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Cavaliers Notes: Thomas, Rose, LeBron

December 29th, 2017 at 3:43pm CST by marksuleymanov

Isaiah Thomas‘ return could be just days away but if the Cavaliers point guard had his way, he would have played in his team’s Wednesday night tilt against the Kings. Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com tweets that Thomas tried to force the Cavaliers into playing versus Sacramento him but the team denied his request.

Thomas has been rehabbing from a hip injury and scheduled to participate in his first scrimmage with the team today. If all goes well, various reports have indicated that Thomas’ season debut could happen against the Trail Blazers on January 2. It is possible that Cleveland holds Thomas’ debut off a night further, meaning he could face his former team, the Celtics, on January 3 in Boston. However, head coach Tyronn Lue has said that Thomas will not play in back-to-back games when he returns. Therefore, Thomas may need to wait until February 11 — the next time Cleveland is set to visit Boston — to face his former team if he plays this Tuesday.

Check out other news from the Cavaliers organization below:

Thomas addressed the possibility of making his season debut in dramatic fashion against the Celtics in Boston. “It’s going to be a really special game for me,” Thomas said (via Dave McMenamin of ESPN). “It’s going to be emotional because I just gave my heart to that city and they showed genuine love back. … (But) that minute restriction, that would be tough to play in [Boston] on a minute restriction.”
In a wide-ranging interview with Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, oft-injured Cavaliers point guard Derrick Rose addressed his sabbatical from the team, managing his long list of injuries and retirement. Rose, 29, said he never contemplated retiring after he took a leave from the team in late November and feels he can still be a productive NBA player.
LeBron James, who turns 33 tomorrow, is having another characteristically strong season but is he better now than he was five years ago? Victor Mather of The New York Times examines James’ numbers compared to other players in their 15th seasons and the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player stacks up well or better against almost every comparable player.

Cavaliers Notes: Thomas, Thompson, Green, James

December 29th, 2017 at 9:35am CST by Arthur Hill

The Cavaliers still aren’t sure when injured guard Isaiah Thomas will be ready for his season debut, writes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Thomas will get his first chance to play alongside his Cavaliers teammates during the team’s practice today. He scrimmaged with the organization’s G League affiliate in Canton last week. Coach Tyronn Lue said the purpose of today’s workout is to “get some shots up, cover defensive rules and principles and also scrimmage a little bit so Isaiah can get a feel and play 5 on 5.”

When the Cavs departed on their current three-game road trip, they were hoping to have Thomas ready at some point. But he was held out of games at Golden State and Sacramento, and his status for Saturday’s contest in Utah is uncertain. Lue originally told reporters that Thomas wouldn’t play against the Jazz, but later said “I don’t know” to follow-up questions about his availability.

Cleveland travels to Boston next Wednesday, which would be a dramatic setting for Thomas to return, but Vardon speculates that Tuesday’s home game against the Trail Blazers is more likely. The Cavs were wary about throwing Thomas into a high-profile game against the Warriors and would likely view the Celtics the same way. Another possible date is January 6, when Thomas has a new shoe coming out and Cleveland plays at Orlando.

There’s more today out of Cleveland:

Tristan Thompson is putting up the worst numbers of his career and may be a trade candidate before the February 8 deadline, Vardon writes in a separate piece. Thompson’s playing time has been cut to 17.7 minutes per game and he is averaging just 4.1 points and 4.8 rebounds. He has been on a minutes restriction since missing 20 games with a strained left calf muscle, and the team has been successful with Kevin Love as the starting center.
Free agent addition Jeff Green has taken on several roles since coming to Cleveland, notes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Following the worst season of his career last year in Orlando, Green is happy in his new role with the Cavs. “I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t have any expectation,” Green said. “When I talked to T. Lue — we didn’t know back then, didn’t know the personnel that was going to be all in the locker room. It was just, ‘Jeff come in and be Jeff.’ Last year was a rough year so it was, ‘Jeff come in and be the player I know you can be. Play hard and things will fall into place.’ And that’s what’s happened.”
LeBron James is putting up amazing numbers in his 15th NBA season, but the secrets to his longevity happened years ago, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

Southeast Notes: Richardson, Isaac, Graham, Howard

December 25th, 2017 at 5:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Josh Richardson has emerged as the most efficient small forward the Heat have had since LeBron James departed for the Cavaliers, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel. Injuries to other wing players have given Richardson an expanded role and he’s taken full advantage, averaging 17.6 PPG this month on 54.8% overall shooting and 50.9% from long range. “This is a continuation of the end of last season, completing a good summer of development,” coach Erik Spoelstra told Winderman and other beat reporters. “He’s gaining more confidence with game minutes. I think that will only continue to get better.”

Magic rookie forward Jonathan Isaac‘s latest right ankle injury is not as severe as the one that kept him out for 17 games, John Denton of the team’s website reports. Isaac has missed the last two games after re-injuring the ankle on Wednesday. He’s hopeful he can return as early as Tuesday’s game against Miami. “It’s completely different and just a little re-aggravation,” Isaac told reporters. “Feeling OK and it’s the same thing – day to day – and hopefully I’ll get back soon.”
Hornets shooting guard Treveon Graham played a strong 28 minutes off the bench on Saturday and could see steadier playing time, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes. Graham scored 14 points as the club rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat the Bucks. Graham needs to be productive to stay on the roster. His $1.3MM contract doesn’t become fully guaranteed unless he’s still on the roster through January 10th.
The Hornets were fearful that center Dwight Howard would be out an extended period after suffering a dislocated left ring finger on Friday, Brendan Marks of the Charlotte Observer relays. Instead, Howard returned to action on Saturday. “I wasn’t sure if it was going to be a month or two months based on the way it kind of looked and the way it was popping out or whatever,” acting coach Stephen Silas told Marks.

Central Notes: Dunn, LaVine, Oladipo

December 24th, 2017 at 9:02pm CST by Austin Kent

The Bulls have every reason to be pleased with the production they’ve gotten out of point guard Kris Dunn but that doesn’t mean that the second-year player is necessarily satisfied, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune writes.

“My offensive game is getting there, but that can be polished,” Dunn said, noting that his top priority for improvement is on the defensive side. In 11 December games for the Bulls, Dunn has averaged 15.0 points, 7.7 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 2.0 steals per contest.

Dunn credits Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg for putting the pressure on him to compete with Jerian Grant for the starting gig, a role that he didn’t formally take over until late November.

There’s more from the Central Division:

There may finally be a timetable for the return of Zach LaVine. Vincent Goodwill of NBC Sports Chicago tweets that the guard will try to make it through six consecutive Bulls practices after December 30. If he does so without issue, he’ll play.
The Cavaliers will tip off against the Warriors on Christmas Day but don’t get it twisted, LeBron James‘ favorite place to play after Santa Claus comes is a bit further south at the Staples Center, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. Queue another onslaught of LeBron-to-L.A. hype.
The trade that sent Victor Oladipo from the Thunder to the Pacers appears to have motivated the 25-year-old, even if he doesn’t say so himself. “He’s come into the season with confidence, I think, to prove himself,” head coach Nate McMillan told Buddy Grizzard of Basketball Insiders. “After a couple moves from Orlando to OKC and then to Indy, there was a lot of conversation out there that the Pacers didn’t get enough in that trade. I think he is proving to the league that he does have talent. We are still learning what he’s capable of.“

Rockets Notes: LeBron, Paul, Morey

December 22nd, 2017 at 1:27pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Earlier this month, it was reported that the Rockets believe they have a chance to land LeBron James in free agency this summer and Zach Lowe of ESPN.com echoes those reports in his latest piece.

Lowe writes that the team will go after James while planning a long-term deal for Chris Paul, who will turn 33 in May. Giving a point guard a max deal at that age may make most franchises think twice. However, the team believes the potential reward of a championship during James Harden‘s prime outweighs the risk of having an expensive declining veteran on the books.

“We think we have a five-year window with Chris and James,” Coach Mike D’Antoni tells Lowe.

GM Daryl Morey knows it will be up to Paul to return to Houston, but added that the franchise feels good about having him around long-term.

Here’s more from Houston:

Winning a championship will require the Rockets to beat several teams in the postseason, though they are “obsessed” with taking down one team in particular. “It’s the only thing we think about,” Morey recently said on ESPN Radio’s The Ryen Russillo Show. “I think I’m not supposed to say that, but we’re basically obsessed with ‘How do we beat the Warriors?’
Morey added (in the same segment) that in approximately 90% of the team’s simulations, Houston will have to go through Golden State to win the title and he admitted that much of the team’s offseason decisions were made with that in mind. “…we’ve gotta obviously beat the Warriors at some point. So we’re extremely focused on that. A lot of our signings and what we do during the year is based on that,” Morey said.

Knicks Rumors: Carmelo, P. Jackson, Porzingis

December 21st, 2017 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

After a year of non-stop drama, there’s an air of optimism and hopefulness surrounding the Knicks that was noticeably absent during last season’s Phil Jackson vs. Carmelo Anthony standoff, writes Ian Begley of ESPN. While the Knicks have had played well, with a 16-14 record so far, their on-court success isn’t the only thing contributing to the positive mood within the organization, as one team source tells Begley.

“Everyone just seems a little lighter,” the source said. “The drama Phil created with Carmelo really affected the team and the joy factor.”

In an in-depth piece for ESPN, Begley revisits that Jackson-and-Anthony saga, highlighting some of the incidents and confrontations that ultimately led to both men leaving the franchise. Begley’s feature is worth checking out in full, especially for Knicks fans, but here are a few highlights:

Some members of the organization knew back in summer 2015 that they wanted to trade Anthony, and by the following year, that sentiment was shared by virtually all of the Knicks‘ top decision-makers, says Begley. “The feeling in meetings was almost unanimous: They felt he just wasn’t a winning player,” one source said. “They thought they could turn everything around if they just moved him.” Anthony was aware of this stance, despite some of those execs insisting they were still on his side, which was a big reason why he soured on the organization.
Jackson regularly interrupted Knicks practices and overrode Jeff Hornacek‘s instructions to ensure that the triangle offense was being implemented properly, despite two veteran players telling him directly that the system wasn’t working, per Begley.
Jackson presided over mindfulness meditation training with the Knicks during his last year in New York, as he had done with his previous teams. However, some Knicks players didn’t take it seriously — during the final sessions, Anthony would sometimes pretend to be asleep when Jackson told the players to open their eyes, witnesses told Begley.
During a March 12 loss to the Nets last season, Anthony and assistant Kurt Rambis blew up at each other during halftime. Anthony told Rambis that “this place is a f—ing joke,” and Rambis questioned Carmelo’s effort (in equally colorful language), according to Begley.
After Kristaps Porzingis skipped his exit meeting in the spring, Jackson discussed possible trades involving the young big man. While those discussions were framed by some as Jackson teaching Porzingis a lesson, there were members of the front office in favor of moving the Latvian at the time, sources tell Begley.
For a portion of the summer, Anthony strongly believed that he’d end up in Houston, expressing a belief that LeBron James would eventually join him and Chris Paul on the Rockets. Although the Rockets tried to make a deal, discussing one three-team iteration that would’ve involved Jabari Parker and the Bucks, it ultimately didn’t work out, resulting in the trade that sent Carmelo to the Thunder.

Central Notes: LeBron, Oladipo, Osman

December 17th, 2017 at 4:35pm CST by clarkcrum

LeBron James is well on his way to another First Team All-NBA selection and perhaps a fifth MVP Award. And while the Cavaliers star will be the first to tell you that that he plays for team accomplishments, even he was able to admit how sweet it would be to add more personal hardware to his trophy case, reports Nick Friedell of ESPN. James also elaborated on what his continued excellence over time could mean for future NBA generations.

“Team success is always the No. 1, but along the way if you’re able accomplish some individual awards, individual achievements, it would mean a lot,” James said. “I feel good. This is my 15th year, but this is one of the best years I’ve had as far as how I feel, and I want to continue that. I want to kind of try to break the mold for the next generation.”

“Hopefully I can break the mold, so when the next guy comes, he can still get $200 or $300 million and be 33 years old. I’m serious. You guys are laughing, I’m serious. This is the mold I’m trying to break. It’s not just about me, it’s for the next crew, as well … I’ll be 33 in 15 days. This is my 15th season, and this is the best I’ve felt in my career.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Despite the recent narrative that being traded to Indiana from Oklahoma City (and particularly away from Russell Westbrook) has generated a career season for Pacers guard Victor Oladipo, the opposite is actually true, reports Brett Dawson of The Oklahoman. Oladipo himself specifically references how Westbrook’s level of play made him realize how much work it takes to become a star. “Going there and seeing (Westbrook) do that, just seeing his year overall last year definitely helped me realize that I gotta put in a lot of work to get on that level,” Oladipo said. “So, he definitely helped influence my growth both on and off the court. He was an amazing resource, especially last year, to learn from him. And I apply it to everyday life today.”
In a piece for the The Plain Dealer, Terry Pluto opines that this season’s Cavaliers team has so far had a much more encouraging regular season than last year’s team. Among other topics, Pluto analyzes the surprising fit of Jose Calderon and general manager Koby Altman’s decision to give him a fully-guaranteed contract, head coach Tyronn Lue’s relationship with newcomer Jeff Green, and how potential All-Star Kevin Love seems to be thriving in an environment without Kyrie Irving.
After being traded to Cleveland from Minnesota on draft night in 2015, Cavaliers swingman Cedi Osman had spent the last two seasons playing overseas in Turkey, waiting for his NBA break to come. And now that he’s in the NBA, Osman is looking to make the most of his opportunity, writes Chris Fedor of cleveland.com. In last night’s win against Utah, Osman scored a career high 10 points in 23 minutes (also a career high), with Lue opting to keep Osman in during crunch time in the fourth quarter.

Latest On LeBron James

December 14th, 2017 at 10:42pm CST by Luke Adams

For much of 2017, there have been rumblings about the possibility of LeBron James leaving the Cavaliers in the summer of 2018 to head west to Los Angeles. With the Cavs hosting the Lakers on Thursday night, it was as good a time as any for Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst of ESPN to check in on James’ upcoming free agency, passing along a few notes and tidbits they’ve picked up from various sources. Here are some highlights from their piece:

Despite the constant speculation and L.A.’s efforts to create massive cap room for 2018, the Lakers look a “long shot” to sign James for now, league sources tell Shelburne and Windhorst.
According to ESPN’s report, when James reached free agency in 2014, his reps told contending teams to be prepared to offer a maximum salary contract, and not a penny less. It’s too early to lock anything in for 2018, but don’t expect James to take a Kevin Durant-esque discount on his next contract, per Shelburne and Windhorst. Sources tell the duo that James’ stance on max contracts hasn’t changed, meaning potential suitors will need to be able to offer a projected starting salary of approximately $35MM.
A recent report cited the Rockets as a threat for James, and LeBron’s longtime friendship with Chris Paul is a reason to take Houston seriously, according to Shelburne and Windhorst. Still, league sources tell ESPN that the idea that James and Paul badly want to end up on the same team is an “overstated assumption.”
While we’ll certainly hear plenty more about James’ free agency in the coming months, it’s unlikely that we’ll hear much from the man himself — or agent Rich Paul. “LeBron is focused on this season and winning a championship,” Paul told ESPN. “At the appropriate time, we will explore all the options. Now is not the time.”

Cavaliers Notes: Thompson, James, Wade, Korver

December 11th, 2017 at 8:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson could return to action as soon as Tuesday but he’s lost his starting job, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Joe Vardon. Thompson has missed 19 games with a strained left calf. Kevin Love was moved to center in his absence and coach Tyronn Lue wants Love to remain there. Lue also told reporters that Channing Frye would stay in the rotation, which could also cut into Thompson’s playing time, Vardon notes. Lue said that the staff needs to “figure out how we got to use him,” referring to Thompson. At least publicly, Thompson doesn’t want to make waves about his role. “If I don’t play, that’s fine,” Thompson told Vardon and other media members. “As long as we’re winning I’m going to cheer my teammates on. If I play two minutes, three minutes, 20 minutes, it don’t matter to me. As long as we win.”

In other news regarding the Cavs:

LeBron James‘ ability to defy the aging curve has been a rare and remarkable feat, as ESPN.com’s Kevin Pelton details. His true shooting percentage of 65.8% this season is a career high, boosted by another career-best, his 3-point shooting (41.7%). That’s likely to decline as the season continues but he’s also taking more shots within three feet of the basket and converting a career-best 5.3 layups per game, Pelton continues. Additionally, he’s posting a career best in defensive block rate, something else that normally declines with age, Pelton notes. However, his overall defensive value has declined and his athleticism will also start to dip in his mid-30s, which could eventually become an issue for James, Pelton adds.
Combo guard Dwyane Wade knew from the beginning of the season he was more suited to a sixth man role with the club, USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt writes. Wade is averaging 12.3 PPG, 4.0 APG and 3.8 RPG when he comes off the bench this season and Zillgitt points out that the Cavs have a net efficiency rating of plus-10.8 with Wade on the court as a reserve. “I knew for me to be successful and for me to come to this team and bring what I can to this team, the starting unit just wasn’t a unit for me,” he told Zillgitt. “So, I decided to go to the unit that was for me.”
Handing shooting guard Kyle Korver a contract extension over the summer drew criticism but now seems like a wise investment, Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer opines. Korver, 36, signed a three-year, $22MM contract. He’s shooting 43.3% from long range and leads the team in plus-minus rating.

Rockets Becoming Contenders For LeBron James?

December 9th, 2017 at 7:29pm CST by Arthur Hill

Houston should be added to the list of possible destinations for LeBron James, according to Sam Amick of USA Today. Rockets insiders possess “strong belief” that they’ll have a chance to land James in free agency, Amick writes, and several rival executives share that opinion.

James is expected to opt out of a salary of more than $35.6MM next summer and hit the open market once again. The Cavaliers star and four-time MVP tops our latest Free Agent Power Rankings.

The Lakers have been prominently mentioned as a landing spot if he decides to leave Cleveland, and the Sixers recently emerged as a possibility. Both teams are filled with young talent and cap flexibility, but Amick says James wants to keep winning and Houston offers a far better chance.

The Rockets, off to a league-best 19-4 start, feature an MVP candidate in James Harden and one of James’ best friends in Chris Paul. The team is known for its productive offense and has risen into the top five in defensive rating this season. GM Daryl Morey has an affinity for chasing stars, and new owner Tilmann Fertitta, who paid a record $2.2 billion for the team in September, would no doubt endorse the pursuit of James.

The tricky part for Houston is freeing up enough cap space to make a max offer. With the cap projected at $101MM for 2018/19, the Rockets already have more than $78MM in guaranteed salary, not counting the cost of re-signing Paul, whose Bird rights the team owns, or restricted free agent center Clint Capela.

Morey has displayed creativity with the cap in the past, and Amick suggests he probably has deals lined up involving Ryan Anderson [$20,421,546 salary next season] and others in case the chance to sign James arises. Amick adds that Paul might agree to take less than the max, similar to what Kevin Durant did with the Warriors last summer, to help bring James to Houston.

Rumors about James’ next move began shortly after the NBA Finals, but he doesn’t plan to consider his options until this season is done. If the Rockets keep their place among the league’s elite, their chances to land James in July may be as good as anyone’s.