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Love's Future Very Much In Doubt

July 16th, 2021 at 6:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kevin Love‘s decision to withdraw from the Olympics raises more questions for the Cavaliers about his future, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes. Love is still bothered by the right calf strain that limited him to just 25 games this season, an alarming development for Cleveland, considering Love still has two years left on his contract. Rather than using his experience with Team USA as a springboard to a career revival, Love may be facing the prospect of seeing his career come to an abrupt end. The Cavs will soon have conversations with Love about his health issues, Fedor adds, though retirement has not been discussed or considered.

  • Although the Cavaliers have made Collin Sexton “very available” according to a recent report, they’ve put a hefty price tag on him, Fedor writes in a separate story. The Knicks have had discussions with the Cavs about Sexton but they’re just one of many teams monitoring the situation, according to Fedor. Cleveland may ultimately be better off holding onto Sexton next season and not signing him to an extension, then allow him to become a restricted free agent next summer. In that scenario, another team can set the price tag for Sexton and Cleveland can choose whether or not to match it.
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Knicks Notes: Sexton, Knox, Barrett, Lillard, Oubre

July 16th, 2021 at 3:36pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kevin Knox could be an important trade asset if the Knicks try to get Collin Sexton from the Cavaliers, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Knox hasn’t done much over the past two seasons, but Cleveland general manager Koby Altman was very interested in the forward heading into the 2018 draft, Berman notes. The Cavs opted for Sexton with the eighth pick, and New York took Knox at No. 9.

The Knicks have a couple of connections that could help in negotiations with Cleveland, Berman adds. Chief strategist Brock Aller was a front office executive with the Cavaliers when they drafted Sexton and he remains close with Altman and owner Dan Gilbert. Sexton has the same agent as Knicks rookie forward Obi Toppin, another candidate to be sent to Cleveland in a possible deal. They are both represented by Austin Brown of Creative Artists Agency, the firm that Leon Rose ran before becoming president of the Knicks.

There’s more from New York:

  • Ian Begley of SNY.tv confirms the Knicks’ interest in Sexton, but cites sources who say the Cavs want a useful veteran in return. New York doesn’t have any veterans with a multi-year contract, so a third team might be necessary to get a deal done. Sexton will be eligible for an extension worth up to $168MM over five years, which would cut into the Knicks’ cap room.
  • Begley adds in the same story that teams in contact with the Knicks have gotten the impression that the club has little interest in trading RJ Barrett. A previous report stated that Barrett isn’t untouchable, but would likely only be available in a deal for a superstar.
  • One superstar who could end up being available this offseason is Damian Lillard. While it’s not clear if the Knicks would offer Barrett in a package for the Trail Blazers point guard, Berman says the team figures to be amenable to including at least three first-round picks in an offer. If Lillard does look to leave Portland, he’d likely be intrigued by the Knicks in part because assistant coach Johnny Bryant is one of his mentors from Oakland, Berman adds.
  • If the Knicks are able to trade for a point guard, that frees up their considerable cap room to be used elsewhere, Berman adds in a separate story. One option is Warriors forward Kelly Oubre, who is expected to lose his starting job when Klay Thompson returns. The Spurs and Heat are reportedly also interested in Oubre.
  • Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic identifies six free agents he believes the Knicks should consider, including point guards Goran Dragic and Spencer Dinwiddie and sharpshooters Duncan Robinson and Malik Monk.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

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Draft Notes: Top Picks, Barnes, Mitchell, Green Room

July 16th, 2021 at 11:04am CST by Arthur Hill

With the draft less than two weeks away, more clarity is emerging about the top of the lottery, writes Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. The Pistons are reportedly listening to offers involving the No. 1 selection, but league sources tell O’Connor the most likely scenario is that they will keep the pick and take Cade Cunningham. Even if a trade does happen, teams around the league expect Cunningham to be taken first.

The Rockets are leaning toward Jalen Green with the second pick, sources tell O’Connor. Green’s elite athleticism and ability to create his own shot could eventually make him the best player in the draft, O’Connor adds, and rival teams are preparing for him to go to Houston.

Evan Mobley, who ranks higher than Green on many teams’ draft boards, appears to be a good fit for the Cavaliers at No. 3. They may consider a guard if Collin Sexton is traded by draft night, but Mobley makes sense with the current roster. Jalen Suggs appears headed to the Raptors with the fourth pick and would be a young replacement for Kyle Lowry if he leaves in free agency.

O’Connor cites league sources who believe the Magic like Scottie Barnes with the fifth pick, while the Thunder at No. 6 will decide between James Bouknight and Barnes if he’s still on the board. Jonathan Kuminga, who was considered a top five selection early on, isn’t getting much interest from either Orlando or Oklahoma City, O’Connor adds.

There’s more on the draft:

  • Many scouts and executives believe Barnes will be a top five pick, per Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. Sources tell Wassmerman that the Magic are a good bet to take Barnes, but the Thunder will nab him if Orlando passes. Rival teams also believe the Raptors will consider him with the fourth pick if they’re determined to keep Lowry.
  • Baylor point guard Davion Mitchell held an individual workout for the Warriors on Thursday, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Moses Moody, Jalen Johnson and Kai Jones also worked out for the team, but they were in a group session that was held after Mitchell’s workout and interview. Slater examines the arguments for and against drafting Mitchell, who is a strong defender and improved greatly as a three-point shooter last season.
  • Kuminga is among the prospects who have received a Green Room invitation for draft night, Wasserman tweets. Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that Jones (Twitter link) and Australian guard Josh Giddey (Twitter link) have also been invited to join the Green Room, which is reserved for prospects who are expected to be chosen early.
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Kevin Love Won’t Play In Olympics

July 16th, 2021 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Cavaliers forward Kevin Love has decided to withdraw from Team USA and won’t travel to Japan for the Olympics, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

“I am incredibly disappointed to not be heading to Tokyo with Team USA, but you need to be at absolute peak performance to compete at the Olympic level and I am just not there yet,” Love said in a statement released by his agent, Jeff Schwartz (Twitter link).

Love’s concerns about his physical condition stem from a right calf injury that caused him to miss much of this past season. The 32-year-old played in just 25 of the Cavs’ 72 games.

He sat out Monday’s loss to Australia, but Team USA coach Gregg Popovich said afterward that it wasn’t because of injury, notes Joe Vardon of The Athletic (Twitter link). He notes that Love and the Cavaliers were hoping the Olympics experience would help him return to form next season.

Love didn’t see much playing time in the other two exhibition games and “struggled mightily” during training camp, Vardon adds (Twitter link).

Love’s announcement adds to the last-minute chaos for the U.S. team, which lost Bradley Beal on Thursday and saw Jerami Grant placed into health and safety protocols. Team USA officials were already working to fill one roster opening and now will have to address another one.

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Draft Workouts: Wizards, Springer, Kuminga, Pacers, Hornets, Bezhanishvili

July 14th, 2021 at 3:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Wizards own the No. 15 pick and they’ve been very busy working out players. Guards Chris Duarte of Oregon, Ayo Dosunmu of Illinois and Josh Christopher of Arizona State visited last week, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. They brought in some less heralded prospects on Tuesday, a list that includes Mitchell Ballock (Creighton), D.J. Carton (Marquette), Matt Coleman III (Texas), Ryan Daly (St. Joseph) and Mark Vital (Baylor), according to a team press release.

Potential first-round Jaden Springer (Tennessee) heads the list of prospects who will work out for the club on Thursday, Hughes tweets. They’ll also take a look at Zane Martin (Towson), Asbjorn Midtgaard (Grand Canyon), Eugene Omoruyi (Oregon), Micah Potter (Wisconsin) and Guilherme Santos (Minas-Brazil).

We have more draft workout info:

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Knicks Notes: Sexton, Vildoza, Noel

July 14th, 2021 at 2:33pm CST by Dana Gauruder

There has been talk that the Knicks are aggressively pursuing a trade with the Cavaliers for high-scoring young guard Collin Sexton. With that in mind, The Athletic’s Kelsey Russo and Mike Vornukov examine what New York might give up for Sexton. The Knicks don’t have available veteran players that the Cavaliers would be interested in, so it’s more likely to be a combination of last year’s lottery selection, Obi Toppin, and a first-round pick.

We have more on the Knicks:

  • Luca Vildoza scored nine points in Argentina’s loss to Team USA on Tuesday while guarding some high-level players such as Bradley Beal, Zach LaVine and Damian Lillard. He’s looking forward to doing that on a regular basis, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. “Today was a test for me against the best players in the world,” he said. “I felt really good against them, but we lost by 30, and I got to get better. I got work to do.’’ Vildoza signed a four-year pact with the Knicks in May.
  • The team is interested in re-signing free agent Nerlens Noel but they’ll have plenty of competition, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The Kings and Raptors are expected to make a run at the big man. The Mavericks, Nets and Hornets are also potential suitors for Noel, Ian Begley of SNY.tv tweets. Sacramento’s pursuit of Noel hinges on what happens with one of its own free agents, Richaun Holmes, Scotto adds.
  • What are the Knicks’ offseason plans and just how much cap room will it have? Check out our Offseason Preview.
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Eastern Notes: Sexton, Knicks, Heat, Hawks, Raptors

July 13th, 2021 at 3:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Following up on Shams Charania’s report that the Knicks have been the most aggressive trade suitor for Collin Sexton so far, Marc Berman of The New York Post confirms that the team has the Cavaliers guard on its trade radar.

According to Berman, the Knicks would’ve picked Sexton over Kevin Knox in the 2018 draft if he had slipped to No. 9 instead of being selected at No. 8. Berman adds that Knicks forward Obi Toppin, who played his college ball at Dayton, may be a player the Cavs would target in a trade.

A source tells Berman that the Knicks – who hold the 19th and 21st overall picks – are open to trading out of the first round entirely in order to acquire an “established player.” Sexton has certainly established himself as a talented scorer, having averaged 24.5 points per game in 2020/21, though it’s unclear if New York would be willing to offer both of its first-round picks in a package for him.

Here’s more from around the East:

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Sixers Have Engaged In Ben Simmons Trade Talks

July 13th, 2021 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

1:07pm: In addition to Indiana and Minnesota, the Cavaliers and Kings are “known suitors” for Simmons, according to Marc Stein, who says the Raptors are also believed to have expressed interest.

9:42am: The Sixers have opened up discussions about a possible Ben Simmons trade and have engaged with teams, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Following a disappointing postseason, there was a sense that Simmons’ value around the NBA may have dipped. However, sources tell Charania that the 76ers’ asking price in their trade talks has been high.

“(They) want an All-Star-caliber player in return,” one source told The Athletic.

Simmons’ reluctance to shoot and his struggles at the free throw line in the second round of the playoffs played a part in the Sixers getting eliminated earlier than expected by Atlanta.

However, the former No. 1 overall pick has a strong NBA résumé, including three All-Star berths and a runner-up finish in this year’s Defensive Player of the Year voting. He’ll be entering his age-25 season and is under contract for four more years — as Charania notes, that kind of team control is rare for a star player on the trade market. Leaguewide interest in Simmons continues to be “robust,” per The Athletic.

According to reports in recent weeks, the Timberwolves are among the teams expected to pursue Simmons, and the Pacers are believed to have made a trade offer.

The Sixers have suggested both publicly and privately that they’re comfortable working with Simmons on his shot this offseason and bringing him back in the fall. While that may be posturing, the team’s high asking price in talks so far indicates that president of basketball operations Daryl Morey won’t be looking to sell off the three-time All-Star at a discount rate.

For what it’s worth, Charania says Simmons appears to be exhibiting a “renewed determination” to improve and expand his game this summer. Whether he’ll play his next game as a member of the Sixers or another franchise remains to be seen.

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Knicks Showing Interest In Collin Sexton

July 13th, 2021 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks have been the most aggressive trade suitor for Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton so far, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Sexton, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason, has been the subject of multiple trade rumors within the last month, with the latest one over the weekend suggesting he’s “very available.”

The Knicks have a surplus of future first-round picks – including the Nos. 19 and 21 selections in this year’s draft – at their disposal and remain in the market for a long-term answer at point guard, though it’s unclear if Sexton is capable of being that answer.

The 6’1″ guard is undoubtedly a talented scorer, having averaged a career-best 24.3 points per game on .475/.371/.815 shooting in 60 games (35.3 MPG) in 2020/21. However, he’s not exactly a traditional point guard — facilitating for teammates isn’t one of his strengths, and Darius Garland has assumed primary point guard duties in Cleveland over the last couple years.

Sexton also isn’t an above-average defender, so he’d probably need to be paired with a backcourt partner capable of handling the tougher assignments.

Still, NBA players capable of efficiently averaging 24+ points per night are rare, so if the price is right (in terms of both the trade return and his next contract), Sexton could be a worthwhile investment for the Knicks or another team.

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Collin Sexton Considered “Very Available” In Trade Talks

July 11th, 2021 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton is “very available” on the trade market, sources tell Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. It’s not the first rumor that Sexton might be on the move before the start of next season, but it provides some insight into the team’s strategy as it prepares for the draft and free agency.

Sexton, 22, is coming off a brilliant third NBA season that saw him average 24.3 points per game. He will be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the offseason, which is why Cleveland is exploring trade offers. It may take a $100MM deal to keep restricted free agent center Jarrett Allen, and the Cavs don’t want their roster to become too expensive before they’re ready to contend.

Lloyd calls Sexton “a fine NBA player,” but doesn’t see him being worth max money. He notes that backcourt partner Darius Garland was chosen ahead of Sexton for a spot on the U.S. Select Team, which indicates how both players are viewed around the league.

Lloyd asked a rival executive if a package that includes Sexton and veteran forward Kevin Love could be enough to get Ben Simmons from the Sixers, but the executive believes Philadelphia will get better offers.

Sexton’s contract situation is dragging down his trade value, Lloyd adds. Another source told him the team should have tried to move Sexton last offseason to avoid the current lack of leverage and it’s unlikely that Cleveland will get a pick in the top half of this year’s draft in return.

Lloyd adds that Sexton will only be with the Cavs in training camp if they can’t find an acceptable offer.

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