Central Notes: Irving, Nelson, Pacers
The Celtics and Cavaliers are preparing for their third meeting of the 2017/18 season and the outcome of this past summer’s Kyrie Irving trade is still a hot topic. ESPN’s Kevin Pelton breaks down how the trade that shipped one of the top point guards in the league out of Cleveland can be considered a lopsided bust.
Pelton notes that the consensus, in the beginning, was that the Cavaliers’ return was fairly decent; Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and the Nets’ 2018 first-round pick. However, it did not come out until later that Thomas’ hip injury was worse than initially feared, which delayed his Cleveland debut until several months into the season. Also, Pelton used two recent cases of players coming back from a similar labrum tear only to see their production wane.
Thomas’ trade value went south through 15 games with the Cleveland, Crowder was a massive disappointment and the organization blew everything up in the hours up until the deadline. Meanwhile, Irving has been his usual stellar self for the Celtics, making the deal go from fair to lopsided in a hurry.
Check out other Central Division news below:
- Veteran point guard Jameer Nelson is not expected to play much for the Pistons but he is ready to help the team any way he can, Ansar Khan of MLive.com writes. Nelson had an eventful deadline as he dealt twice; first, the Pelicans shipped him to the Bulls in the Nikola Mirotic trade and then Chicago traded Nelson to Pistons. The trade also reunites Nelson with his former Magic head coach, Stan Van Gundy, NBA.com’s Keith Langlois writes. “Still the same Stan,” Nelson said.
- The Pacers stood pat at the deadline, with the team more focused on the future than short-term fixes, Clifton Brown of the Indianapolis Star writes. At 31-25, Indiana is currently in sixth place in the Eastern Conference and on track to make the playoffs. However, Brown notes that the Pacers do not feel like they were one trade away from being a championship contender and elected to not make a move.
Cavaliers Notes: James, Altman, Gilbert, Irving
The Cavaliers have struggled for the better part of 2017/18 and while they do, tensions continue to mount between LeBron James and the franchise’s management, Jason Lloyd of The Athletic writes.
Even before the club’s moribund loss to the Magic on Tuesday, Lloyd pulled the curtain back on the NBA’s most dysfunctional family in the days leading up to the trade deadline.
Here are some highlights lowlights from the worthwhile read:
- The root of the Cavs’ problems, Lloyd says, can be traced back to two key issues that unfolded during the offseason. First and foremost, the club’s decision to part ways with woefully underpaid general manager David Griffin, and secondly, the Kyrie Irving trade that shook the foundation of the roster.
- While James was vocal about his support for Griffin, team owner Dan Gilbert ultimately gave the job to young, in-house executive Koby Altman. Altman, Lloyd claims, is widely regarded as not ready for the task ahead of him.
- The Griffin decision wasn’t the only time the Cavs went against James’ wishes during the offseason. They opted to sign draft-and-stash prospect Cedi Osman rather than pursue James’ preferred target, veteran Jamal Crawford.
- One of the most substantial moves the Cavs made was to deal Irving after his trade request, fearing that his value would decrease if they waited closer to when he hit free agency (in the summer of 2019). James was convinced that he could mend his relationship with the young point guard if only the club held on to him long enough to go through training camp with the team.
- According to Lloyd, James essentially has no relationship with either Gilbert or Altman. Griffin would often consult with LeBron and keep him apprised of major roster decisions, but that’s no longer happening — James was informed of the Irving trade about 20 minutes before word of the agreement leaked.
- Multiple sources confirmed to Lloyd that James “cursed toward at least two team executives” during the now-infamous team meeting that began with players questioning Kevin Love‘s absence from a practice.
Atlantic Notes: Fultz, Porzingis, Powell
The issue with the shooting shoulder of Sixers rookie Markelle Fultz has taken an interesting turn, reports Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Fultz, who has missed all but four games this season, was apparently upset with his head coach Brett Brown after it was reported that Brown classified Fultz’s injury as “psychosomatic”.
Fultz took to social media to air his frustrations, while Brown insisted that he was misquoted, that he has never wavered from the narrative that Fultz’s shot is being affected by a shoulder injury, and that Fultz’s shoulder still hurts sometimes when he rises to shoot a jump shot.
Brown understands Fultz’s frustration, but believes Fultz will ultimately accept the misunderstanding. “Last night’s erroneous reporting was disappointing,” Brown said, “(but Markelle) knows the organization. He knows me. It doesn’t require much more to be said than that.”
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- Kristaps Porzingis is planning to use his first All-Star game appearance as a recruiting opportunity, reports Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. One of his first targets? Team LeBron teammate Kyrie Irving, who is from the New York area and listed the Knicks as a preferred destination before being traded to Boston.
- After not playing in three of the team’s previous four games and having being relegated to mop-up duty lately, Raptors guard Norman Powell played well in a come-from-behind win against Minnesota last night, and his teammates weren’t surprised one bit, writes Doug Smith of the Toronto Star, who reports that Powell is still a popular locker room figure.
- The Nets have benched veteran center Tyler Zeller in favor of youngsters Jahlil Okafor and Jarrett Allen, reports Brian Lewis of the New York Post. While head coach Kenny Atkinson wouldn’t confirm the move as permanent, Allen started in Zeller’s place in last night’s loss to the Knicks after Zeller had started 33 of the last 34 games.
Reaction To The Blake Griffin Trade
The Pistons and Clippers agreed to the biggest blockbuster trade of the season on Monday, with star forward Blake Griffin as the centerpiece.
Here’s how some top columnists from around the country view the deal:
- Acquiring Griffin is more likely to be the beginning of the end for Stan Van Gundy’s regime with the Pistons than it is to turn the franchise around, Kelvin Pelton of ESPN opines. Detroit will hard-pressed to make any moves after the season because Griffin’s contact will push the team close to the luxury-tax line, Pelton points out. The Pistons also weakened themselves at the wing spots by trading Avery Bradley, while the Clippers added another quality starter with an affordable contract in Tobias Harris, Pelton continues. Trading Griffin also gives the Clippers a better chance at creating max cap space next summer to pursue top free agents, though trading a star player at the beginning of a long-term deal won’t help the Clips build trust with those free agents, Pelton adds.
- The Clippers have positioned themselves to be major players in the 2019 free agent market, according to Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson, Kevin Love and Kemba Walker could be available and the team will have just one guaranteed contract on the books for the 2019/20 season, Bontemps notes. LeBron James and Paul George could also be available if they sign one-year deals with their current squads, Bontemps adds.
- The Pistons paid a king’s ransom for Griffin and it’s unlikely to work out in their favor, Sean Deveney of the Sporting News opines. Griffin’s injury history is a major concern, particularly his left knee issues, and he has missed one-third of his team’s games since the 2013-14 season, Deveney notes. He’s also a questionable fit next to Andre Drummond, since Griffin is a subpar three-point shooter and has also struggled with his mid-range game this season.
- Detroit hasn’t landed a big-time free agent since Chauncey Billups in 2002, so the Pistons can only acquire an All-Star talent through trades, according to Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. The Pistons need Griffin to make the playoffs, while the first-rounder is the biggest piece the Clippers landed. That likely gives L.A. two first-rounders in the next draft during a time when picks are highly coveted, the USA Today duo adds.
- The Clippers clearly seem to believe they can make a serious run at LeBron James when he enters free agency in July and this trade will facilitate that goal, Marc Stein of the New York Times tweets. Potential trades involving DeAndre Jordan and Lou Williams will be aimed in helping them in that quest, Stein adds.
Latest On Joakim Noah
After a Friday report indicated that the Knicks were increasing their efforts to trade Joakim Noah, more details on the rift between Noah and the Knicks – as well as his absence from the team – surfaced today, with Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports reporting that the front office is “exploring avenues” to part with the veteran center.
According to various reports, including one from Marc Stein of The New York Times, Noah expressed displeasure with his playing time and his role when he was removed from last Tuesday’s game against the Warriors, then had another heated exchange with head coach Jeff Hornacek during Wednesday’s practice in Denver. At that point, the Knicks granted Noah time away from the team for what was essentially meant to be a “cooling-off period,” writes Stein.
According to Ian Begley of ESPN, Noah is currently working out and is awaiting word from the Knicks on the next steps for rejoining the team. Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News suggests that Noah is waiting to hear if he should report back to the club at all, though there’s an expectation he’ll return — his contract will be very difficult to trade, and there’s little upside to waiving him at this point.
Here’s more on Noah:
- There have been no discussions between Noah and the Knicks so far about a buyout, according to Begley, who hears from sources that the 32-year-old isn’t inclined to give up significant money to accommodate a buyout.
- A source tells Bondy that the Cavaliers entertained the possibility of taking on Noah during the 2017 offseason as part of a Kyrie Irving trade. The kicker? Kristaps Porzingis would have needed to be included. The Knicks weren’t interested at the time, according to Bondy, and there’s no indication that the club would have any interest now in moving Noah by attaching him to Porzingis or another prime asset.
- Noah’s frustration with his role (or lack thereof) isn’t new. According to Steve Aschburner of NBA.com (Twitter link), Noah told a confidante over a month ago that his playing time situation was stressful.
- There’s a belief that there would still be a market for Noah if he’s eventually waived or bought out, writes Charania. I imagine the big man would have to settle for a minimum salary contract in that scenario.
Kyrie Irving Reportedly Threatened To Undergo Surgery If Not Traded By Cavs
After requesting a trade from the Cavaliers in the offseason, Kyrie Irving threatened to undergo knee surgery that would sideline him for most or all of the 2017/18 season if the Cavs didn’t move him, multiple sources tell Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. That threat convinced Cleveland’s front office and owner Dan Gilbert that the relationship wasn’t salvageable, according to Vardon.
Sources tell Vardon that Irving will likely need to have knee surgery at some point as a follow-up to the procedure he underwent during the 2015 NBA Finals. That surgery isn’t considered urgent, but would ease some swelling and day-to-day pain in Irving’s knee. An NBA player would typically play through that discomfort and undergo such a procedure in the offseason. But Irving threatened to miss training camp in the fall and have that surgery performed during the 2017/18 season if he remained a Cav, as Vardon’s sources tell it.
After Irving’s trade request first became public, LeBron James‘ camp didn’t do much to dismiss the notion of a possible rift between the two star Cavaliers. However, multiple sources tell Vardon that James eventually asked the Cavs front office not to move Irving, suggesting that he could mend the necessary fences.
In response, the Cavaliers informed James that – given the threat of knee surgery – they felt they had no choice but to trade Irving, which didn’t sit well with LeBron, according to Vardon. The Cleveland.com reporter notes that Irving has major endorsement deals to consider and may have risked hurting the growth of his brand by missing the season. In other words, one could make the case that the team should have called the point guard’s bluff.
Assuming Vardon’s info is accurate – and there’s no reason at this point to assume it’s not – the timing of the leak is worth considering. The Cavs’ season has hit a low point within the last week, and the decision to send Irving to the Celtics looks more questionable than ever. It’s possible that word of Irving’s alleged threat has surfaced in Cleveland now in an effort to give the front office some cover for a trade that increasingly looks like a mistake.
Spurs Tried Hard To Acquire Kyrie Irving
Back when he was on the trade block in July and August, Kyrie Irving reportedly had San Antonio on his list of preferred destinations. And according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Spurs weren’t just a bystander as the Cavaliers were considering their options. The Spurs “tried really, really hard” to land Irving, Woj said on ESPN late last night, per Ramona Shelburne (Twitter link).
Patty Mills, Tony Parker, and Dejounte Murray have handled point guard duties for the Spurs this season, and while they’ve been solid, the team clearly would have received a boost at the position by trading for Irving. However, it’s not clear what sort of package the front office could have put together that would have enticed the Cavs.
Unlike the Celtics, the Spurs weren’t holding any particularly attractive draft assets, since their own future first-round picks are unlikely to land in the lottery. LaMarcus Aldridge, who had yet to sign his new contract extension when Irving was dealt, could have been a trade chip. Danny Green probably would have appealed to Cleveland as well, but if the Cavs wanted to acquire a starting-caliber point guard for Irving, finding a match would have been tricky — Parker is 35 years old, Mills won’t be trade-eligible until January 15, and the 21-year-old Murray isn’t yet ready for a huge role.
While the Spurs’ pursuit of Irving didn’t pan out, Woj’s report on their strong interest in the former Cavs guard is the latest indication that San Antonio continues to explore ways to add star power, particularly at the point guard spot. The Spurs were also frequently linked to Chris Paul last spring before he was traded to Houston.
MacMullan’s Latest: Irving, LeBron, Cavs, Suns
With Isaiah Thomas having returned to the Cavaliers on Tuesday, and the Cavs now poised to square off against the Celtics on Wednesday, it only makes sense to revisit one of the 2017 offseason’s biggest trades. ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan has done just that, taking a deep dive into the factors that led to Kyrie Irving heading from Cleveland to Boston.
Along the way, MacMullan passes along several noteworthy tidbits — while the whole piece is worth checking out, especially for Cavs and Celtics fans, we’ve rounded up some of the most interesting details below:
- While Irving made his trade request in July, the Cavaliers explored the possibility of moving the point guard in June, which MacMullan suggests contributed to Irving’s decision to ask out of Cleveland. “They didn’t want me there,” Irving said of the Cavs. Former teammate LeBron James disputes that notion, which he says “makes absolutely no sense.”
- One deal the Cavs explored in June would have sent Irving and Channing Frye to the Suns and resulted in both Paul George and Eric Bledsoe landing in Cleveland. However, Phoenix balked at that deal, since the club was unwilling to give up the No. 4 overall pick, says MacMullan. A few days later, the Pacers dealt George to the Thunder instead.
- Although no formal offer was made during those negotiations, Irving caught wind of the talks and believed they were orchestrated by James’ camp, since LeBron shares an agent with Bledsoe. Team and league sources suggest otherwise, telling MacMullan that former Cavs GM David Griffin sensed that an Irving trade request may be coming and initiated talks with the Suns.
- When Irving and his agent met with the Cavaliers on July 9, they pressed owner Dan Gilbert about the team’s direction, and mentioned the Spurs, Knicks, and Timberwolves as preferred landing spots for Irving. Boston didn’t come up during that meeting, but Gilbert coveted the Nets‘ 2018 first-round pick that was held by the Celtics, and Irving’s camp didn’t oppose a deal to the C’s.
- When the Celtics emerged as a viable trade partner for Irving and the Cavs, Gilbert went to James and attempted to secure a promise that he’d stay in Cleveland beyond the 2017/18 season, but LeBron declined to commit, sources tell MacMullan.
Celtics Rumors: Thomas, All-Star Game, Irving, Schedule
Celtics GM Danny Ainge is baffled by Isaiah Thomas‘ recent criticism of the team’s former medical staff, he said in a weekly radio interview that was relayed by Ben Rohrbach of Yahoo Sports. Thomas called out the Celtics in an ESPN interview, saying he would have sat out last postseason if he knew he’d have a long-term recovery from his hip injury. Speaking on 98.5 FM The Sports Hub, Ainge said he was blindsided by the comment. “As you remember, he had a pretty special playoff run, including a 53-point game, but I really don’t remember what he’s referring to,” Ainge said. The Celtics did not retain their trainer and strength coach but Ainge declared it had nothing to do with their handling of Thomas’ injury.
In other news regarding the Celtics:
- The team hasn’t hosted an All-Star Game since 1964 but owner Wyc Grousbeck is hoping to change that, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe reports. The team has been reluctant to apply for hosting the annual event because of the way the league distributes tickets but Grousbeck is willing to accept its terms. “We can’t get all of our fans into the game, all of our season ticket-holders,” Grousbeck said. “We have a season ticket-holder wait list and relatively few of our season ticket-holders would be able to come to a game that we host. But nonetheless, we’re going to get a (application) package and see if we can work something out.” The earliest that could happen is 2022 because the league has already booked other venues prior to that year.
- Coach Brad Stevens has managed Kyrie Irving‘s minutes and the star point guard is fine with that approach, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of NBCSports.com. Irving is averaging 32.2 MPG, compared to 35.1 MPG in his last season with the Cavaliers. “Whatever is needed, I’m willing to do for the team,” Irving told the assembled media. “And I know Brad will echo the same things, so I trust what he’s got going on.”
- Fatigue is a factor in the Celtics’ inconsistent play of late, Chris Forsberg of ESPN notes. Boston has endured a front-loaded schedule in which it plays half of its games in 79 days, Forsberg points out. The Celtics will play their final 41 games over a 97-day stretch.
Celtics Planned To Use Hayward As No. 2 Playmaker
The Celtics planned to run a Warriors-style offense this season prior to Gordon Hayward‘s serious leg injury on opening night, Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated reports. The coaching staff wanted to utilize Hayward as a second ballhandler with Kyrie Irving running the attack. Many of Boston’s sets centered around Irving and Hayward playing a two-man game in the mold of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson with the Boston duo making plays off weakside screens and pindowns, Jenkins continues. Forward Al Horford would have also had a playmaking role, much like the Warriors’ Draymond Green, spacing the floor and distributing the ball to cutters. Without Hayward, Irving has been relied upon more as a scorer and Horford’s playmaking duties have been expanded, Jenkins adds.
Other nuggets from the SI piece on Hayward include:
- GM Danny Ainge sees a healthy Hayward as the missing piece to a championship team. “What do we need? A versatile 6’8” defender who can switch one through four, handle the ball, create offense for others and make shots,” Ainge told Jenkins. “That’s what we need. That’s Gordon Hayward.”
- It’s not out of the question Hayward could return this season if the Celtics make a deep playoff run. Hayward is trying to be realistic about his situation, so that he doesn’t set himself up for disappointment. “Wishing to be on the court, trying to be on the court, those are the thoughts that kept me up at night,” he told Jenkins.
- Hayward’s predicament led to deeper bond among his teammates. That helped the Celtics get off to a strong start without him. “I think Gordon’s injury made us closer,” guard Terry Rozier told Jenkins.