pompey, who says Brooklyn and Philadelphia are going through third parties and back-channels to get information.
“It’s the most bizarre thing,” a source told Pompey. “It’s almost as if they are playing a game of cat and mouse … because of all the tampering [implications].”
Despite his assertion that the Nets have no plans to discuss Harden this week, Fischer does say there are people within the organization who have openly mentioned their interest in a swap involving Harden and Ben Simmons. Meanwhile, two people who have “significant history” with Harden believed he’s interested in the possibility of joining the Sixers, sources tell Wojnarowski and Shelburne.
Still, ESPN’s report suggests the two teams have a difference of opinions on which side has more leverage. According to Woj and Shelburne, the Sixers believe they shouldn’t have to add many assets to make a Simmons/Harden swap because the Nets risk losing their star guard for nothing in the offseason. But Brooklyn, recognizing all the talent and assets the capped-out Sixers may have to sacrifice to sign Harden outright this summer, would push for a significant package.
“Why would Brooklyn accept anything less now than the assets it would cost Philly to unload contracts and create the space this summer?” one GM said to ESPN.
Here are some more updates from ESPN, Bleacher Report, and The Philadelphia Inquirer on the Simmons/Harden situation:
- The Nets would want additional pieces besides Simmons in any deal for Harden, but Pompey says the Sixers aren’t willing to include Tyrese Maxey in any trade and view Matisse Thybulle as “close to untouchable.” When the two teams had a brief discussion last month, Philadelphia asked if Brooklyn was interested in Paul Reed and Isaiah Joe, says Pompey. According to Fischer, Reed and Joe are the two players most frequently mentioned by rival executives as possible 76ers trade candidates.
- Harden doesn’t currently have an agent, but he and manager Lorenzo McCloud are looking to hire representation, at least temporarily, with his free agency looming, according to Wojnarowski and Shelburne.
- Without an agent to talk to, the Nets have to rely on direct communication with Harden, which may be one reason why the team has had a hard time getting a read on his intentions. ESPN’s duo describes the partnership between the Nets and Harden as “murky,” noting that the former MVP has said he’s committed to the team, but his actions – including “private grousing” about Nets coaches, teammates, and the organization – have hinted otherwise. Pompey hears from sources that some people in the organization are “privately questioning (Harden’s) commitment to remaining in Brooklyn, and becoming frustrated with the uncertainty.”
- Although Kevin Durant wants Harden to stay in Brooklyn, he wants a committed Harden, according to Wojnarowski and Shelburne, who say Durant isn’t telling Nets ownership or management what they should do at the deadline. A source tells Pompey that key Brooklyn players wouldn’t be hugely disappointed if Harden is ultimately moved, due to uncertainty about his true feelings.
- Sources tell Fischer that some people around Simmons want him to return to the court for the Sixers if he’s not dealt at the deadline. However, multiple people associated with Simmons’ representation insist that’s not going to happen, Fischer writes.
- In trade discussions with the Hawks and Kings, the Sixers broached the idea of attaching Tobias Harris to Simmons, but they haven’t engaged in many talks about Harris beyond that, Fischer says. Multiple league sources who have spoken to Bleacher Report have speculated that the Thunder could be a willing trade partner if Philadelphia is motivated to get off of Harris’ contract.
Steve Nash Says Nets Aren’t Trading James Harden
There have been reports recently stating that the Sixers will pursue James Harden ahead of the trade deadline on February 10, and that the Nets would be open to those discussions.
However, in a media session with reporters Sunday afternoon, Nets head coach Steve Nash said that the team is not trading Harden, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
“I’ve talked to James and he wants to be here,” Nash said. “And he wants to be here long term as well.”
When asked if that meant the Nets are not trading Harden, Nash replied, “Yes.”
“This has been a constant thing since the summer,” Nash said, per Bondy. “He’s continually reiterated that he wants to be here, and we’ve continually said that we want him here and that that’s our best chance to win. So nothing’s changed.”
Harden, who’s dealing with left hamstring tightness, will miss his second straight game Sunday with the injury. The team is being cautious with Harden after he dealt with a nagging hamstring injury late last season that affected his playoff performance.
“The scan is pretty good but there’s a strain — there’s a tightness, sorry, not a strain — there’s a tightness and a strength deficit. So, for us, we just don’t want to take any chances. We know last year we lost him for an extended period and we want to be conservative and make sure he resumes full strength so there isn’t an extended absence,” Nash said.
The Nets are on a seven-game losing streak and currently hold a 29-23 record, sixth in the East.
Patrick Williams To Return In Regular Season?
Bulls coach Billy Donovan says there’s a “very good possibility” that second-year forward Patrick Williams will return during the regular season, barring any setbacks, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link). Donovan hedged the statement by saying he’s not sure when Williams might return and it isn’t certain, but he’s optimistic about the forward’s recovery progress.
Williams has been sidelined since late October after undergoing surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left wrist. At the time, the Bulls gave a recovery timeline of four-to-six months.
The end of February would be four months out from surgery. If Williams returns around that time, he’d have roughly 20 regular season games left to build up his endurance and get a rhythm prior to a potential playoff run. If it’s closer to the end of March, there would be less than 10 games remaining. Chicago’s last regular season game is April 10, at Minnesota.
Williams, 20, was the No. 4 pick in the 2020 draft and played strong defense last season as a rookie, starting all 71 games in which he appeared and averaging 9.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in 27.9 minutes per contest. He’s played just five games this season due to the wrist injury.
Last month Williams made progress in his recovery, going from a hard cast to a removable brace. His name has been floated in trade rumors this season, but the Bulls are very high on the young forward and reportedly remain resistant to the idea of discussing him in trades, unless they’re overwhelmed by an offer.
The Bulls have dealt with a multitude of injuries to key players this season, including Williams, Zach LaVine (knee, back spasms), Lonzo Ball (knee surgery), Derrick Jones Jr. (knee), and Alex Caruso (wrist surgery). LaVine will miss his second straight game Sunday with back spasms, Johnson tweets.
Despite the injury woes, the resilient Bulls are first in the East with a 33-19 record, led by a stellar season from All-Star starter DeMar DeRozan.
James Bouknight Has Sideline Altercation With Head Coach
Hornets rookie guard James Bouknight was escorted to the locker room by team security after an altercation with coach James Borrego during Saturday’s game, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.
The incident began late in the third quarter when Miles Bridges was knocked to the ground in a collision and had to be removed from the game because he was bleeding. Borrego inserted Bouknight for the final 14 seconds of the quarter, which was the only playing time he saw all night.
After the quarter ended, Bouknight and Borrego had a “heated exchange” on the sidelines, according to Boone, and Bouknight seemed to take a step toward his coach before they were separated. He remained in the locker room for the rest of the game.
“Obviously we were all a little frustrated, all of us,” Borrego said after the 18-point loss to Miami, “in the third quarter, early fourth and it got a little emotional there. Beyond that I’ll leave it there.”
Borrego admitted that Bouknight is unhappy over a lack of playing time. The 11th pick in last year’s draft has gotten into just 25 games and is averaging 4.8 points and 1.5 rebounds in 10.0 minutes per night.
“As I’ve said before he’s in a tough spot,” Borrego said. “He obviously wants to play. I get that. I understand that. Look, he’s a kid that we believe in, we trust in and we are going to find more minutes for him, more time. So I won’t get into the specifics. Just two competitors trying to help this team.”
Boone notes that the public dispute comes at an especially bad time for Charlotte, which has lost five of its last seven games and has slipped into ninth place in the East. Anxiety over Thursday’s trade deadline is adding to the tension in the locker room.
Bridges, who emphasized the need for the team to remain united, reached out to Bouknight after Saturday’s incident.
“Everybody’s been through it,” Bridges said. “When I was a rookie I wanted to play. And he’s very talented and he’s not getting in the game like he wants to. But I’m trying to explain to him that everybody’s been through that. I went through that. (LaMelo Ball’s) been through that and he was Rookie of the Year. So he’s good. I talked to him. He’s good and the Coach is good. So everything is good.”
Harrell, Caldwell-Pope Speak Out About Wizards’ Slide
The mood in the Wizards‘ locker room continues to sour, and Montrezl Harrell let his frustrations boil over after Saturday’s lopsided loss to the Suns, writes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. The Wizards, who have now dropped seven of their last eight games, trailed by as many as 36 points and registered their lowest point total in four years.
“It sucks, bro. That’s the mood of the team. It [expletive] sucks. Coming in here and teams are basically beating our [expletive] from start to finish. So, it sucks, man,” Harrell said. “Nobody likes losing. Everyone in our locker room is competitive-minded people and love to compete and get after it. But it just sucks right now because over the last eight games we’ve played, we lost seven of them. That’s tough for anybody to withstand or have on their plate. So, that’s the energy in the room right now, it just [expletive] sucks.”
The numbers were terrible across the board for Washington Saturday night before a late rally brought the final score to a deceptively close 95-80. The Wizards managed just 11 points in the second quarter as they trailed by 27 points at halftime. For the game, they shot 35.3% from the field and made just 5-of-24 three-point attempts.
Although he didn’t single out the coaching staff, Harrell suggested that his team wasn’t ready to play when the game tipped off. First-year head coach Wes Unseld Jr. has been emphasizing the need for more energy and effort, but Harrell doesn’t believe that should be a concern.
“I don’t know, but I’m tired of hearing the energy thing, bro,” he said. “If you can’t energize yourself or fire yourself up to be able to come here to play the game of basketball, bro, which is your job and you make a lot of money to do it, brother, then you’re in the wrong field, man. I’m tired of hearing that.”
Washington’s 10-3 start seems like a long time ago for a team that’s now 24-28 and in danger of missing the play-in tournament. Hughes points out that the Wizards have just one game left before Thursday’s trade deadline and the front office might consider Harrell’s comments as it discusses potential deals.
With a $9.72MM expiring contract, Harrell is among the candidates to be moved. After Thomas Bryant returned from an ACL injury last month, the Wizards have been trying to find playing time for three centers.
Harrell wasn’t the only player to speak out in frustration after the loss, Hughes adds in a separate story. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who was acquired in the same trade that brought Harrell to Washington, said the team doesn’t have a defensive identity and isn’t talking enough on that end of the court.
“A lot slips with communication, I don’t know what it is,” he said. “We love talking to each other, but when we get on the court, no one talks to each other. That communication, it helps a lot. It helps on the defensive end, getting guys in position to defend or help. Offense, just talking everybody through it. …We just don’t have that consistency in the communication and playing hard.”
Kevin Durant Wants James Harden To Stay With Nets
Amid rumors that the Nets are willing to talk with the Sixers about a possible James Harden trade, Kevin Durant wants to see his All-Star teammate remain in Brooklyn, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on tonight’s “NBA Countdown” (hat tip to Real GM).
Durant is currently sidelined with a knee injury, but hopes to return after the All-Star break. When he does come back, he wants “everyone in Brooklyn to be as committed to winning a title as he is,” Wojnarowski said.
There have been reports in recent weeks that Harden is unhappy in Brooklyn and is planning to test free agency this summer. He has a $47.4MM player option for the 2022/23 season, which he may turn down in hopes of landing a longer-term contract.
Assuming they keep him through the trade deadline, the Nets would still have the advantage of being able to offer more money and more years than any other team, but that may not be enough if Harden is determined to go to Philadelphia.
Harden, who has denied being the source for the free agency speculation, has been telling Durant and Nets management that he wants to stay with the team, according to Wojnarowski.
Markieff Morris’ Playing Status Uncertain
Despite veteran forward Markieff Morris wanting to return, the Heat have been unwilling to clear him and are concerned about potential liability issues, according to Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.
Morris will miss his 44th consecutive game on Saturday and hasn’t played since November 8, when Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic blindsided him with an intentional hit from behind. The hit came after Morris’ hard foul on Jokic, and both players were ejected from the game.
Morris dealt with neck pain after the contact and was diagnosed with whiplash. The Heat recently changed his status to out due to “return to competitive conditioning,” but no further details have been provided. The 32-year-old has only appeared in 10 games since signing with the club in August.
As Jackson and Chiang note, Morris also missed six weeks in 2019 after being diagnosed with transient cervical neurapraxia (neck injury). With the veteran’s future unclear, Jackson and Chiang speculate that Miami could look to acquire another power forward ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline.
Morris took to social media on January 6 to address Jokic and his injury, writing, “Ain’t sh– wild about it! It’s a real injury! Imagine having a 300 pound sloppy fat boy run full speed and make direct contact with your spine! I’ll be back soon like I said.”
Morris, a 10-year NBA veteran, entered the season holding career-averages of 11 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 24.9 minutes per game. Miami currently doesn’t have a backup power forward behind P.J. Tucker, who also signed with the team last offseason.
Greg Monroe Signs 10-Day Contract With Bucks
12:27pm: Milwaukee has officially signed Monroe to a 10-day deal, the team announced in a press release.
8:10am: The Bucks have agreed to a 10-day contract with veteran center Greg Monroe, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.
Milwaukee has an open roster and don’t have anyone in protocols, so it appears it’ll be a standard 10-day deal.
According to Scotto, Monroe had multiple 10-day offers before choosing the defending champions. Monroe signed 10-day contracts with the Timberwolves and Wizards under the hardship exception earlier this season and appeared in five games. He averaged 5.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG and 2.4 APG in 16.2 MPG.
Prior to this season, Monroe hadn’t appeared in an NBA game since the 2018/19 campaign. In 637 career games, Monroe has averaged 13.1 PPG, 8.3 RPG and 2.1 APG. Monroe began his career with Detroit after being drafted in the 2010 lottery.
This is his second stint with Milwaukee. He appeared in 165 games with the Bucks from 2015-17.
Brook Lopez hasn’t played since the season opener and underwent back surgery in early December. Bobby Portis and Giannis Antetokounmpo have played out of position in his absence.
Miles Bridges Hopes To Play Entire Career With Hornets
Hornets forward Miles Bridges, a restricted free agent this summer, says he wants to spend the rest of his career in a Hornets uniform, per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Bridges recently appeared on The QC Hornets’ Nest, Boone’s podcast for the Observer. Here are some highlights from the chat:
On his desire to stay with a rising Hornets squad long-term, hopefully forever:
“If I could, I’d pull a Dirk (Nowitzki) or a Kobe (Bryant), you know. I love being in Charlotte. I love the fans, I love the atmosphere and I want to be a part of something that’s building, you know. I feel like we’re building something and eventually we want to win a championship. That’s the goal.”
On improvements he hopes to make going forward:
“Defense. Do better at defense, do better at leading. Staying more consistent during games. My body language, that type of stuff. Mental stuff. I feel like I could be more consistent there. And just being more consistent as a leader. Even when things are going bad, I don’t put my head down. I’m the one to pick everybody up.”
On his partnership with LaMelo Ball:
“I love playing with ‘Melo. I knew from the first preseason game that we were gonna be a good group of guys in the game together. I love playing with him. He’s elevated his game, I’ve elevated my game. We push each other. It’s just a brotherhood for me and him. It’s like my brother.”
On LaMelo’s passing ability:
“I played with Kemba (Walker) and Devonte’ (Graham) and those guys are great scorers and they can pass, but Melo, he’s a great passer. He finds people even when you’re not looking. So, it’s great playing with him.”
On Charlotte making a playoff push in the second half of the season:
“It’s gonna be fun for us. We’re just gonna have to double down on everything that we’ve been doing to make this playoff push. The fans haven’t seen the playoffs in a long time so we want to give them that and we want to experience it for ourselves. We’re definitely gonna be more locked-in coming in after the All-Star break and leading up to the All-Star break.”
Bridges has been a breakout star this season, averaging career-highs in several categories, including: 19.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.0 steal. He’s played in 50 games (35.8 minutes) to this point, with a shooting line of .486/.316/.784.