Cleveland Cavaliers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Larry Drew “Very Disappointed” In Negotiations With Cavs

October 30th, 2018 at 9:47pm CST by ChrisCrouse

9:47pm: The Cavaliers have not been aggressive in searching for another coach, sources tell Brian Windhorst and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com.

Drew, who is earning nearly $1MM this season, is one of the league’s highest-paid assistants. However, he’s looking for a raise on his salary in return for becoming the interim coach. The ESPN duo adds that it’s unclear how long Drew is willing to act as the coach without an agreement.

Windhorst and Wojnarowski also report that the Cavs again talking with teams about Kyle Korver trades, noting that the club could be more active in looking to deal other veterans in the coming weeks.

5:23pm: Larry Drew made it clear he was yet not the Cavaliers interim coach, telling the media earlier this week that he’s simply the “voice” of the team. He had hoped to reach an agreement with the Cavs to become the new floor leader. Prior to tonight’s game with Atlanta, there is still no deal in place and Drew is “very disappointed” in the lack of progress, Joe Varden of The Athletic tweets.

Drew added that he will “never quit” on the team and will “remain professional,” as Sam Amico of Amico Hoops relays via Twitter. Drew has been told the Cavaliers may bring another person in to be the head coach and he may be moved to his previous role.

“I’m fine with [the team bringing in another coach] … my contract is up in July. Maybe Larry Drew isn’t part of the future,” Drew said.

Drew has a career 143-169 record as a head coach. It was previously reported that there was a push within the organization to make Drew a long-term commitment.

Cleveland To Host 2022 NBA All-Star Game

October 30th, 2018 at 2:17pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers will host the 2022 NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland, league sources tell ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. Kevin Kleps of Crain’s Cleveland Business first reported that an upcoming All-Star Game will be played at Quicken Loans Arena, adding that an official NBA announcement could happen as soon as this Thursday.

Cleveland had been a candidate to host the league’s 2021 All-Star weekend, but renovations on Quicken Loans Arena ran into some roadblocks, resulting in a delay. With a deal for those renovations now completed and construction underway, the league appears comfortable committing to the Cavs for the 2022 event. As Kleps notes, the arena renovations are expected to be completed before the start of the 2019/20 season.

The NBA All-Star Game hasn’t taken place in Cleveland since 1997, back when the Cavs’ building was known as the Gund Arena.

The next three NBA All-Star Games are set to take place in Charlotte (2019), Chicago (2020), and Indianapolis (2021).

Cavaliers Notes: Drew, Lue, Love

October 29th, 2018 at 2:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Although the Cavaliers announced on Sunday that Larry Drew had taken over as the team’s interim head coach in the wake of Tyronn Lue‘s dismissal, Drew insists that title isn’t quite accurate. Speaking today to reporters, Drew attempted to clarify his role.

“I’m not the interim coach. I’m the voice right now,” Drew said, per Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net. “As I’m sure you know, there is no agreement right now. Me and my agent have in talks about restructuring my contract. No decision has been made and I’m not sure if one will.”

It’s an odd situation, one that Drew likens to being a “substitute teacher,” as Amico relays. Drew is interested in being the Cavaliers’ coach, but he also wants a restructured contract and a longer-term commitment.

That’s a reasonable stance — if the Cavs go into full-fledged tank mode this season, those wins and losses would go on Drew’s official record and could make it more difficult for him to find another head coaching job in the future. His last head coaching gig was in 2013/14, when he led the Bucks to a 15-67 mark. At the time, it was his fourth consecutive season as an NBA head coach, but he was fired just one year after being hired by Milwaukee and has been back in an assistant role ever since.

Here’s more from out of Cleveland:

There is a push within a faction of the Cavaliers’ organization to make a longer-term commitment to Drew, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link). It remains to be seen if the two sides will work something out.
Explaining his decision to move on from Lue, GM Koby Altman said today that “this is a different group and we feel it needs a different voice.” Altman added that the Cavs had hoped to “overachieve” this season, but that hasn’t happened (Twitter link via Amico).
Altman also said that a timeline for Kevin Love‘s return has yet to be determined (Twitter link via Amico). Altman still believes it could be a “short-term” absence, though a report from earlier today suggested that Love could miss a month.
Firing Lue won’t solve the Cavaliers’ problems, according to Bill Livingston of Cleveland.com. Sean Deveney of The Sporting News agrees, arguing that the team’s real issues lie with its players. Meanwhile, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today writes that the Cavs’ history of burning through coaches and front office executives has prevented the franchise from establishing stability.
Coaches from around the NBA weighed in on Lue’s firing, with Clippers coach Doc Rivers saying it “makes no sense” and Warriors coach Steve Kerr suggesting that if Lue “wants another shot, he’ll get one” (links via Andrew Grief of The Los Angeles Times and Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press).

Cavs Pick Up 2019/20 Option On Ante Zizic

October 29th, 2018 at 11:04am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers have exercised their third-year option on center Ante Zizic, a source tells Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. The team had until October 31 to pick up the option, which guarantees Zizic’s salary for the 2019/20 season.

Zizic, 21, was one of the players acquired by Cleveland in last year’s Kyrie Irving blockbuster. The Croatian big man didn’t see much action in his rookie season, but could be in line for a larger role in 2018/19, particularly if the Cavaliers go into full-fledged rebuild mode. So far this season, Zizic has posted 3.4 PPG and 2.0 RPG in five games (7.2 MPG).

With veteran players occupying many of the roster spots in Cleveland, Zizic’s was the only rookie scale option decision the Cavs had to make by this fall’s deadline. The move will add another $2,281,800 in guaranteed money to the club’s books for next season.

Cleveland will have one more option decision to make on Zizic by October 31, 2019. Assuming the team exercises his fourth-year option for 2020/21 before that deadline, the young center will become extension-eligible during the summer of 2020 and would be on track for restricted free agency in 2021.

We’re keeping tabs on all of the 2019/20 rookie scale option decisions from around the NBA right here.

Kevin Love May Miss Several Weeks With Toe Injury

October 29th, 2018 at 8:20am CST by Luke Adams

The 2018/19 regular season isn’t off to a great start in Cleveland, where the Cavaliers became the first team to fire their head coach this season, replacing Tyronn Lue with interim coach Larry Drew on Sunday. Now, the club may be without its top player for an extended period.

According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Adrian Wojnarowski, the Cavs are preparing for the “strong possibility” that Kevin Love could be sidelined for more than a month due to his left toe injury.

As Windhorst and Wojnarowski report, the Cavaliers and Love are consulting with doctors to go over the “limited short-term solutions” available to the veteran forward, who has been dealing with the toe injury since the preseason. With the Cavs off to an 0-6 start to open the year, it might not make sense for Love to push through the injury and keep playing, since rest would be the most logical solution for the painful ailment.

No final determinations have been made yet, so it’s still possible that Love will attempt to keep playing or will opt for an alternate route that doesn’t keep him on the shelf for quite so long. For now though, a multi-week absence seems to be the likeliest outcome. Larry Nance, Sam Dekker, Ante Zizic, and Channing Frye are among the candidates to pick up a few extra minutes in the frontcourt with Love out.

Now that Lue is out of the picture, a Love-sized hole in Cleveland’s lineup would be an issue for Drew to deal with. In the wake of Lue’s dismissal, reports indicated that Drew was seeking a longer-term commitment than just the interim tag, but the two sides are still “working through” what the arrangement will look like, tweets Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

Cavaliers May Rest Ailing Love

October 28th, 2018 at 5:54pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

With the Cavaliers firing head coach Tyronn Lue, Marc Stein reveals for The New York Times that the team may also look to rest Kevin Love for an extended period in order to let him recover from recurring foot soreness. Love missed three preseason games with the injury and has struggled to play through it during the early stages of the regular season.

Cavaliers Fire Tyronn Lue

October 28th, 2018 at 11:49am CST by Arthur Hill

1:44pm: The Cavaliers have made the firing of Tyronn Lue official, confirming the news in a press release. The team also confirmed Larry Drew will take over as interim head coach.

“This was a very difficult decision. It is especially so, considering Coach Lue’s time with us over the last four years, including four straight trips to the NBA Finals,” general manager Koby Altman said. “We have respect and great admiration for Ty, not only as a coach, but a person. We thank him for the many ways he has contributed to our success, wish him the best and he will always be remembered for leading a very special Cavs team back against the odds to win the title in 2016. This is a different team equation, though, and one that we felt needed a different voice and approach that required this change.”

10:14am: After an 0-6 start, Tyronn Lue has been dismissed as head coach of the Cavaliers, tweets Joe Vardon of The Athletic. The decision was announced following a meeting this morning between Lue and GM Koby Altman (Twitter link). Assistant Larry Drew will serve as interim coach while the team looks for a replacement, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Drew will run practice today, and Altman and owner Dan Gilbert are hoping he will accept the interim job with a chance to earn a full-time head coaching position, Wojnarowski tweets. However, Drew is hoping for a longer commitment right away.

Lue compiled a 128-83 record after replacing David Blatt midway through the 2015/16 season. He led the organization to its only championship and took the Cavs back to the NBA Finals the past two seasons. Lue received a five-year, $35MM contract extension after winning the title in 2016 and is still owed about $15MM (Twitter link).

Of course, that was with LeBron James, who departed for the Lakers in free agency over the summer. Cleveland was expected to have a difficult transition with James gone, but the front office had hoped enough veteran talent was still in place to contend for the playoffs. The organization gave a four-year extension to Kevin Love over the offseason as a sign that it wasn’t ready to start rebuilding.

However, the Cavaliers got off to a miserable start, not only losing their first six games, but struggling to remain competitive. The team hasn’t held a lead after halftime all season and has trailed by at least 16 points in every game, Vardon noted in a recap of Saturday’s loss to the Pacers. The Cavs have been especially bad at home, where they have dropped three games by a combined 50 points.

Lue urged patience after the latest defeat, contending there’s more to building success than just the team’s record.

“I don’t think you define culture off of wins and losses,” he said. “I think you define culture on how the organization is a class-A organization, and with Dan Gilbert at the helm, it’s always going to be that way. I think it’s about the players you bring in. It’s about your coaching staff and who you surround the people with, so, culture is not defined by wins and losses.”

Cavaliers players are angry about the decision to replace Lue and some are reacting on social media, Vardon relays in a full story on the move. Love posted a photo of him with Lue on Instagram along with a message thanking his former coach for all his help. Lue and Altman have been clashing on the direction of the team since training camp, Vardon adds.

Altman wanted to devote more playing time to younger players such as Cedi Osman and first-round pick Collin Sexton, and after two early losses Lue and Altman told veterans J.R. Smith, Kyle Korver and Channing Frye that their minutes were being reduced. However, after being embarrassed by the Hawks in their home opener, Lue decided to put Korver and Smith back in the rotation.

The Cavs have also dismissed assistant coach Damon Jones, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Love's Foot Pain May Be Ongoing Issue

October 28th, 2018 at 11:46am CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg is standing up for associate Jim Boylen after criticism from Jabari Parker, relays Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Boylen sets the team’s defensive schemes, which Parker felt were lacking in Friday’s loss to the Hornets, telling reporters after the game that the Bulls “didn’t adjust” while giving up 135 points.

‘‘You look at Jim’s track record in this league,’’ Hoiberg said. ‘‘He had the No. 1 defense in Indiana. He was on some really good Spurs defensive teams. … We have long film sessions. Jim does a great job in those. We have a young team. We have to keep growing, keep working.’’

It’s the first swipe at the coaching staff from Parker, whose stay in Chicago might be short after signing a two-year, $40MM contract with only the first season guaranteed. This is the third year with the Bulls for Boylen, who got his first job as an NBA assistant in 1992.

There’s more today from the Central Division:

Ryan Arcidiacono has shown he deserves the backup point guard job at least until Kris Dunn returns from an MCL sprain in his left knee, contends Michael Walton of NBC Sports Chicago. Arcidiacono is shooting 53% from 3-point range, providing a much-needed outside threat for a team with few other long-distance shooters. He also supplies energy on both ends of the court that rubs off on his teammates, Walton adds.
Kevin Love‘s aching left foot may turn out to be a lingering injury, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Love sat out his second straight game last night because of pain that has been bothering him since the preseason. Sources tell Vardon an MRI showed some fluid in the foot, and while it’s not thought to be serious, Love will need rest to get it under control.
Tyreke Evans‘ one-game suspension was a result of being late for practice on Friday, according to Scott Agness of The Athletic. It was the final straw for the Pacers‘ guard, who had already accumulated multiple infractions early in the season. “We’ve got guidelines that we have to follow,” coach Nate McMillan said. “When you start to see a pattern with those guidelines being broken, then you have to be disciplined. Our players know those guidelines. We have a book with those rules, guidelines, laws in them.” Pacers president Kevin Pritchard spoke to the team after Friday’s practice, but players refused to reveal what was discussed.

Cavs Fire Sale Won't Happen Anytime Soon

October 26th, 2018 at 11:34am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers are unlikely to go into fire-sale mode anytime soon, one executive tells Deveney. “Don’t hold your breath,” the exec said. “If they decide to blow it all up, I don’t expect that to decision to be made until we get close to the deadline. They still think they can win.” If the Cavs do start moving veteran pieces, Tristan Thompson is one player to watch, says Deveney.

[SOURCE LINK]

The Cavaliers are unlikely to go into fire-sale mode anytime soon, one executive tells Deveney. “Don’t hold your breath,” the exec said. “If they decide to blow it all up, I don’t expect that to decision to be made until we get close to the deadline. They still think they can win.” If the Cavs do start moving veteran pieces, Tristan Thompson is one player to watch, says Deveney.

NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Central Division

October 25th, 2018 at 11:36am CST by Luke Adams

Over the course of the 2018/19 NBA season, up until February’s trade deadline, we’re keeping an eye on potential trade candidates from around the NBA, monitoring their value and exploring the likelihood that they’ll be moved. Each of these looks at possible trade candidates focuses on a specific division, as we zero in on three players from that division.

No team in the NBA’s Central division has played more than five games so far – the Pistons have only played three – but based on contract situations and early-season rotations, some potential trade candidates are already emerging. Let’s take a look at a few of them…

Kyle Korver, G/F
Cleveland Cavaliers
$7.56MM cap hit; partially guaranteed salary in 2019/20

A fixture in the Cavaliers‘ rotation over the last year and a half alongside LeBron James, Korver has seen inconsistent playing time so far in 2018/19. His minutes count in his first four games: 14, 5, 0, and 19.

Korver has said he doesn’t mind sporadic minutes, and it’s too early in the season for the Cavs to go into tank mode and start considering a full-fledged fire sale. Still, there are a number of reasons to expect the 37-year-old to become a trade candidate sooner or later if Cleveland’s struggles continue.

Several playoff contenders figure to be in the market for an outside marksman, and few are more reliable than Korver, who has a .431 career 3PT%. His salary is affordable and his contract is favorable for a short-term investment — next season’s $7.5MM salary is only guaranteed for $3.44MM, meaning any team acquiring him would have the option to keep him for one more year or to cut bait at a minimal cost.

Robin Lopez, C
Chicago Bulls
$14.36MM cap hit; UFA in 2019

Like the Cavaliers, the Bulls don’t look like a legit postseason contender, particularly as the injuries to several key players continue to pile up. It’s too early to give up on this season’s playoff hopes yet, but when that happens, Lopez looks like one of the team’s most obvious trade chips.

The Bulls have Wendell Carter Jr. penciled in as their center of the future, and still need to see what they can get out of Cristiano Felicio, whose pricey contract runs through 2021. For now, Lopez remains a part of the rotation, but his minutes are down (17.7 MPG so far, compared to 26.4 last season) and they may decrease further if and when the club goes all-in on developing its young players.

Lopez is no bargain at $14.36MM, but he’s on an expiring contract and won’t affect a team’s cap flexibility for the summer of 2019. He’s also still just 30 years old and has value as a reliable screen setter and defensive presence.

Matthew Dellavedova, G
Milwaukee Bucks
$9.61MM cap hit; guaranteed salary in 2019/20

If the 4-0 Bucks can build on their hot start, they’ll likely be in the market for upgrades by the time February’s trade deadline rolls around. Dellavedova and John Henson ($11.33MM cap hit) represent the club’s best salary-matching pieces, and Dellavedova’s absence from the rotation makes him the more expendable player of the two.

With one more guaranteed season left on his contract, the veteran guard is a negative asset at this point. But if Milwaukee is willing to attach a draft pick or a young player to Dellavedova’s contract, he could be a part of an offer for a veteran who might better fit the club’s lineup.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.