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NBA Draft Rights Held: Central Division

August 29th, 2017 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

When top college prospects like Markelle Fultz or Lonzo Ball are drafted, there’s virtually no doubt that their next step will involve signing an NBA contract. However, that’s not the case for every player who is selected in the NBA draft, particularly for international prospects and second-round picks.

When an NBA team uses a draft pick on a player, it gains his NBA rights, but that doesn’t mean the player will sign an NBA contract right away. International prospects will often remain with their professional team overseas for at least one more year to develop their game further, becoming “draft-and-stash” prospects. Nikola Mirotic, Dario Saric, and Bogdan Bogdanovic are among the more notable players to fit this bill in recent years.

However, draft-and-stash players can be former NCAA standouts too. Sometimes a college prospect selected with a late second round pick will end up playing overseas or in the G League for a year or two if there’s no space available on his NBA team’s 15-man roster.

While these players sometimes make their way to their NBA teams, others never do. Many clubs around the NBA currently hold the rights to international players who have remained overseas for their entire professional careers and are no longer viewed as top prospects. Those players may never come stateside, but there’s often no reason for NBA teams to renounce their rights — those rights can sometimes be used as placeholders in trades.

For instance, earlier this summer, the Pacers and Raptors agreed to a trade that sent Cory Joseph to Indiana. Toronto was happy to move Joseph’s salary and didn’t necessarily need anything in return, but the Pacers had to send something in the deal. Rather than including an NBA player or a draft pick, Indiana sent Toronto the draft rights to Emir Preldzic, the 57th overall pick in the 2009 draft.

Preldzic is currently playing for Galatasaray in Turkey, and at this point appears unlikely to ever come to the NBA, but his draft rights have been a useful trade chip over the years — the Pacers/Raptors swap represented the fourth time since 2010 that Preldzic’s NBA rights have been included in a trade.

Over the next several days, we’re taking a closer look at the players whose draft rights NBA teams currently hold, sorting them by division. These players may eventually arrive in America and join their respective NBA teams, but many will end up like Preldzic, plying their trade overseas and having their draft rights used as pawns in NBA trades.

Here’s a breakdown of the draft rights held by Central teams:

Chicago Bulls

Albert Miralles, C (2004; No. 39): Last played in Spain.
Milovan Rakovic, C (2007; No. 60): Last played in Spain.
Tadija Dragicevic, F (2008: No. 53): Last played in Greece.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Vladimir Veremeenko, F (2006; No. 48): Last played in Germany.
Ejike Ugboaja, F (2006: No. 55): Retired.
Edin Bavcic, F/C (2006; No. 56): Playing in Austria.
Sergiy Gladyr, G (2009; No. 49): Playing in Monaco.
Milan Macvan, F (2011; No. 54): Playing in Germany.
Chukwudiebere Maduabum, F/C (2011; No. 56): Last played in Japan.
Ilkan Karaman, F (2012: No. 57): Playing in Turkey.
Sir’Dominic Pointer, G/F (2015; No. 53): Last played in Israel.
Arturas Gudaitis, C (2015; No. 47): Playing in Italy.

Detroit Pistons

None

Indiana Pacers

Andrew Betts, C (1998; No. 50): Retired.

Milwaukee Bucks

Andrei Fetisov, F (1994; No. 36): Retired.
Eurelijus Zukauskas, C (1995; No. 54): Retired.

Previously:

Atlantic division

Information from Mark Porcaro and Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post.

Cavs Notes: Shumpert, Arena Renovations, Rose

August 29th, 2017 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

As we noted on Monday, the Cavaliers are still interested in trading Iman Shumpert, even as they consider whether to complete the Kyrie Irving trade with the Celtics as is. Shumpert has been linked to a handful of teams this offseason, having nearly been sent to the Rockets in July. The Timberwolves are also among the clubs that has spoken to the Cavs about the veteran swingman, per Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link).

Sources tell Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net that while several teams have shown interest in Shumpert, that interest hinges on the Cavs’ willingness to attach a draft pick to him. Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders makes a similar point in his latest piece, noting that if the Cavs are seeking an extra draft pick from the Celtics in the Irving mega-deal, Cleveland could flip that pick in a Shumpert trade in order to move him.

Here’s more on the Cavs as they consider their options with Irving and Shumpert:

Within the article linked above, Kyler notes that moving Shumpert without taking back significant salary might also make the Cavaliers more comfortable about taking on Isaiah Thomas‘ contract, even if they have concern about his hip, since dealing Shumpert would further reduce their projected tax bill.
With funding from the city of Cleveland uncertain, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert has nixed a proposed $140MM renovation to Quicken Loans Arena, as Karen Farkas of Cleveland.com details. Community groups had opposed spending taxpayer money on the project, which was announced by the Cavs eight months ago.
Speaking to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, new Cavaliers point guard Derrick Rose opens up about his time with the Knicks, his motivation going forward, and a handful of other topics.

Latest On Kyrie Irving Trade

August 28th, 2017 at 5:21pm CST by Luke Adams

The biggest trade of the NBA offseason remains in flux, as the Cavaliers determine what their next move is after conducting a physical exam on Isaiah Thomas‘ troublesome hip. According to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link), the two teams have until 9:00am central time on Thursday to finalize an agreement on the trade, though they could agree to extend that deadline.

As Kyler explains (Twitter links), the concern from the Cavaliers’ side appears to stem from the Celtics‘ assessment of Thomas’ hip. Boston believed that the veteran point guard wouldn’t require surgery on his hip, but Cavs doctors aren’t as certain about that diagnosis, which is why Cleveland is believed to be seeking further compensation. Still, as of Sunday, the Cavs hadn’t formally asked the C’s for more pieces, per Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com (Twitter link).

Here’s more on the mega-deal as we wait to see if it becomes fully official:

If the Cavaliers fear that Thomas will miss a chunk of the 2017/18 season due to the hip injury, acquiring another asset that could help them improve their point guard depth figures to be a priority, tweets Kyler. Kyler suggests (via Twitter) that adding Terry Rozier to the Irving deal could be one option, but notes that adding another draft pick would also make sense, since that pick could potentially be attached to Iman Shumpert in a separate trade.
Speaking of Shumpert, the Cavs are still looking to trade him, writes Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com. Pluto adds that there’s still not much interest in Shumpert, who will be difficult to move, though Kyler tweets that teams like the Rockets, Mavericks, and Bulls have expressed some interest — it’s not clear if those teams are all still viable trade partners for Cleveland.
Both teams have plenty to lose if they were to void this trade, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today, who expects the Celtics and Cavs to find a way to get it done, even if one team is a bit less happy about the outcome. A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com also presents five reasons why the deal will eventually be completed.
At least one player involved in the trade apparently anticipates it being finalized. As Vardon details in a Cleveland.com article, Jae Crowder has been photographed wearing Cavaliers gear. Vardon adds (via Twitter) that Crowder took his physical with the Cavs last week and is looking forward to playing for the franchise.

Cavs Expected To Inquire About Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum

August 27th, 2017 at 8:01pm CST by Austin Kent

If the Cavaliers and Celtics start formally renegotiating the Kyrie Irving trade, the Cavs are expected to inquire about the C’s young players. Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, that could include Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, although their involvement in any actual deal remains highly unlikely.

Latest On The Kyrie Irving Trade

August 27th, 2017 at 9:10am CST by Arthur Hill

The Cavaliers and Celtics are still talking in an effort to complete the four-player deal that would send Kyrie Irving from Cleveland to Boston. While neither side has commented publicly on the reported snag, sources indicate the Cavs are seeking another asset because a physical on Friday showed that Isaiah Thomas‘ injured hip is in worse shape than they believed, while the Celtics are resisting the request.

Several writers are offering their perspectives on the trade this morning:

If the Celtics do add another asset, it probably won’t be very significant, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE. He notes that Boston was in a similar situation when it acquired Jeff Green from the Thunder in February of 2012. Green needed heart surgery 10 months later, and the Celtics petitioned the league for more compensation, claiming that Oklahoma City wasn’t forthcoming about Green’s condition. Former commissioner David Stern awarded Boston a second-round pick, which is what Blakely believes the Celtics would be willing to surrender to wrap up the Irving deal.
Thomas was very upset about being traded away from the Celtics, writes Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com. The two-time All-Star played a major role in bringing free agent Gordon Hayward to Boston and had planned a long-term future there. Pluto states it would be a “miserable situation” if he has to return to the Celtics now. However, some executives that Pluto discussed the deal with expressed concerns of a potential clash in Cleveland, fearing that Thomas’ “alpha dog” persona may not be a good fit on a team where LeBron James is the unquestioned leader.
The Cavaliers’ decision to hold up the deal is the latest indication of dysfunction in Cleveland, charges D.J. Bean of CSNNE. The franchise has been through a tumultuous summer, with GM David Griffin not being re-signed, then Chauncey Billups turning down a job to run the team. The front office chaos has played out against persistent rumors that James may be leaving town as a free agent next summer. Like Blakely, Bean thinks the Celtics will probably throw in a minimal asset to complete the trade.

Celtics May Not Budge On Irving Deal

August 26th, 2017 at 9:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics are unhappy that the Cavaliers are asking for more compensation in the Kyrie Irving trade and may be planning a hard-line response, tweets Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. The Celtics front office believes it was fully honest about the condition of Isaiah Thomas when the teams discussed his injured hip prior to completing the deal. The Cavaliers seem to think that Thomas is months away from returning to action, according to Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link), who also speculates that Boston could offer to include Terry Rozier to get the trade completed. (Twitter link).

Cavaliers To Request Extra Compensation From Celtics

August 26th, 2017 at 6:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

7:57pm: Celtics officials believe they were “completely transparent” regarding Thomas’ physical condition and will “strongly resist” adding to the deal, tweets Chris Mannix of The Vertical.

6:51pm: The Cavaliers are refusing to comment on Wojnarowski’s report, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Two sources told him the team is “still in the review process” and hasn’t determined whether to ask Boston for additional assets to complete the deal.

6:00pm: The Cavaliers plan to ask for “further compensation” before agreeing to complete the Kyrie Irving deal with the Celtics, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Sources tell him that Cavs officials could threaten to veto the trade unless additions are made.

The decision was made after Cleveland’s front office reviewed the results of a physical that Isaiah Thomas underwent on Friday. Thomas is dealing with a hip injury that he aggravated in the playoffs and may not be ready for the start of the upcoming season.

It hasn’t been reported what the Cavaliers plan to ask for, but speculation revolves around the many first- and second-round picks that Boston has accumulated in recent years. The teams discussed Thomas’ condition, sources tell Wojnarowski, but Cleveland could argue that the Celtics weren’t completely forthcoming about the extent of the injury or the likelihood that he might miss the beginning of the season. Celtics president Danny Ainge admitted this week that Thomas’ injury had “some” influence on the decision to trade him.

Under league rules, the deadline to take physicals is Wednesday at 10 a.m. Eastern for all players involved in the trade, with the deadline for passing physicals set for 24 hours later. That gives the Cavaliers and Celtics until Thursday morning to finalize the deal, although that could be extended if both sides agree to do so.

Thomas’ injury, a strain of the right hip, forced him to miss two games during the regular season. It became an issue again in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals and sidelined him for the rest of the playoffs.

Both teams would face awkward situations if the deal falls apart, Wojnarowski notes. Irving had requested a trade out of Cleveland, and the Cavs would have a difficult time finding an offer better than Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and the Nets’ unprotected first-rounder for next year. The Celtics, meanwhile, would have to repair relations with three players who were traded away, and may have to find a new point guard if Thomas’ injury keeps him sidelined for an extended time.

Celtics Have Picks To Offer To Complete Irving Deal

August 26th, 2017 at 5:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics have plenty of draft picks available if Cleveland asks for another asset to complete the Kyrie Irving trade. The deal is currently on hold as the Cavaliers review the results of Isaiah Thomas‘ physical, and Brian Kalbrosky of HoopsHype examines some options for resolving the impasse.

Boston owns the Grizzlies’ 2019 first-rounder, which could be very valuable if Memphis decides to start rebuilding a team that is already showing some age. The pick is protected from spots 1-8 in 2019, 1-6 in 2020, then becomes fully unprotected in 2021. It’s a selection that could have as much value as the Nets’ pick that the Celtics just agreed to send to Cleveland.

Boston also has the Lakers’ first-rounder for next year, but only if it falls in the 2-5 range. If not, the Celtics will get the better of the Kings’ or Sixers’ first-rounders in 2019, unless it falls first overall. Another deal brought Boston the rights to a future Clippers’ first-rounder, which is lottery protected in both 2019 and 2020. If it doesn’t convey in either of those years, it will become a second-round pick in 2022.

In addition, the Celtics own all their future first-rounders and a wealth of second-rounders that they have collected over the years.

The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor tweets that Boston officials have been worried about Thomas’ hip becoming an issue since the trade was completed, and he believes an extra draft pick for Cleveland is the most likely outcome.

Boston has a competitive interest in having the trade go through, notes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe, because having an injured Thomas on the Cavaliers at the start of the season would give the Celtics an easier path to the top seed (Twitter link).

Cavaliers, Celtics Set To Discuss Issues With Mega Trade

August 26th, 2017 at 11:51am CST by marksuleymanov

With Isaiah Thomas‘ troublesome hip holding up the blockbuster trade agreed upon earlier this week, the Cavaliers and Celtics will discuss the issue on Saturday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

On Tuesday, both teams agreed to a deal that would send Irving to Boston in exchange for Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and the Nets’ unprotected first round pick. At the time, it was reported that Thomas’ hip — which caused him to miss a portion of the NBA Playoffs — was a cause for concern and a reason why the Celtics decided to move him. Celtics general manager Danny Ainge spoke with reporters on a conference call after the deal was announced and mentioned that Thomas’ hip played “some” part in his decision to deal the beloved point guard.

Wojnarowski reported at the time that the Cavaliers were “anxious” to give Thomas his physical but had made the deal with the belief he would be healthy.

Both sides have up until Thursday to come to a resolution. As Wojnarowski mentions, there are three possible outcomes to this current situation: the Cavaliers can pass Thomas on the physical and complete the deal as is; request additional compensation from Boston; or veto the deal altogether.

Thomas took the physical in question on Friday in Cleveland and Irving is currently in Boston to take his physical, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com (Twitter link).

Thomas, 29, and Irving, 26, both had comparable seasons in 2016/17 but Thomas is a free agent after 2017/18 whereas Irving comes with two years of control. Boston was reportedly reluctant to give Thomas the maximum deal he desired and this trade not only brought in a younger All-Star point guard but eliminated the issue of having to pay Thomas.

While several days remain before a final verdict is required, both sides will reportedly work to reach a determination sooner rather than later.

Cavs Weighing Options Following Thomas Physical

August 26th, 2017 at 9:00am CST by Austin Kent

10:55pm: Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe tweets that a source close to him said the Cavs and Celtics would attempt a renegotiation before rescinding the deal, should it ultimately reach that point.

10:13 pm: Following the results of Isaiah Thomas‘ physical, the Cavaliers are “weighing their options” with completion of the Kyrie Irving trade, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.

Earlier this week, the Cavs and Celtics agreed to swap Irving for a package involving Thomas, despite the fact that the C’s guard was forced out of last spring’s postseason with a hip injury.

As is customary, the trade is contingent upon players passing physicals with their new teams and it’s here where things appear to be hitting a possible snag.

Per Celtics executive Mike Zarren in a question and answer on Boston’s official site: “A trade is not officially complete, and no player may suit up for his new team in a game or practice, until all players report to their new teams and pass a physical exam.”

Wojnarowski adds in another tweet that a source involved in the process says that the C’s and Cavs have found themselves in a “very sensitive situation.”

In a feature published earlier today, Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher discussed the lingering impacts of Thomas’ hip injury. In July, the guard opted to let the injury heal without surgery but uncertainty about his recovery remains.

“We all have the numbers when a guy gets hip surgery,” a league executive told Bucher. “They’re not good. Now what if he’s not right and needs surgery anyway? That is not nearly the same trade.“