Today will bring the Cavaliers’ first look at Isaiah Thomas since trading him to the Lakers last month, notes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Thomas became a scapegoat for all that went wrong in Cleveland through the first half of this season. He was expected to take the place of Kyrie Irving as one of the centerpieces of the deal with the Celtics, but a lingering hip injury, poor shooting and a questionable effort on defense caused the Cavs to unload him as part of a roster makeover at the deadline.
There weren’t many people in Cleveland who were sad to see Thomas leave, but former teammate Jeff Green still maintains a relationship with him.
“I wanted him to do well,” Green said. “I watched him from his early on days in Sacramento and Phoenix. And what he did in Boston was remarkable for that organization, and I wanted him to succeed. I wanted him to get what he deserves, and also, that max deal and being on a winning team and winning a championship. But, you know, it didn’t happen, it didn’t work out, and I’m still rooting for him to do well. Just not against us.”
There’s more news from the Central Division:
- Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman will be sidelined for about two weeks with a left hip flexor strain, the team announced on its website. An MRI confirmed the damage Saturday after the injury forced him out of Friday’s game with the Clippers.
- The Bucks will have to wait until November to petition the league for salary cap relief involving Mirza Teletovic, writes Matt Velasquez of The Journal Sentinel. Milwaukee can seek to have the $10.5MM Teletovic will make next season removed from its cap because of a medically induced retirement. However, the team must wait a year from the last game he played, which was November 7. Teletovic had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee later that month, which is when doctors discovered blood clots in his lungs.
- Bulls guard Cameron Payne is trying to erase the negative perception that many Chicago fans have after his poor play last season, relays K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Payne was a disappointment in 11 games after being acquired from the Thunder, then was sidelined until February 22 of this season following foot surgery. “I think I’ve played well,” Payne said. “Obviously I had a couple bad shooting days. But I feel the second unit has been playing pretty good. But we’re not winning so it really doesn’t matter.”