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Latest On Donovan Mitchell

August 23rd, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

A report last month identified the Heat, Kings, and Hawks as a few of the teams with interest in Donovan Mitchell, but John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (via Twitter) disputes the notion that those three clubs are actually pursuing the Jazz guard.

Gambadoro’s report doesn’t come as a major surprise. Shams Charania of The Athletic, who first said those teams were among Mitchell’s possible suitors, hasn’t mentioned them since. When Charania and Tony Jones reported last week that the Knicks had re-engaged with the Jazz about Mitchell, The Athletic named the Wizards and Hornets as some other teams with interest. Gambadoro confirmed today that Washington and Charlotte remain in play for Mitchell.

Here’s more on Mitchell, who is now the biggest star available with Kevin Durant off the trade market:

  • The Cavaliers, Lakers, and Nets are among the other teams with interest in Mitchell, according to Gambadoro. While that may be true, it’s hard to envision any of those clubs putting together a viable package for the Jazz star. The Lakers only have two first-round picks available to trade (2027 and 2029), while Brooklyn can’t acquire Mitchell as long as Ben Simmons remains on the roster, and Utah seems unlikely to be interested in Simmons as a centerpiece. The Cavs, meanwhile, just signed Darius Garland to a five-year, maximum-salary extension, so it’d be surprising if they gave up a ton of assets for another 6’1″ lead guard.
  • Addressing a New York Post report, Gambadoro says the Jazz never asked for seven first-round picks in a package for Mitchell. The Knicks are one of the few teams with the ability to give up that many first-rounders in a trade, since they’ve acquired a few picks from other teams in addition to hanging onto their own.
  • Tony Jones of The Athletic weighs how the Jazz would benefit from trading Mitchell and how they’d benefit from hanging onto him.
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Central Notes: Sexton, Mavericks, Cavs, Giannis, Bulls

August 20th, 2022 at 1:44pm CST by JD Shaw

The Cavaliers have had discussions with the Mavericks about a potential sign-and-trade involving restricted free agent Collin Sexton, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com said on The Wine & Gold Talk Podcast (hat tip to HoopsHype).

Sexton is still unsigned with training camps set to start next month. Fedor notes that Cleveland wouldn’t be interested in any of Dallas’ moveable pieces, and the Mavs would have to shed salary to accommodate a sign-and-trade deal that would hard-cap them, so it remains unlikely that Sexton ends up in Dallas.

Things can change quickly in the NBA, of course, and Dallas could use another ball-handling guard. The team lost Jalen Brunson to New York in free agency this summer, so Spencer Dinwiddie is an early projected starter. Sexton averaged 16.0 points in 11 games before tearing his meniscus this past season.

Here are some other notes from the Central Division:

  • ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Tim MacMahon and Tim Bontemps discussed the Cavaliers‘ outlook (video link), which includes Darius Garland, Evan Mobley‘s progression, and where the team may finish this season. Cleveland deployed a big lineup featuring Lauri Markkanen, Mobley and Jarrett Allen in the frontcourt last season, causing issues with its length. The team also received good production from Ricky Rubio, Cedi Osman and Kevin Love off the bench, but the season took a turn for the worse when key players dealt with injuries.
  • Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo missed an international exhibition game for Greece on Friday, as relayed by Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link). Antetokounmpo is dealing with back soreness, though Nehm notes that his absence on Friday appeared precautionary. Giannis’ MRI came back clean, according to Eurohoops (via Twitter).
  • Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic examines 10 games that will define the Bulls‘ season. The first game on Mayberry’s list is October 19’s season-opener against the Heat, which will be played in Miami. The team lost all four of its games to the Heat last season. Miami finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference last season (53-29), while Chicago was 46-36.
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Community Shootaround: Collin Sexton’s Future

August 18th, 2022 at 4:02pm CST by Rory Maher

After suffering a torn meniscus 11 games into last season and missing the remainder of the 2021/22 campaign, and with only a couple of rival teams with cap room, restricted free agent Collin Sexton has found himself in a tough spot. The Cavaliers, who drafted Sexton No. 8 overall in 2018, have reportedly offered him a deal worth close to $40MM over three years, which certainly seems low for a scorer of his caliber, and that’s why he hasn’t accepted it.

Despite the negotiating impasse, the Cavs are projecting “a lot of confidence” that Sexton will be on the roster in ’22/23, as Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com said a few weeks ago.

Sexton is reportedly seeking “starting guard money” with an annual value of $20+MM per season, and Fedor previously reported the two sides were discussing a deal in the range of $72MM over four years prior to last season. Multiple factors seem to have convinced the Cavs to change that price tag.

Sexton’s injury and dry market, the addition of Caris LeVert, and the team’s proximity to the luxury tax line (roughly $13MM below) are all reportedly part of Cleveland’s thinking in extending a lower offer. The Cavs would also have to make a roster move to bring back Sexton, as the 15-man roster is already full, but that isn’t as big of a deal as the other factors.

If the Cavs don’t increase their offer, and Sexton decides against accepting it, he could also sign his $7.2MM qualifying offer and become an unrestricted free agent in 2023, at which point he’d be able to test his value on the open market.

At 23 years old, Sexton has plenty of time to continue to improve. He was one of the NBA’s most underrated scorers from 2019-21, averaging 22.5 PPG and doing so efficiently (.474/.376/.828 slash line, including a 56.7% true shooting percentage).

However, there are some holes in his game. Standing just 6’1″, Sexton has been a high-volume, high-usage scorer, but he isn’t a point guard, averaging just 3.3 APG over his career, and since Darius Garland is also only 6’1″, having two small guards starting in the backcourt is an awkward fit on both ends of the court. Sexton also isn’t a great rebounder, averaging only 3.0 RPG in 218 NBA games despite a heavy workload (32.9 MPG).

The Cavs were the NBA’s worst team in Sexton’s first three seasons, and while that isn’t necessarily on him, the team did perform better with him off the court in each of those seasons. It also doesn’t help his cause that Cleveland found its most success during his tenure when he only played 11 games, going 44-38 and reaching the play-in tournament.

In theory, the team’s offense should definitely be better with him back, but the defense might decline, and that’s where the Cavs shined last season, ranking fifth in the league in defensive rating. Defensive concerns have led some to suggest that Sexton might be better served as a sixth man, but I think Sexton is a better player — and much better shooter — than LeVert, the other primary candidate for the second guard spot, so I wouldn’t go that far, but I understand the logic to some extent.

I believe Sexton is worth at least $15MM per season, and it’s unfortunate the way things have played out, because he’s a hard worker and said to be a good teammate. Having said that, the Cavs seem to hold all the leverage right now.

We want to know what you think. Where will Sexton end up in ’22/23? Will he accept a seemingly lesser offer for more long-term security? Will an unexpected suitor emerge? Or will he simply accept his qualifying offer and test the unrestricted free agent waters in 2023? Head to the comments section and share your thoughts on Sexton’s future.

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More Than 30 NBA Players On Track To Suit Up For EuroBasket

August 18th, 2022 at 11:00am CST by Luke Adams

The first EuroBasket tournament in five years will tip off in two weeks and there are currently 34 NBA players on track to participate in the event, representing 17 different countries, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net.

EuroBasket is a 24-team international basketball competition also known as the European Basketball Championship. It historically took place every two years, but that gap was recently adjusted to four years, emulating the FIBA World Cup schedule.

The last EuroBasket tournament was played in 2017 — the next one had been scheduled for 2021, but was pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics. As a result, after being played every two years since 1947, it has now been five years since the last EuroBasket tournament, easily the longest layoff since World War II.

It’s possible that some NBA players will be cut from their teams’ rosters or will have to drop out due to injuries or personal reasons before the event begins on September 1, but in general enthusiasm to participate in the long-awaited event appears high.

Here’s the list of NBAers currently set to play in EuroBasket, per Eurohoops:

There are also multiple NBA free agents on EuroBasket rosters, including French swingman Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and German guard Dennis Schröder.

A number of young NBA players, such as 2022 draftees Jeremy Sochan and Nikola Jovic, have dropped out to focus on getting ready for the 2022/23 season, while others, including Bogdan Bogdanovic (Serbia) and Frank Ntilikina (France), were ruled out due to injuries.

Round robin play will begin on September 1, with each team facing the other five clubs in its group once. The top four teams in each group will advance to a 16-team bracket that begins on September 10. The final will take place on September 18, just over a week before NBA training camps get underway.

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Cavs To Hold Player-Led Mini-Camp In Los Angeles

August 12th, 2022 at 11:56am CST by Luke Adams

A number of Cavaliers players will meet next week in Los Angeles for a voluntary mini-camp, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, who reports that All-Star guard Darius Garland and Rookie of the Year runner-up Evan Mobley are helping to organize the workouts.

Sources tell Fedor that the majority of Cavs players are expected to participate, though some of the team’s international players may not make it to L.A. due to overseas obligations, including to their national teams. That group includes Lauri Markkanen, Cedi Osman, and Raul Neto.

Collin Sexton also won’t be attending the mini-camp, since he’s still a restricted free agent and isn’t under contract with the Cavaliers, Fedor notes.

A number of clubs around the NBA hold voluntary offseason mini-camps to help improve team chemistry and to prepare for the season. As Fedor writes, LeBron James used to organize them during his Cleveland days, and handed off that responsibility to Kevin Love in recent years.

Love spoke at the end of the 2021/22 season about possibly holding a mini-camp in Austin or Nashville, according to Fedor, who says the possibility of player-led workouts taking place in Nashville next month remains on the table.

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What Must They Avoid To Keep Improving?

August 10th, 2022 at 5:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder
  • What do the Cavaliers need to avoid in order to continue their ascent in the Eastern Conference? Injuries, regression in an improved conference and defensive slippage, according to The Athletic’s Kelsey Russo, who takes a closer look at each of those possibilities.
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Collin Sexton Negotiations Aren’t Contentious, But Deal Isn’t Close

August 9th, 2022 at 1:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

The continued standoff between the Cavaliers and free agent Collin Sexton hasn’t been contentious, but it doesn’t appear the two sides are close to an agreement, sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.

Sexton’s agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, continues to insist that his client deserves the salary of a starting guard, which is what he was before suffering a torn meniscus 11 games into last season. Paul wants Sexton to be paid more than $20MM per year, similar to the deals that Jalen Brunson got from the Knicks and Anfernee Simons received from the Trail Blazers.

Even though Sexton’s options are limited because he’s a restricted free agent, Fedor notes that Lonzo Ball, Malcolm Brogdon and Terry Rozier were all able to land big contracts in the same situation in recent years.

Cleveland’s offer is roughly $40MM over three years, which would pay Sexton about $13MM per season. The team believes it’s a reasonable contract for someone coming off a major injury, noting that it’s almost twice as much as Sexton’s $7.2MM qualifying offer and an increase over the $10.4MM mid-level exception. Sexton still has the option of accepting the QO and moving into unrestricted free agency next summer.

The Cavs are determined to remain under the luxury tax this season, Fedor adds, and can’t offer Sexton much more than $13MM without exceeding the threshold.

Paul talked to Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman in late July, but Fedor’s sources said neither side seems willing to move off its demands even though they understand a deal needs to be reached before the start of training camp.

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Cavs Rumors: Sexton, Luxury Tax, Osman, LeBron

August 3rd, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers have “a lot of confidence” that restricted free agent Collin Sexton will be back with the team next season, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com told Jake Fischer during the latest episode of Fischer’s Please Don’t Aggregate This podcast.

As Fedor explains, there has been no indication that the Cavs are seriously exploring any sign-and-trade scenarios or that a suitor with cap room will make an aggressive play for Sexton, so it may just be a waiting game to see what kind of contract the former lottery pick ends up on.

As Fedor explains, when Sexton and the Cavs discussed an extension a year ago, they were exploring a Bogdan Bogdanovic-type contract — approximately $72MM over four years. However, after Sexton missed nearly all of 2021/22 due to a torn meniscus, the Cavs would like to get him back on a deal in the range of $12-14MM per year. Fedor has previously reported that the team put a three-year, $40MM offer on the table.

Given that agent Rich Paul is a tough negotiator and won’t want to accept a long-term deal that he believes is below market value, Fedor still believes the most likely scenario is that Sexton accepts his $7.2MM qualifying offer, which would allow him to reach unrestricted free agency next summer. However, both Fischer and Fedor believe that there’s a case to be made for Sexton accepting that three-year offer, since it would give him some financial security and would still put him on track to enter unrestricted free agency at age 26.

Here’s more on the Cavs:

  • It’s “very important” to the Cavs that they don’t go into luxury tax territory this season, per Fedor. “I had it put to me that it’s not happening, that they’re not willing to go into the luxury tax” Fedor said. Currently, the team has about $13MM in breathing room below the tax line, though if Sexton accepts the club’s current offer, that cushion would all but disappear. That proximity to the tax is one reason why Cleveland isn’t willing to go higher for Sexton at this point.
  • If Sexton re-signs with the Cavs, the team will need to trade or release a player on a standard contract before the regular season begins. Cedi Osman could be a trade candidate in that scenario, according to Fedor, who notes that the forward fell out of favor with head coach J.B. Bickerstaff near the end of last season. However, Fedor adds that the Cavs still value Osman and wouldn’t simply want to dump his salary. According to Fischer, the Timberwolves and Celtics are among the teams believed to have checked in on Osman in the past.
  • Noting that LeBron James will be a free agent next summer if he doesn’t sign an extension with the Lakers before then, Fedor and Fischer both suggest the Cavaliers wouldn’t close the door on the idea of another reunion with the star forward, as long as it’s on their terms. “Of course Cleveland would be open to a LeBron return, but it does seem like the Cavaliers made it very clear…that (they) would really only be open to that on a deal or in a situation that made sense for everyone,” Fischer said. “They would be adding LeBron as a piece into this rebuild, not handing over the keys to the franchise like they had done in the past.”
  • Fedor explored the LeBron speculation in more depth at Cleveland.com, writing that the Cavs “aren’t currently plotting a third go-around” with the former Finals MVP, but won’t rule it out either.
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Unresolved Issues Include Sexton, LeVert

August 1st, 2022 at 8:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder
  • The Cavaliers added depth via the draft and three free agent signings. They also signed star guard Darius Garland to an extension but there’s still two big items on the agenda, Kelsey Russo of The Athletic notes. Collin Sexton remains an unsigned restricted free agent and they must also decide whether to pursue an extension with Caris LeVert. Those two unresolved issues are intertwined, Russo adds.
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Checking In On Remaining Restricted Free Agents

August 1st, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Of the players who finished last season on an NBA roster and didn’t have a contract for 2022/23, there are still dozens of unrestricted free agents on the open market. However, the number of restricted free agents is far smaller.

As our list of current free agents shows, there are just eight restricted free agents still unsigned — four who received standard qualifying offers and four who received two-way QOs.

We’re already a month into the 2022 free agent period, but it’s possible that some of these restricted free agents will remain on the market for another month or two. Let’s take a closer look at the RFAs still available…

Standard RFAs:

It’s no surprise that Bridges remains unsigned. He was arrested just before free agency began and now faces multiple felony charges related to domestic violence. The Hornets will certainly be in no rush to re-sign him as the legal process plays out, and Bridges’ $7.9MM qualifying offer won’t expire until October 1, so he’ll be in no hurry to accept it either. If and when Bridges is back under contract, the NBA would have the option of placing him on paid administrative leave, pending an investigation.

The other three cases here look more like straightforward examples of how restricted free agency often works. In all likelihood, the Bucks, Cavaliers, and Spurs have made preliminary offers to Nwora, Sexton, and Wieskamp, respectively, and have encouraged them to explore the market to see if they can get a more lucrative offer sheet elsewhere. Until that happens, those teams are unlikely to bid against themselves by increasing their offers.

We know, for instance, that the Cavs have reportedly offered Sexton a three-year deal worth roughly $40MM. He’s believed to be seeking a salary closer to $20MM per year.

All three players would have the option of accepting their qualifying offers and heading into the season on a one-year contract, but that may be a more viable path for Sexton, who is coming off a lost season and has a QO worth $7.2MM, than for Nwora ($2.1MM). Wieskamp’s qualifying offer is also relatively modest ($1.8MM), but his NBA résumé is far more limited than Sexton’s or Nwora’s, so it’s unclear if he’ll get a better offer than that.

Two-way RFAs:

A report in early July suggested that Duke was hoping to earn a standard contract from the Nets, and following a Las Vegas Summer League in which he averaged 19.0 points per game in five appearances, there’s no reason to think his stance has changed. Brooklyn only has 13 players on standard contracts, so a promotion remains in play for Duke, but the team likely wants resolution on the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving sagas before locking in those back-of-the-roster spots.

Once Goran Dragic officially signs, the Bulls will have 15 players on standard guaranteed contracts and just one on a two-way deal, so they’d probably like to see Hill accept his two-way qualifying offer to fill that second slot.

It’s unclear what the Raptors‘ plans are for Johnson. The team has filled its two-way slots with new signees (Ron Harper Jr. and Jeff Dowtin) and there will be stiff competition for a spot on the 15-man regular season roster — the team already has 13 players on fully guaranteed contracts, plus three with partial guarantees and second-rounder Christian Koloko still unsigned. We’ll see if Johnson gets a chance to vie for one of those roster spots.

There may be a cleaner path for Thomas to earn a place on the Celtics‘ 15-man roster. Only 12 of Boston’s regular season roster spots are accounted for so far, so Thomas could get the chance to compete to be the 13th or 14th man. The team has already filled both its two-way slots with new additions (JD Davison and Mfiondu Kabengele).

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