Cleveland Cavaliers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: Prince, Cavaliers, Pacers, Bulls

January 29th, 2021 at 2:28pm CST by JD Shaw

Cavaliers forward Taurean Prince is proving to be more than a simple throw-in player in the multi-team trade featuring Jarrett Allen, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes.

Prince, 26, was acquired by Cleveland alongside Allen earlier this month. The five-year veteran has been effective in his five games with the team, averaging 9.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 41% from downtown.

“He fits the mold of what we’re looking for,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “We’re looking for guys who can play multiple positions, guys who have the ability to knock down shots, who have athleticism, who can run the floor. And then on the defensive end, guys who take 1-on-1 challenges and compete.

“It’s how he’s willing to work, the toughness that he plays with, the scrap that he has. We’ve seen that from him in the past. But I’ve been even more pleased having him every single day with how he makes his teammates better, how unselfish he is. We’re definitely glad to have him.”

There’s more from the Central Division today:

The Cavaliers have once again met with state officials in hopes of boosting their attendance, Fedor writes in a different story. The team presented a comprehensive plan, according to Fedor, who notes that roughly 2,000 fans are currently allowed to attend games at the franchise’s arena, Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.
The Pacers have assigned guard Jalen Lecque to their G League affiliate in Fort Wayne, the team announced in a press release. Indiana also transferred two-way players Brian Bowen II and Cassius Stanley. The G League bubble is set to tip-off on February 10.
Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic examines what the injury to Wendell Carter Jr. means for the Bulls. Carter, who recently suffered a right quad contusion, is expected to miss at least four weeks of action. Chicago currently owns the 10th best record in the Eastern Conference at 7-10.

Atlantic Notes: Drummond, Edwards, Walker, Morey

January 27th, 2021 at 9:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Nets may be hoping for an Andre Drummond buyout in Cleveland to help solve their center woes, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn has been short-handed in the middle since parting with Jarrett Allen in the James Harden trade. Veteran DeAndre Jordan remains the starter, but depth at the position has become an issue as the Nets have fallen from 11th to 25th in defensive rating since the deal.

Allen and Drummond are part of a crowded frontcourt in Cleveland, along with JaVale McGee and Kevin Love, who have also been mentioned as potential targets for Brooklyn. The Nets parted with a significant amount of their draft capital in the Harden trade, so the buyout market would be ideal. Kevin O’Connor of the Ringer (video link) and Zach Harper of The Athletic both mentioned a possible Drummond buyout this week, with Harper suggesting it’s “just a matter of time.”

Lewis reports that Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks is expected to hold on to at least one of his two available exceptions so he can be aggressive when buyouts begins. Players can be waived as late as April 9 and still be eligible for the postseason with another team.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Celtics guard Carsen Edwards confirmed that the four games his missed earlier this month were because he tested positive for COVID-19, writes Tom Westerholm of Boston.com. “I don’t know what I’m allowed to talk about,” Edwards said. “But I mean, I did test positive, and I had symptoms for a couple of days. But then after that, I was kind of just — I lost my taste and my smell, and then after that, I was quarantined. The first two nights were rough, but after that I was just kind of in quarantine just trying to stay out the way and be healthy and get healthy. But I’m fine now. I feel better.”
The Celtics likely won’t use Kemba Walker in back-to-back games for the rest of the season, relays Conor Roche of Boston.com. Appearing on a radio show this morning, coach Brad Stevens discussed his plans for Walker, who has been on a minutes limit since returning. “We’ll keep his minutes down. I’m not going to play him in the mid-30s (minutes wise) at any point here in the near future,” Stevens said. “It’s all part of a plan that’s not only for the best interest of this team, but also in the best interest of his career here moving forward. As the season goes on and we get into late April, early May, before the playoffs, we’ll ramp him up a little bit.”
Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey is in quarantine for COVID-19 contact tracing unrelated to the team, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Nance Jr. Suffers Wrist Sprain, Bickerstaff Believes Team Deserves More Respect

January 26th, 2021 at 4:03pm CST by JD Shaw

Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff believes his team doesn’t receive enough respect, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes. The Cavs fought hard against the defending champion Lakers on Monday, ultimately losing the game 115-108. Bickerstaff didn’t seem too pleased with the officiating, however, giving a blunt assessment after the contest. “I think it was some momentum-changing calls that were made or weren’t made,” he said. “I think our guys showed up and gave the effort to deserve the respect that both teams should garner. Tonight, I don’t think that was the case. The Lakers are a hell of a basketball team, don’t get me wrong. They deserve everything they have coming. But our guys scrap and play hard and deserve the same. Were there plays that we made down the stretch where we could have made better decisions? Sure. But it’s hard to overcome the champs plus.”

Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr. missed Monday’s contest against the Lakers due to a right wrist sprain, per a team release. The injury occurred on Sunday against the Celtics. Nance is enjoying a respectable season to date, averaging 10.5 points and 2.3 steals per contest.
Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff believes his team doesn’t receive enough respect, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes. The Cavs fought hard against the defending champion Lakers on Monday, ultimately losing the game 115-108. Bickerstaff didn’t seem too pleased with the officiating, however, giving a blunt assessment after the contest. “I think it was some momentum-changing calls that were made or weren’t made,” he said. “I think our guys showed up and gave the effort to deserve the respect that both teams should garner. Tonight, I don’t think that was the case. The Lakers are a hell of a basketball team, don’t get me wrong. They deserve everything they have coming. But our guys scrap and play hard and deserve the same. Were there plays that we made down the stretch where we could have made better decisions? Sure. But it’s hard to overcome the champs plus.”

Nets Reportedly Have Interest In JaVale McGee

January 25th, 2021 at 12:12pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets, who are in the market for a veteran center after having traded Jarrett Allen to Cleveland, are said to be eyeing Cavaliers center JaVale McGee, according to a series of reports.

Sam Amico of FortyEightMinutes.com first tweeted that sources expected Brooklyn to pursue a trade for McGee, while Jason Dumas of KRON4 News said today (via Twitter) that the Nets are talking to Cleveland about a possible deal. Brian Lewis of The New York Post also indicated (via Twitter) that he has heard some chatter about the Nets and McGee.

The trade that sent Allen from the Nets to the Cavs left Brooklyn somewhat shorthanded at the five, while Cleveland now has an abundance of options in the middle. Besides DeAndre Jordan, the Nets’ potential fives – Nicolas Claxton, Reggie Perry, and soon-to-be-signed Norvel Pelle – are short on NBA experience. The Cavs, on the other hand, have nine-year veteran Andre Drummond starting at center, with Allen and McGee operating as backups.

As Dumas tweets, the Cavs don’t intend to flip Allen, but they could make Drummond, McGee, and/or power forward Kevin Love available before this season’s trade deadline. Dumas suggests Brooklyn has some interest in Love as well, but it’s hard to imagine how such a deal would work, given his $31MM+ salary and the makeup of the Nets’ roster.

McGee is a more realistic target for Brooklyn — his $4.2MM expiring contract could be absorbed using the Nets’ newly-granted disabled player exception if the team doesn’t want to send out any players to match his salary. The Nets still have multiple open roster spots, so making room on the 15-man squad wouldn’t be an issue either.

The Cavaliers, meanwhile, are expected to seek draft capital for any of the big men they move, per Dumas. Unless they’re willing to take on some unwanted salary, the Cavs probably shouldn’t expect more than a second-round pick for McGee or Drummond.

Cavaliers Notes: Sexton, Garland, Thompson, Porter

January 24th, 2021 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The controversial Kyrie Irving trade in 2017 gave the Cavaliers a path toward rebuilding quickly after LeBron James left, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. The centerpiece of that deal was an unprotected first-round pick from Brooklyn that was used to draft Collin Sexton. Now in his third season, Sexton has developed into a prolific scorer, averaging 26.8 points per game and shooting 46.8% from 3-point range.

“He comes in every night with the mindset that you can’t stop him,” said backcourt partner Darius Garland. “And that’s what he shows the league, that’s what he shows the world and everybody that’s watching this basketball game. He’s getting wherever he wants. Getting teammates involved. I mean, a lot of people don’t do that.”

Cleveland used the other assets it acquired from the Celtics in that deal to gain valuable pieces, Fedor notes. Isaiah Thomas was sent to the Lakers in a deal for Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson. The Cavs flipped Jae Crowder in a trade for George Hill and Rodney Hood, and Hill was sent to the Bucks in a deal that brought back John Henson and a future first-rounder. Henson was used to acquire Andre Drummond from the Pistons, while the pick was part of the price for Jarrett Allen.

There’s more from Cleveland:

While he’s with the Celtics now, Tristan Thompson continues to send messages of encouragement to Garland, Fedor adds in a separate story. Thompson adopted a mentorship role to Garland last year and helped him get through a difficult rookie season. “TT is like a big brother to me. He texts me before like almost every game.” Garland said. “He took me under his wing. TT has made his name in this league. He’s won a championship in this league. He knows what to do and how to get there. … Just hearing from him and having another guy I can talk to instead of my dad or some of my own teammates and coaches, it’s really cool having him there for me.”
Although his time in Cleveland was troubled, Kevin Porter Jr. posted a social media message thanking the Cavaliers after being traded to Houston Friday night, Fedor relays in another piece. “Cleveland, thank you for giving me a chance to change not only my life but my family’s as well, and believing in me,” Porter wrote. “To the beloved city, the fans, my brothers I gained, the coaching staff and the entire organization, I appreciate you and won’t ever take the relationships we have for granted.”
Early-season injuries to their best shooters forced the Cavs to rely on defense, writes Kelsey Russo of The Athletic. That approach of “playing ugly” has become their calling card and has been reinforced by the trade that brought Allen and Taurean Prince from Brooklyn.

Cavs Trade Kevin Porter Jr. To Rockets

January 22nd, 2021 at 2:07pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

JANUARY 22: The trade is now official, according to press releases from the Rockets and Cavaliers. Houston confirmed in its announcement that Clemons has been released to make room for Porter.

“After careful and thoughtful evaluation, we made the very difficult and collective decision to make this trade,” Cavs GM Koby Altman said in a statement. “Given the culture and environment we have worked to cultivate here in Cleveland, we feel this move is in everyone’s best interest. Kevin has a bright career ahead of him as a professional basketball player and, at his core, is a good person.”

JANUARY 21: The Cavaliers are sending second-year swingman Kevin Porter Jr. to the Rockets, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports (via Twitter).

In exchange, the Cavs will receive a future protected second-round draft pick from Houston, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski adds (via Twitter). Tim MacMahon of ESPN tweets that the pick is top-55 protected and will most likely never actually be conveyed to Cleveland.

As Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com notes, the primary benefit of the deal for the Cavs is to open up a roster spot and to move off Porter’s guaranteed rookie-scale salary for this season ($1.72MM) and 2021/22 ($1.78MM). Since Houston can absorb Porter’s salary into a traded player exception, Cleveland won’t have to take a player back in the deal.

After throwing a locker room tantrum on January 15 when he discovered his locker had been relocated, Porter was instructed by the Cavaliers to clean out his locker and expect to be waived or traded.

Porter, who initially dropped in the 2019 draft due to off-court concerns, has had a tough second season. In November, he was arrested on charges of mishandling a firearm (a felony), plus driving without a license and marijuana possession (both misdemeanors). Last month, a grand jury cleared Porter of all charges.

Porter has not suited up for the Cavaliers at all this season. During a solid rookie outing, however, the No. 30 2019 draft pick out of USC impressed with averages of 10.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.2 APG and 0.9 SPG across 50 contests.

The Rockets, now in asset-accrual mode after sending perennial MVP candidate James Harden to the Nets in a four-team trade last week, are taking a flyer on a talented player in this deal. The hope, according to Fedor and MacMahon (Twitter link), is that veteran player development coach John Lucas can help Porter get his career back in track in Houston.

In order to open up a roster for Porter, the Rockets will waive injured guard Chris Clemons, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).

Clemons’ minimum salary for 2020/21 was initially non-guaranteed, but Houston will be obligated to pay it in full after he suffered a season-ending Achilles tear. The Rockets are in better position to eat that money following the Harden deal — team salary is now comfortably below the luxury tax line rather than above it, and the club is no longer right up against its hard cap.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Luke Adams contributed to this story.

Central Notes: Porter, Sexton, Turner, Pistons

January 22nd, 2021 at 8:30am CST by Luke Adams

Having made up their minds last weekend to trade or release Kevin Porter Jr., the Cavaliers found a taker on Thursday night, agreeing to a deal that will send the second-year wing to Houston. Cleveland won’t get anything of value in return, but was at least able to move off Porter’s salaries for this season and next, opening up a roster spot in the process.

Given how high the Cavaliers were on Porter’s on-court potential following his promising rookie season, the move represents a major step back in the team’s rebuild, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. As Fedor writes, the 20-year-old was viewed by many within the organization as the player with the highest upside of any on the roster, and it was only a few months ago that he was considered virtually untouchable in trade talks.

Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, general manager Koby Altman made every effort to make things work with Porter, who has made a series of poor off-court decisions, but ultimately felt like they couldn’t get through to him and decided it was time to move on.

“The organization did everything and more for him,” a league source told Fedor. “They went above and beyond. They gave him more chances than most franchises would have.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

While Porter won’t be part of the Cavaliers‘ rebuild going forward, Collin Sexton – who poured in a career-high 42 points in an impressive win over Brooklyn on Wednesday – continues to establish himself as a cornerstone player for the franchise, Fedor writes in a separate story for Cleveland.com.
After suffering an avulsion fracture in his right hand last Thursday, Myles Turner has missed the Pacers‘ last two games, but he could be back in the lineup as early as Friday. As J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star writes, Turner’s return will come down to how much pain and discomfort he can play through. “There’s really not much you can do for it to heal,” Turner said on Thursday. “No surgery. No time off. It’s just one of those things you’ve got to get used to.”
In his latest mailbag, Rod Beard of The Detroit News explores whether the Pistons should be playing their rookies more, Jerami Grant‘s role in the team’s rebuild, and the possibility of trading Derrick Rose by this season’s deadline.

Jarrett Allen On Cavs: "I Love What The Front Office Is Doing"

January 20th, 2021 at 9:34am CST by Luke Adams

While Jarrett Allen admitted he was “disappointed” by not getting the chance to continue his career in Brooklyn, he’s excited to be part of the Cavaliers, as Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com relays. “It’s good that they want to invest in me, invest in my improvement and have me be a part of their organization,” Allen said. “I love what the front office is doing. I love how the coaches are teaching us. I can’t wait to play with them.”

Kyrie Irving Practices With Nets, Expected To Play Wednesday

January 19th, 2021 at 1:14pm CST by Luke Adams

Nets guard Kyrie Irving, who hasn’t appeared in a game since January 5, returned to practice on Tuesday and is expected to be back in action on Wednesday when Brooklyn takes on the Cavaliers, head coach Steve Nash told reporters today (Twitter link via Ian Begley of SNY.tv).

Irving was required to quarantine for several days after violating the NBA’s health and safety protocols, and more recently has been going through workouts in an effort to get his conditioning level back to 100%. Before that, he had been away from the team on personal leave.

Asked today about his absence, the star point guard declined to go into much detail, telling the media – including Malika Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link) – that he’s had “a lot of family and personal stuff” going on during the last two weeks.

“I’m happy to be back, I’m happy to be with these guys,” Irving said, per Adam Zagoria of Forbes (Twitter link). “I addressed the team and ready to move on.”

Irving also apologized to the fans he disappointed by not playing, explaining that he “just needed a pause,” according to Andrews (Twitter link). He added that he’s excited about joining the Nets’ new-look lineup alongside James Harden, and is looking forward to letting his “game speak for itself.”

Assuming Irving returns to the court on Wednesday, it’ll be the first time we see Brooklyn’s new Big Three (Irving, Harden, and Kevin Durant) in action, as well as the first time Kyrie has played a game in Cleveland since October 17, 2017, as Marc Stein of The New York Times notes (Twitter link). A longtime Cavalier, Irving played in his first game for the Celtics on that date over three years ago.

Nets Shopped Shamet Before Harden Swap

January 18th, 2021 at 9:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nets shopped guard Landry Shamet for a first-round pick prior to the James Harden blockbuster deal, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on his podcast (hat tip to RealGM).

The motivation for Brooklyn was to forward another first-rounder to the Rockets and hold onto young center Jarrett Allen. Brooklyn gave up three first-rounders to Houston in the deal and a fourth one might have allowed them to retain Allen.

The Cavaliers were motivated to acquire Allen, a restricted free agent after the season, and gave up an unprotected 2022 first-round pick that Milwaukee owed them as part of the complex four-team swap. Cleveland also took on Taurean Prince‘s multiyear salary.

“I talked to two different teams that the Nets offered Landry Shamet to in the last week, attempting to get a first-round pick,” Windhorst said. “They were trying to keep Jarrett Allen, as you can imagine. To get the fourth first-round pick, they were trying to find a team that would give them anything. And so they shopped Landry Shamet pretty hard from what I understand.”

Without Allen, the Nets are left with DeAndre Jordan as the only true center on the roster and it will be difficult for them to trade for another of consequence.

“I just don’t see a lot of assets on the roster. And of course they have no first-round picks they can trade,” Windhorst said.

Shamet was acquired from the Clippers in a three-team trade during the offseason. Brooklyn exercised its $3.77MM 2021/22 option on Shamet prior to this season. He’s making roughly $2.1MM this season.

Shamet will have difficulty getting minutes behind Harden and Kyrie Irving, who is expected to return as early as Wednesday from his personal absence. He played 11 minutes off the bench in the Nets’ two-point win over Milwaukee on Monday. Shamet is shooting just 34.3% from the field in a reserve role this season.