- Center Thon Maker is on the Cavaliers’ roster after signing a training-camp deal and he knows he’s fighting for a roster spot, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. “Nothing is ever given, period. Even being the top-10 pick it wasn’t given as well,” he said. “I’m not coming in thinking I’m a top-10 (pick) now. I’m coming in aggressive like I was when I was a first year. I’m approaching it as if I just came out of college.” Maker became an unrestricted free agent when the Pistons didn’t extend him a qualifying offer.
Cavaliers forward Kevin Porter Jr. continues to work through his legal issues and there’s not a definite date for him to join the team for training camp, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
Porter was arrested last month after a single-car accident in which police allegedly found a .45-caliber handgun and suspected marijuana in his vehicle. A judge dismissed the marijuana charge Wednesday, and a grand jury will determine what to do with the gun charge.
The Cavaliers are working with Porter, his agents and the league to try to resolve the matter and are hoping he will eventually be able to return with a clean record. However, there’s no way to know when that might happen. The organization is committed to helping Porter get through this incident, Fedor adds.
“We’re in the human being business. And no matter what our ups and downs are, our responsibility is to look out for one another and take care of one another and try to help one another as best we possibly can. And we’ll continue to do that,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “So we won’t give up on anybody. We’ll continue to give people the best opportunity to make themselves into the best version of themselves that we possibly can until you leave that door, and then even then we’ll maintain relationships with you and try to help you if we ever possibly can. But we’re all in on all of our guys. And that won’t change.”
Porter, 20, was the last pick of the first round in the 2019 draft. He showed flashes of promise during his rookie season, averaging 10.0 points and 3.2 rebounds in 50 games.
The Cavs also started camp without JaVale McGee, Matt Mooney and Levi Randolph, Fedor adds. McGee, who was acquired in a trade with the Lakers, is expected to join the team soon and Bickerstaff believes he will be able to contribute right away.
“JaVale is a guy who has helped teams win titles and protects the paint and I think he benefits our young guys in a major way,” Bickerstaff said. “His ability to protect them on the defensive end of the floor and then his ability to roll to the rim, I think he fits. Obviously Dre (Andre Drummond) can do those things as well so we think it’s a really, really good pairing.
Randolph played in the AmeriCup Qualifying tournament and didn’t sign with Cleveland until Tuesday. New NBA guidelines require anyone with a new contract on December 1 or later to undergo separate COVID-19 testing protocols before being cleared for workouts. Fedor states that his restrictions could be lifted in a few days. Mooney, who inked a two-way contract, may join the team today.
- The Cavaliers’ small forward starting job is up for grabs, as Chris Fedor of The Cleveland Plain Dealer details. Rookie Isaac Okoro, Cedi Osman and Dylan Windler are the candidates, with Osman trying to holding onto the spot he’s occupied over the past two seasons. “Minutes have to be earned,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “You’ve got to earn everything here.”
- Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com weighed in on the first day of Cavaliers training camp, where head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has emphasized a culture of accountability. “We’re not too far off. We have the caliber guys here to really make some noise,” recently-added center Andre Drummond said. “If we don’t make it to the playoffs, we’ll be damn close.”
Asked during an interview on the Greek channel COSMOTE TV about the perception that he wants to win a title without teaming up with any other superstars, Giannis Antetokounmpo clarified that he’d be happy to be part of a roster stacked with star players — if those star players want to come to the Bucks.
“If LeBron (James) and Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis came to Milwaukee, I would have been good with that,” Antetokounmpo said, per Aris Barkas of Eurohoops.net. “I am not (concerned about whether) I am the top, second or third name, OK? Because I want to win.
“… For sure when I was 18 or 19 years old, maybe I didn’t understand what you need to do to win. But right now, I am 25 and I want to win because when I retire, that’s what people will remember. And if I got LeBron, KD, Davis, if all those came, I wouldn’t mind at all. I don’t care if I am the top (player) on the team.”
While Giannis’ comments may fuel speculation about the possibility of him joining the Lakers or another club, it’s worth reiterating that he spoke only about star players coming to Milwaukee to join him. Bucks fans should take some solace in that as Antetokounmpo continues to weigh whether or not to sign a five-year, super-max extension with the franchise.
Here’s more from around the Central:
- In an episode of The Athletic NBA Show, Sam Amick of The Athletic suggested that the Bucks‘ trade for Jrue Holiday had an impact on the team’s pursuit of Bogdan Bogdanovic, since it reduced the swingman’s projected role and may have affected how much the team could comfortably offer Bogdanovic in free agency. Dan Feldman of NBC Sports has the details.
- Speaking on Wednesday to reporters, including Brendan Rourke of Pacers.com, newly re-signed Pacers guard Justin Holiday explained why he “hates” free agency. “I feel like I’m one of the guys, for whatever reason, I’m not ever really respected as far as how much you get paid,” Holiday said. However, he added that he likes the Pacers organization and the city of Indianapolis and he’s happy to have signed a multiyear deal to remain in Indiana for the foreseeable future.
- Pacers big man Domantas Sabonis believes that the left foot injury that sidelined him during the NBA’s restart is behind him, as J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star details.
- In his first media session of the season this week, Cavaliers center Andre Drummond said his plan “was always to come back to Cleveland,” writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. There was never any real doubt that Drummond would turn down his $28.75MM option for 2020/21, but he said he’s also looking forward to providing guidance to a young roster. “Being here in Cleveland, the opportunities are endless here and I can do great things,” Drummond said.
The Rockets still expect to begin the season with former MVPs James Harden and Russell Westbrook on their roster, despite a handful of November trade rumors, Shams Charania of The Athletic said during an appearance on Complex’s Load Management podcast.
Although there’s no momentum toward a trade involving either player, Charania dropped a couple interesting tidbits during his podcast discussion about the Rockets stars, mentioning that the Warriors “made a call” about Harden and that the Cavaliers talked to Houston about Westbrook. Based on Charania’s comments, it doesn’t sound like any traction was gained in either case.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- The Grizzlies are currently carrying 17 players on guaranteed contracts, meaning a couple of those players will have to be traded or released before the start of the regular season. Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian suggests that Mario Hezonja and Marko Guduric appear to be the most likely odd men out.
- Confirming a previous report, Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle reiterated today that Kristaps Porzingis (knee) won’t play until at least January, per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). Carlisle did say that Porzingis’ rehab is going well and that the big man is doing “light court work.”
- Mavericks rookie guard Tyrell Terry will receive $4.6MM in guaranteed money on his four-year contract, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. While we don’t know the exact terms of Terry’s deal, it sounds like his first three seasons will be guaranteed.
- The three-year, minimum-salary contract that second-rounder Tre Jones signed with the Spurs is fully guaranteed for the first two years, as Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports details (via Twitter).
- The Cavaliers have hired Greg Buckner as an assistant coach, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. Buckner has a history with head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, as they worked together on the Rockets and Grizzlies coaching staffs.
DECEMBER 1: Bolden’s deal is now official, per RealGM’s transactions log. So is Randolph’s, according to Fedor (Twitter link).
NOVEMBER 28: The Cavaliers will give Exhibit 10 contracts to two players from their G League affiliate, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Cleveland has already reached an agreement with center Marques Bolden, while guard Levi Randolph is expected to sign his deal Tuesday. Both played for the Canton Charge last season.
Bolden, 22, was also in training camp with the Cavs last year and signed a 10-day contract with the team in January, getting into one game. He averaged 9.7 points and 6.9 rebounds in 38 games with Canton.
Randolph, 28, has been trying to break into the NBA since graduating from Alabama in 2015. He has been part of Cleveland’s training camp the past two seasons and signed a two-way contract in January, but was waived six days later. Randolph, who led the Charge in scoring last year at 16.9 PPG, is playing for Team USA this weekend at the FIBA AmeriCup Qualifying games.
We told you earlier this week that former Michigan wing Charles Matthews will also get an Exhibit 10 deal with Cleveland. The Cavs plan to have the NBA limit of 20 players in camp, according to Fedor.
NOVEMBER 29: The signing is official, according to the Real GM Transactions Page.
NOVEMBER 28: Center Thon Maker is signing with the Cavaliers, Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype tweets.
It’s a training camp deal, according to Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter link). Maker became an unrestricted free agent when the Pistons failed to extend him a qualifying offer. He’ll look to make a strong enough impression to gain a spot on Cleveland’s 15-man roster.
The 23-year-old appeared in 60 game last season for Detroit, averaging 4.7 PPG and 2.8 RPG in 12.9 MPG. Maker began his career with the Bucks in 2016 after being selected with the 10th pick of the draft, but he never lived up to his lottery pick status. Detroit acquired him midway through the 2018/19 season.
NOV. 28: The Cavaliers have waived Tucker, per Kelsey Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link). As a result, they’ll only carry his $340K partial guarantee on their cap.
NOV. 27: The Jazz are trading wing Rayjon Tucker to the Cavaliers along with a future second-round pick, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link), who reports that Utah is receiving cash in return.
Bobby Marks of ESPN adds (via Twitter) that the Cavaliers will get the Jazz’s 2027 second-rounder in the swap. The Cavs have issued a press release confirming the deal, making it official.
Tucker, 23, appeared in 20 games as a rookie for Utah last season, averaging 3.1 PPG and 1.0 RPG in a very limited role (8.1 MPG). His $1.52MM salary for the 2020/21 campaign will become guaranteed if the Cavs keep him under contract through November 29, but for now it’s just partially guaranteed for $340K, per Marks.
The Jazz will open up a spot on their projected regular season roster and clear a little money from their salary cap. Meanwhile, if the Cavs don’t intend to hang onto Tucker, they’re essentially just buying a future second-round pick for $340K (his partial guarantee), plus whatever amount of money they sent to Utah in the deal.