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Cavaliers Notes: Rubio, Altman, Strus, Mobley

October 2nd, 2023 at 3:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Cavaliers point guard Ricky Rubio, who announced in August that he has decided to pause his basketball career to focus on his mental health, received an excused absence from the team’s media day on Monday, reports Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.

It remains unclear when Rubio might report to the team, but president of basketball operations Koby Altman told reporters, including Fedor (Twitter link), that the subject of retirement hasn’t come up at all during his discussions with the veteran guard. Altman and the Cavs are hopeful that Rubio will be with the club for the 2023/24 season, Fedor adds.

Here’s more on the Cavs:

  • After being arrested and charged in September for driving under the influence, Altman told reporters on Monday that he has spoken to team owner Dan Gilbert about the situation, though he declined to say whether he expects to face discipline from the organization, per Tom Withers of The Associated Press. “I feel awful about the distraction that this incident has caused our organization and team,” Altman said. “I’ve had several conversations across the building with players, coaches and ownership on down and have expressed that same sentiment to them as well.”
  • Having joined the Cavaliers on a four-year, $62MM deal in July, Max Strus expects to be the team’s starting small forward, he said on Monday (Twitter link via Fedor). Cleveland’s starting backcourt (Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland) and frontcourt (Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen) is set, but the club rotated through several options at the three last season, so Strus certainly looks like the obvious choice to fill that spot.
  • Mobley said on Monday that he had a home gym installed and hired a personal chef this offseason, which helped him put on seven pounds of muscle. The big man added that he’s ready to “take off” this season and has made it a goal to make the All-Star team and to win Defensive Player of the Year (Twitter links via Fedor).
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Central Notes: Mitchell, Giannis, Bucks, Cunningham

September 22nd, 2023 at 1:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Addressing Donovan Mitchell‘s contract situation on Thursday during an NBA Today appearance, Brian Windhorst of ESPN (Twitter video link) echoed a point he made in early August, suggesting that he doesn’t expect Mitchell to sign an extension this offseason and that he doesn’t believe that will be a major cause for concern for the Cavaliers.

Mitchell has two guaranteed years left on his current contract, which will pay him $33.2MM in 2023/24 and $35.4MM in ’24/25, with a player option for ’25/26. He’s eligible to sign an extension now, but could lock in a longer-term deal if he waits until next summer.

Still, Windhorst is curious to hear what Mitchell has to say publicly about his contract when he’s asked about on Media Day. It would raise eyebrows around the NBA if Mitchell follows Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s playbook and makes it clear to reporters that his future in Cleveland isn’t assured, Windhorst notes, though he doesn’t expect the All-Star guard to go that route.

“My expectation is Donovan, who’s a total pro, will handle this like he did in Utah, which was pledge his undying love to the Jazz but also keep his options open,” Windhorst said.

Here’s more from around the Central:

  • Antetokounmpo officially became extension-eligible on Friday, but the Bucks star has, of course, already signaled that he doesn’t plan to sign a new contract before the season begins. With that in mind, ESPN provides an in-depth look at Antetokounmpo’s options, explaining why it would benefit the star forward financially to wait until at least next offseason to consider a new deal and evaluating how the new CBA might impact the situation.
  • Asked on the Behind the Play podcast (YouTube link) about the odds of Antetokounmpo remaining in Milwaukee beyond his current contract, ESPN’s Windhorst said he thinks it’s very much up in the air. “I would say right now it’s 50/50 at best, and I don’t think that’s new information to the Bucks. I think the Bucks knew that already. They knew that even before they got knocked out of the playoffs last year,” Windhorst said. “If you look at the Bucks’ roster, which is primarily in its 30s, you look at the Bucks’ asset base, which is depleted, and you look at Giannis, who’s 28 years old, they are on different tracks.”
  • Pistons guard Cade Cunningham spoke to Tomas Azarly of ClutchPoints about his experience with the U.S. Select Team this summer and what he learned last season while spending most of the year sidelined due to a leg injury. Cunningham said that staying healthy is his biggest goal in 2023/24, followed closely by a desire to help Detroit win more games. “I want to take a leap for next year and get closer to being a championship caliber team,” he said.
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Latest On Koby Altman

September 20th, 2023 at 9:28am CST by Luke Adams

“We hold our team members to a high standard of conduct and expect leaders at every level of our organization to represent the Cavaliers with integrity, professionalism and accountability,” the Cavs said. “We will continue to closely monitor the facts and circumstances of this matter and await resolution of the legal process.”

The attorney for Koby Altman submitted a plea of not guilty on his behalf on Tuesday after the Cavaliers president of basketball operations was charged with committing a marked lanes violation and operating a vehicle while impaired, per TMZ Sports.

Police video obtained by TMZ and News 5 Cleveland (YouTube link) showed Altman appearing to struggle to complete a series of field sobriety tests after being pulled over in Cleveland on Friday night. The Cavaliers executive told officers that he was “exhausted” after returning from a trip overseas and was driving home after a long dinner.

The Cavaliers, who initially issued a brief statement announcing that they were gathering information on the incident, have put out a follow-up statement, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter links).

“We hold our team members to a high standard of conduct and expect leaders at every level of our organization to represent the Cavaliers with integrity, professionalism and accountability,” the Cavs said. “We will continue to closely monitor the facts and circumstances of this matter and await resolution of the legal process.”

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Pre-Camp Roster Snapshot: Central Division

September 18th, 2023 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Over the next week, Hoops Rumors will be taking a closer look at each NBA team’s current roster situation, evaluating which clubs still have some moves to make and which ones seem most prepared for training camp to begin.

This series is meant to provide a snapshot of each team’s roster at this time, so these articles won’t be updated in the coming weeks as more signings, trades, and cuts are made. You can follow our roster counts page to keep tabs on teams’ open spots as opening night nears.

We’re beginning our pre-camp Roster Snapshot series today with the Central Division. Let’s dive in…

Chicago Bulls

The Bulls have a full 21-man offseason roster and won’t need to make any major changes or decisions during the preseason. In order to set their opening night roster, they would simply need to waive their Exhibit 10 players and decide whether they’re keeping either Jones or Taylor — or both.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if both Jones and Taylor begin the season on the 15-man roster, since neither contract will become guaranteed until January. If the Bulls want to waive one of the two in November or December, they’d simply owe him his prorated minimum salary for the first month or two of the season.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Given their proximity to the luxury tax line, the Cavaliers are a good bet to open the season with just 14 players on standard contracts, rather than the maximum allowable 15. While it’s possible they’ll bring in another veteran to compete for the 13th or 14th spot at some point, the simplest route to open the season would be to retain Thompson and Merrill along with their 12 players on guaranteed deals.

Detroit Pistons

The Pistons likely have a move or two up their sleeves before the regular season begins. To start, they’re a virtual lock to add a third two-way player, either by converting one of their Exhibit 10 contracts or by adding someone new.

They’re also well below the luxury tax threshold, so it would be a little surprising if they opt to carry just 14 players on standard contracts to open the season. That 15th man probably wouldn’t factor into the rotation, but it still makes sense to fill that spot with a developmental player.

If they’re not interested in promoting an Exhibit 10 or two-way player to the standard roster, signing a free agent, making a trade, or placing a waiver claim on a player cut by another team would all be options to fill that 15th spot.

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers’ 18-man regular season roster (15 standard, three two-ways) looks pretty set, but the team figures to remain active in the coming weeks, signing and waiving players to Exhibit 10 contracts for G League purposes.

Milwaukee Bucks

I’m a little surprised the Bucks filled all 15 roster spots, given how far over the tax line they are. But it seems they’re prepared to carry a full 15-man standard roster into the regular season, to go along with their three two-way players.

One potential preseason storyline to watch is whether one of Milwaukee’s camp invitees on an Exhibit 10 contract impresses the club enough to earn a conversion to a two-way contract. Wigginton’s two-way deal carried over from last season, so his roster spot may be a little less secure than that of Moore, who signed a new two-year contract, or Washington, a 2022 first-rounder whom the Bucks may want to take a longer look at.

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Cavaliers Executive Koby Altman Charged With OVI

September 16th, 2023 at 11:19am CST by Tristan Tucker

Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman was arrested and charged Friday night for operating a vehicle while impaired, according to a report from FOX 8’s I-Team.

“We are aware of an incident involving Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman,” the team said in a statement, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). “We are currently gathering more information and have no further comment at this time.”

According to the FOX 8 report, Ohio State Highway Patrol says troopers stopped Altman just before 9:00 p.m.

“Troopers initiated a traffic stop and during their interaction with the driver, indicators of impairment were observed,” the patrol said, per FOX 8. “The driver was subsequently placed under arrest for OVI and soon after offered a breath test which he refused.”

Altman was also charged with committing a marked lanes violation, per the report. FOX 8 reports the patrol added that Altman was “respectful and cooperative with troopers.”

Altman joined Cleveland’s front office in 2012, working his way up through the organization before being named general manager in 2017. In 2022, Altman was promoted to president of basketball operations and signed a contract extension through the 2027/28 season.

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Cavaliers Sign Zhaire Smith To Exhibit 10 Deal

September 15th, 2023 at 11:58am CST by Luke Adams

11:58am: The signing is official, Hoops Rumors has learned. Cleveland now has a full 21-man offseason roster.

11:14am: The Cavaliers are set to add a former first-round pick to their 21-man roster, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), who hears from agent Adie von Gontard that Cleveland has agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with free agent wing Zhaire Smith.

The 16th overall pick in the 2018 draft, Smith battled health issues after going pro and was limited to 13 regular season appearances in two NBA seasons with the Sixers. He was traded during the 2020 offseason to the Pistons, who subsequently waived him. The former Texas Tech standout hasn’t been on an NBA roster since he signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Grizzlies in December 2020.

Although Smith was on the roster for the Memphis Hustle – the Grizzlies’ G League affiliate – in 2020/21, he didn’t play at all that season and hasn’t suited up for any team since then, having continued to be plagued by injuries. According to Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman, the 24-year-old underwent separate cleanup procedures on both knees during the summer of 2022.

“Every year I was like, ‘Oh, I’m about to play, I’m about to play,’ then there was just a setback,” Smith said, per Mussatto. “I didn’t know what was going on with my knees, and that was the hardest part.”

Smith’s ongoing effort to make an NBA comeback saw him join the Thunder for Summer League action this July. He appeared in four total games in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, averaging 6.0 points on 75.0% shooting in 14.0 minutes per game.

Exhibit 10 contracts can be converted to two-way deals, but the Cavaliers have filled all three of their two-way slots, so they likely envision having Smith suit up for their G League affiliate, the Cleveland Charge. If he’s waived before the NBA season begins and then spends at least 60 days with the Charge, Smith would be eligible to earn an Exhibit 10 bonus worth up to $75K.

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Cavaliers Sign Sharife Cooper, Pete Nance

September 13th, 2023 at 11:10am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers have officially signed free agent guard Sharife Cooper and forward Pete Nance, the team announced today in a press release. Cleveland also formally confirmed its deal with Justin Powell, which we previously detailed.

The 48th overall pick in the 2021 draft, Cooper spent his rookie year on a two-way contract with Atlanta, then played for the Cleveland Charge in the G League last season. Appearing in – and starting – 25 games for the Charge, he averaged 21.3 points, 6.3 assists, and 3.8 rebounds in 32.5 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .431/.316/.853.

Nance’s Exhibit 10 agreement with the Cavs was reported shortly after he went undrafted in June. He has ties to the organization — he’s the son of former Cavs legend Larry Nance and the younger brother of Larry Nance Jr., who spent parts of four seasons with Cleveland.

After spending four seasons with Northwestern, Nance transferred to North Carolina for a “super senior” season in 2022/23, averaging 10.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 1.1 BPG on .422/.320/.816 shooting in 30 games (30.1 MPG) for the Tar Heels. He had a larger offensive role with the Wildcats in ’21/22, posting 14.6 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2.7 APG and 1.1 BPG on .497/.452/.768 shooting in 30 games (27.2 MPG).

While it hasn’t been confirmed in each case, Cooper, Nance, and Powell likely all received Exhibit 10 contracts, which can be converted into two-way deals before the regular season or would put them on track to earn bonuses worth up to $75K if they’re waived and then spend at least 60 days with the Charge.

Cleveland now has 20 players under contract, one away from the offseason limit.

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Central Notes: Thompson, Theis, Pistons, Giannis

September 13th, 2023 at 9:44am CST by Luke Adams

Tristan Thompson‘s new contract with the Cavaliers is a one-year, minimum-salary deal that is guaranteed for just $200K, Hoops Rumors has learned. Thompson will earn his full $3.2MM salary if he remains under contract through at least January 7, though Cleveland’s cap hit for the season would be just $2.02MM, with the NBA covering the difference.

Here’s more

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Cavaliers Sign Justin Powell

September 13th, 2023 at 6:59am CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 13: Powell’s deal with the Cavaliers is official, according to the transaction log at RealGM.com.

SEPTEMBER 12: The Cavaliers have agreed to sign undrafted rookie free agent Justin Powell, agent George Langberg tells Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Powell played for Auburn as a freshman, Tennessee as a sophomore, and Washington State as a junior before declaring for the NBA draft as an early entrant this spring. The 6’6″ wing was a full-time starter for the Cougars last season, averaging 10.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 33.8 minutes per contest (34 games), with a shooting line of .408/.379/.811.

After going undrafted, Powell suited up for the Heat‘s Summer League team in Sacramento and Las Vegas. A June report indicated that he had agreed to sign an Exhibit 10 contract with Miami, but it appears that agreement either fell through or was reported erroneously.

While Scotto’s report today doesn’t include any additional details on Powell’s deal with Cleveland, it seems likely end up signing an Exhibit 10 contract. That would put him on track to earn a bonus worth up to $75K if he’s waived before the regular season and then spends at least 60 days with the Cleveland Charge, the Cavs’ G League affiliate.

The Cavaliers currently have four open spots on their 21-man offseason roster, so no one would need to be cut to make room for Powell.

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Cavaliers Sign Tristan Thompson

September 12th, 2023 at 2:25pm CST by Rory Maher

SEPTEMBER 12: The Cavaliers have officially signed Thompson, per NBA.com’s transaction log. His deal includes a partial guarantee, tweets John Hollinger of The Athletic.

SEPTEMBER 11: The Cavaliers are finalizing a contract with free agent big man Tristan Thompson, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

It will be a reunion between the two sides, as Thompson spent his first nine NBA seasons in Cleveland after the team selected him fourth overall in the 2011 draft. The 32-year-old was a key member of the Cavs’ championship run in 2016, starting all 21 playoff games and averaging 6.7 points and 9.0 rebounds while playing solid defense.

It would be shocking if Thompson received anything but a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum, considering he barely played at all in 2022/23. He signed with the Lakers on the final day of the regular season, appearing in six of the team’s 16 playoff games for 32 total minutes.

Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com confirms Charania’s report (via Twitter), noting that the Cavs currently only have 13 players on standard contracts. Teams are required to carry at least 14 players for the majority of the season, so it seems Thompson will hold that spot for now.

Thompson averaged 9.4 points and 8.7 boards over his 619 regular season games with Cleveland. He signed a two-year deal Boston as a free agent in 2020, but only lasted one year, having been traded in August 2021. He played for three different teams — Sacramento, Indiana and Chicago — in ’21/22.

We’ll have to wait and see if Thompson receives any guaranteed money from the Cavaliers. His level of play has certainly dropped off in recent years, but he had some good moments during his brief stint with the Lakers, and he’ll provide frontcourt depth and veteran leadership for Cleveland.

Once Thompson’s deal is complete, the Cavs will have 17 players under contract, with all three two-way slots filled.

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