Cleveland Cavaliers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Cavs Rumors: George, Butler, Billups, James

June 22nd, 2017 at 8:40am CST by Dana Gauruder

While the front office is in a state of upheaval, the Cavs are continuing to work the phones to shake up the roster, as Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net reports. With GM David Griffin out of the picture, front office holdovers Koby Altman and Mike Gansey are on the verge of making multiple trades, including a potential blockbuster, Amico continues. They are still trying to acquire Pacers All-Star forward Paul George despite George’s well-documented desire to play for the Lakers when his contract expires after next season, Amico adds.

Some other nuggets from Amico:

The Cavs are far apart in any talks with the Bulls to acquire All-Star Jimmy Butler but there is no traction to rumors that Cleveland players have told Butler to “stay away” from the organization.
Chauncey Billups has been offered the top executive position and members of the organization anticipate he’ll take the job, despite reservations about leaving ESPN. He’ll make a decision today or Friday.
LeBron James has been receiving updates about the team’s plans to upgrade the roster.
James wasn’t mad, just surprised, about owner Dan Gilbert’s inability to come to an extension agreement with Griffin.

Cavs Offer Chauncey Billups Top Front Office Job

June 21st, 2017 at 11:21pm CST by Luke Adams

11:21am: The Cavs have offered Billups a president of basketball operations position, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, who tweets that Billups remains undecided on accepting. According to Sam Amico of USA Today (Twitter link), Billups is weighing the fact that LeBron James could leave next summer, as well as considering the prospect of being objectively critical about Tyronn Lue, who is a close friend.

10:41pm: The Cavaliers have offered Chauncey Billups a five-year contract to run the team’s front office, reports Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. Sources with knowledge of the discussions tell Lloyd that Billups has yet to formally accept the offer.

Billups has been viewed as the odds-on favorite to replace David Griffin as the head decision-maker in Cleveland’s front office since Griffin and the Cavs announced on Monday that they were parting ways. According to reports, Billups met with owner Dan Gilbert on Tuesday, then returned for a second meeting on Wednesday.

Lloyd writes that Gilbert and Billups spent the day on Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena, with Billups being introduced to many of the executives who would be working under him if he takes a position with the Cavs.

If Billups accepts the Cavs’ reported offer, he figures to take on the role of president or vice president of basketball operations. Although he has never worked in an NBA front office before, Billups would likely have final say on personnel decisions, though I expect the Cavs would add a veteran executive to the mix for day-to-day matters, perhaps with a GM title.

Gilbert and assistant GM Koby Altman have continued to run the Cavs’ front office since Griffin’s departure, with the team reportedly being aggressive in seeking out possible trades.

Cavs Continue To Work 'Furiously' Toward Trade

June 21st, 2017 at 9:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Even without a GM in place, the Cavaliers continued to work “furiously” on Wednesday pursuing trade possibilities, writes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. It appears the Cavs and Chauncey Billups are close to reach an agreement that would add him to their front office, but the team is more focused on working the trade market, and will continue trying to find a deal on Thursday.

Jimmy Butler Warned Not To Come To Cleveland?

June 21st, 2017 at 2:38pm CST by Arthur Hill

2:38pm: A team source tells Amico Hoops that there’s no truth to the idea that members of the Cavs are telling Butler it’s in his best interest not to come to Cleveland.

11:28am: Several Cavaliers players have advised Bulls star Jimmy Butler to resist any trade to Cleveland, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

Unidentified players, who had been encouraging Butler to seek a deal to the Cavs, are now telling him to stay away from the sudden chaos in the organization after the decision not to re-sign GM David Griffin.

Butler had planned to ask Bulls GM Gar Forman and VP of basketball operations John Paxson to find a way to get him to Cleveland, Cowley reports. However, he apparently changed his mind Tuesday afternoon after being contacted by a few Cavaliers.

There are no other teams that Butler wants to join, including the Celtics, according to Cowley, and Chicago’s front office has set an asking price so high that it makes a deal virtually impossible.

Dwyane Wade‘s decision on Tuesday to opt in next season for $23.8MM is also related to the situation in Cleveland, Cowley states. Because Wade is a close friend of LeBron James, he understands how angry James is about Griffin’s departure and knew that Butler is likely to remain a Bull.

Cowley also reports a likely breakup of “The Three Alphas” in Chicago, with Butler and Wade pushing for an alternative to Rajon Rondo. While they like Rondo personally, both stars would prefer a point guard who can shoot from the outside to help space the court.

Butler, who played with Kyle Lowry at the Olympics last year, has been talking to the Raptors free agent about coming to Chicago, and Kyrie Irving has indicated that he might seek a trade to escape a possible shakeup in Cleveland.

Irving’s asking price would be too steep for the Bulls, Cowley speculates, so a third team would have to be involved.

Cavs, GM Griffin Part Ways; Gilbert Eyes Billups

June 21st, 2017 at 12:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

JUNE 21, 12:15pm: Billups has a second meeting with the Cavaliers today, tweets Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com.

JUNE 19, 10:59pm: Billups will meet with Gilbert on Tuesday, Windhorst tweets.

8:41pm: Billups is the top target to become President of Basketball Operations, Wojnarowski tweets.

7:59pm: Gilbert didn’t consult with LeBron James on the decision to let Griffin leave, even though James stated Griffin should receive an extension, Windhorst tweets.

7:01pm: GM David Griffin and the Cavaliers will part ways, Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com tweets. Griffin, whose contract expires at the end of the month, was unable to reach an agreement for an extension. The club has issued a statement confirming that the two parties have mutually agreed that Griffin won’t remain with the organization, Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press tweets.

Griffin, who was making less than $2MM annually, met with Cavs owner Dan Gilbert last week. But the two sides were unable to come to terms. Griffin removed himself from consideration when it was clear that he and Gilbert weren’t on the same page regarding the team’s future plans, Dave McMenamin of ESPN tweets.

Former NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups, currently a commentator with ESPN, is expected to emerge as a candidate, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical tweets. Billups is a close friend of Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue, which might help Billups’ candidacy. Billups also has a relationship with Gilbert and will also be considered for the title of President of Basketball Operations, who will hire the GM, Wojnarowski adds in another tweet.

Griffin won’t be lacking for job offers as multiple teams will pursue him during the next round of GM openings, according to Wojnarowski. Trade talks were being hampered because of Griffin’s iffy status, Wojnarowski adds. (Twitter links).

Assistant GM Trent Redden is also losing his job, David Aldridge of NBA.com tweets.

The Cavs are pursuing complex blockbuster deals for either Pacers swingman Paul George and the Bulls’ Jimmy Butler. Griffin’s departure in the short run could hamper those efforts as Gilbert searches for Griffin’s replacement.

Paul George Trade May Not Happen Before The Draft

June 21st, 2017 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pacers have talked to several teams about trading star forward Paul George, but don’t feel pressured to complete a deal before Thursday’s draft, writes Nate Taylor of The Indianapolis Star.

Team president Kevin Pritchard has had discussions with the Rockets, Cavaliers and Lakers about moving George, and the Wizards and Clippers have also expressed interest. However, the Pacers haven’t liked any of the offers enough to move forward with a deal.

George has been on the trading block since his agent told the Pacers on Saturday that he plans to opt out of his contract next summer and prefers to join the Lakers.

The Pacers are hoping trade offers will improve tomorrow afternoon in anticipation of the draft. However, George’s public statements about wanting to go to L.A. are limiting what teams are willing to part with.

A source told Taylor that the Pacers may decide to listen to offers all summer, and maybe into training camp, before making a deal. Another source speculated that George’s value will continue to drop the longer the Pacers wait.

After Tuesday’s trade with the Nets, the Lakers reportedly offered Indiana both the 27th and 28th pick along with their choice of Julius Randle or Jordan Clarkson in exchange for George. A source said the Pacers are holding out for a significantly better offer.

Another source said that George wouldn’t object to playing for the Pacers next season if no deal is completed.

Clippers View Jerry West As Asset In Eventual LeBron Pursuit

June 20th, 2017 at 11:32pm CST by Luke Adams

After spending the last several years in Golden State, Jerry West returned to Los Angeles last week, joining the Clippers rather than reuniting with the Lakers. According to Sam Amick of USA Today, West’s new deal with the Clippers is a lucrative one, worth between $4-5MM annually.

As Amick details, a significant factor in the Clippers’ pursuit of West – and owner Steve Ballmer‘s willingness to pay him a substantial salary – is the influence he could have on the LeBron James sweepstakes in 2018. Amick refers to a possible pursuit of LeBron as the “grand plan” for West and the Clippers’ front office, and the veteran executive’s ability to act as a star recruiter in that race is important to the franchise.

Of course, before the Clippers can seriously consider how to land LeBron, they’ll have plenty of work to do this coming offseason. James’ good friend Chris Paul hasn’t yet committed to remaining in Los Angeles, and Blake Griffin is also eligible for unrestricted free agency.

But assuming the Clippers’ roster remains relatively intact, the Clippers believe West may be capable of helping them lure LeBron away from his hometown team a year from now, according to Amick. The USA Today scribe notes that James and West have built a relationship over the years, with LeBron having read West’s autobiography several times and dubbing the 79-year-old “The Godfather.”

A lot would have to go right for the Clippers in the next year to turn that dream into a reality, but with West on board, the club has taken a first step.

Central Notes: George, Pistons, Cavs, Bucks

June 20th, 2017 at 9:48pm CST by marksuleymanov

With reports that Paul George intends to explore free agency after next season, with his hometown Lakers as his preferred destination, concerns over possible tampering have surfaced. However, Nate Taylor of the Indianapolis Star writes that the Pacers are unlikely to pursue any tampering charges against the Lakers.

Team president Magic Johnson alluded to George’s situation during a recent interview with Jimmy Kimmel, and cryptically tweeted “God is so good!” this week shortly after the George’s plans to leave Indiana were reported. However, the Pacers are more concerned with getting value for their All-Star rather than stirring up issues in Los Angeles, according to Taylor.

Taylor adds that new Pacers president Kevin Pritchard hopes to have a trade for George in place ahead of Thursday’s draft.

Below are additional notes from the Central Division:

The Detroit City Council has voted to approve $34.5MM in bonds to help fund the Pistons‘ move downtown, according to Detroit News’ Jennifer Chambers (via Twitter).
The Pistons have been in active conversations leading up to the draft and while their No. 12 pick has been on the block for weeks, it may not ultimately be moved, Rod Beard of the Detroit News writes.
If Chauncey Billups ends up as the general manger of the Cavaliers following David Griffin’s departure, former Pistons assistant GM George David could be brought in to work in Cleveland’s front office, according to Vincent Ellis of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter).
Gery Woelfel of The Racine Journal Times explains how Greg Monroe‘s player option decision may impact the Bucks‘ draft plans, and explores the team’s options at No. 17.
The following players attended a pre-draft workout with the Bucks on Monday: Charles Cooke (Dayton), Zak Showalter (Wisconsin), Blake Hamilton (Buffalo), Isaac Hamilton (UCLA), Dominique Hawkins (Kentucky) and Brynton Lemar (UC-Davis).

Bulls Becoming More Open To Jimmy Butler Trade

June 20th, 2017 at 8:32pm CST by Luke Adams

8:32pm: Butler’s preference to remain in Chicago has been made clear to the Bulls’ front office in addition to the Cavs, per K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today adds (via Twitter) that a trade between Chicago and Cleveland appears unlikely at this point. Still, Johnson tweets that the Bulls remain active in Butler talks.

7:28pm: The Cavaliers have been notified that Butler would like to stay with the Bulls and would be reluctant to commit to a long-term future in Cleveland, sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com. If the Cavs are able to complete a deal for Butler, I imagine they’d do so without a long-term commitment from the forward, but his desire to remain in Chicago is still a factor they’ll have to consider.

4:33pm: Just one day after Bulls sources suggested that the team likely wouldn’t move Jimmy Butler this week, the odds of a trade appear to be increasing. The Bulls have typically just been willing to listen on Butler inquiries to gauge his value, but they’re now making outgoing calls to teams about the star forward, according to Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com.

According to Goodwill, the Celtics and Cavaliers are the frontrunners to land Butler if a deal gets done this week. The Suns have been “doing due diligence,” league sources tell Goodwill. The Nuggets were somewhat involved on Butler at the trade deadline, per CSN’s report, though it’s not clear if they’re jumping into the fray this time around. The Timberwolves were also mentioned on Monday as a possible trade partner for Chicago.

Butler has publicly expressed a desire to remain in Chicago, but Goodwill writes that the relationship between the All-NBA forward and head coach Fred Hoiberg hasn’t been “fruitful,” which is one reason the Bulls appear to be legitimately considering moving Butler. Goodwill also suggests that the club may be reluctant to pay Butler a super-max Designated Veteran Extension if he becomes eligible for one next summer.

According to Goodwill, the Bulls were “rebuffed” on an offer to the Celtics for the No. 3 overall pick, straight up. I would expect Chicago to be seeking more than just that one pick in return for Butler, so if that’s true, it’s a surprise. Goodwill adds that bringing the Cavs to the negotiating table figures to increase the quality of the offers for Butler.

An earlier report indicated that the Cavs were attempting earlier this week to work out a three-team Butler trade that would see a third team receive Kevin Love, with a high lottery pick going from that club to the Bulls.

Although the Suns were believed to be the third team in that scenario, and John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 confirms (via Twitter) that the Cavs had interest in Phoenix’s No. 4 pick, Gambadoro says those discussions didn’t involve Love (Twitter link). While that may be true, it would be virtually impossible for the Cavs to pry away a top-five pick for the Bulls without using Love, so I have to think he’d be involved somehow.

Those Butler discussions with the Cavs took place before GM David Griffin departed from the franchise. However, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, Griffin left behind the framework for possible deals involving Butler or Paul George, so owner Dan Gilbert and assistant GM Koby Altman – essentially the Cavs’ acting GM – could continue to work on those deals.

Community Shootaround: Communication Between Owner And Star Player

June 20th, 2017 at 4:02pm CST by Joshua Fischman

On Monday, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert parted ways with GM David Griffin, who was up for an extension. Griffin had been instrumental in bringing the Cavaliers’ star player, LeBron James, back to Cleveland. The executive also built a championship team by shrewdly trading for Kevin Love and cleverly filling out the Cavaliers roster over the years with key ancillary players like Kyle Korver, Deron Williams, Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith and Channing Frye. He did all of this with creativity under considerable budgetary constraints. Unsurprisingly, James had long been an outspoken advocate for Griffin to continue at his GM post. According to Brian Windhorst, LBJ was not notified before Gilbert decided to let Griffin go (link via Twitter). Naturally, this seemed to upset James (link via Twitter).

Should Gilbert have consulted LeBron before getting rid of LBJ’s guy? Is it prudent for an owner to do what he can to make his superstar, who is arguably the best player of all-time, happy? LeBron James left Cleveland once before. Could behavior like this from the owner fuel LBJ’s already potentially wandering eye? Conversely, do you believe that players need not be involved in front office decisions like this one? Should players be divorced from personnel decisions?

We would love to see your thoughts reflected in the comments section.