Iman Shumpert, whom the Cavaliers spent most of the summer trying to trade, was in the starting lineup for Saturday’s loss at New Orleans, notes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. The move was necessitated by injuries, as Derrick Rose continued to be unavailable with a sprained left ankle.
Rose wants to remain in the lineup once he returns, writes Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, and he was concerned he might have to sit out today’s game if he played Saturday. Coach Tyronn Lue recently moved Dwyane Wade and Jae Crowder to the bench and didn’t want to disrupt their new roles, so he called on Shumpert. The Cavaliers have used four different starting lineups in six games.
There’s more this morning from the Central Division:
- Cleveland’s reported interest in Suns guard Eric Bledsoe is the latest sign that the addition of Wade isn’t working out, states Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Wade, who asked to be removed from the starting lineup this week, is averaging 8.6 points through five games and is shooting just 43% from the field. Winderman suggests that Wade’s friendship with LeBron James blinded the Cavs to the reality that Wade can’t produce at an elite level anymore.
- Pacers swingman Lance Stephenson hasn’t lost confidence despite a terrible start to the new season, relays Mark Montieth of NBA.com. In a reserve role for the high-scoring Pacers, Stephenson is averaging 6.2 points per game and shooting just 27% from the field, 13% from 3-point range and 38.5% from the free throw line. “I’m going to keep shooting,” said Stephenson, who came back to Indiana late last season after spending time with the Hornets, Clippers, Grizzlies, Pelicans and Timberwolves. “My confidence is never going to go down. In practice I don’t miss, so it’s probably just mental. A lot of rushed shots. Just stay poised and don’t get out of it. Bring it every game. I haven’t lost my confidence at all.”
- When Myles Turner returns from the concussion that has sidelined him since opening night, Pacers coach Nate McMillan is considering using him together with Domantas Sabonis, Montieth writes in the same story. The move would put the team’s two best rebounders on the court at the same time. “It gives us some size, it gives us some versatility,” McMillan said. “We’re big, but we still have the speed and athleticism to defend and run our sets. “I look forward to getting to that as much as possible.”
- Bucks guard Matthew Dellavedova is trying to use his experience to bring chemistry to a young team, notes Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times.
Let’s be honest here, this Cavs team is awful. Take LeBron off this team and they’ll have trouble making the playoffs. A lineup of Rose, Smith, Crowder, Love, and Thompson is about as bad as last year’s Knicks and Lue’s offense might be worse than the triangle. It’s hard for me to see LeBron staying with the Cavs
False but whatever you say.
In what way was it false?
If it wasn’t for him wanting his kids to graduate from his high scholl I’d agree. He has given millions to his foundation in Akron to help kids in his neighborhood to go to college. See him on Ellen on Youtube talking about it. This factors alot into reason why he’s in Cleveland.
Nobody, including the Cavaliers themselves, expected Wade to be an elite player at this age. Salty journalist is just salty.
He just wants attention. Riley hilariously bodied him in the preseason when Ira asked him for the 45858374th time about a “true backup pg.” It was awesome lol
Lance Stephen can’t score, He never could, and if you’re averaging 27% from the field, STOP SHOOTING.
How good is Wade supposed to be? No he’s not elite and isn’t getting paid elitely. He’s a quality backup, that’s fine, he’s not the problem.
The Cav problem is that they needed a boot camp and got a summer camp.
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Bledsoe now or Thomas later, IDK. But right now I’m thinking the Suns will wait out their trade valuation; they’re in no rush to win.
I agree about the Suns. Their effort has been terrific since the subtraction of Watson & Bledsoe. That’s really all anyone out here wants to see. We know that they’re not a good team. People just want to see them playing hard. There will be a team that decides Bledsoe is what they need to compete and will come looking for him at some point. Those kind of deals always favor the seller. They should just wait things out.
Lebron recruited D Rose because he knew Isaiah would be out. The Suns will get the most return for Bledsoe if they wait until the trade deadline. I doubt anyone wants Chandler. @%sure. I say Bledsoe gets traded at trade deadline. When do you think? P.S. Isaiah will be free agent and gives Cavs more options than Bledsoe!
Sounds about right… right now teams look set at PG, so it will likely take someone’s injury for Phx to get a good offer.
Ira Winderman…95 year old PG fetish and all, doesn’t know anything about basketball. Wade’s role is totally different on that team, and on top of that, reports are that they aren’t interested in Bledsoe right now, so it shows once again that he isn’t even attentive to the rest of the league, while he pretends to be…
I was saying the other night that it feels like Lance Stephenson is pressing. When he goes put and just plays, he plays really well, and it’s been that way even the last few years. He played really well in the preseason. It feels like he just puts a lot of pressure on himself, mostly since he left Indiana the first time.
Would be a bad idea for the Pacers to play 2 bigs together for extended periods. They play at one of the highest paces in the league right now. That would just make them worse defensively.
Lance has to get his shooting better with the Pacers since no one else wants him. When he was with Charlotte he finished last in the league in 3 point shooting. His confidence is his playing time and Victor Oladipo is in front of him instead of Monte Ellis! Cut him and move Joe Young to backup shooting guard!
The Pacers tried to move Thadeus Young during offseason, but couldn’t. He won’t be with them next season. Sabonis played center at Gonzaga, and Turner played power forward at texas, and was a good 3 point shooter!
That Paul George trade has benefited the Pacers! Right now Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis are their 2 best players. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is a crybaby because the Pacers wouldn’t give him George. This is shocking some owners!
Look up Lebron James Family Foundation. The side of James they don’t talk about on the sports talk shows!