Cleveland Cavaliers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: Cavs, Williams, Sotto, Pacers, Pistons

June 19th, 2022 at 3:59pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

As a solid two-way perimeter player with exciting defensive upside, 6’6″ Santa Clara wing Jalen Williams could serve as an ideal fit for the Cavaliers, opines Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Cleveland has the No. 14 pick in this week’s draft.

During the 2021/22 season, the 21-year-old averaged 18.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 4.2 APG and 1.2 SPG, with shooting splits of .513/.396/.809. Fedor notes that Williams is a high-level playmaker, having begun his prep career as a point guard before an eight-inch growth spurt in between his sophomore season of high school and his freshman season at Santa Clara. The First-Team All-West Coast Conference shooting guard/small forward boasts a 7’2″ wingspan and posted a 33.5″ standing vertical.

“He is the biggest riser in this process – and rightfully so,” a league executive said of Williams. “The more I watch, the more I like him. Plug-and-play guy. Can crack a rotation immediately. I think he’s a top 20 guy in this year’s draft.”

There’s more out of the Central Division:

7’2″ Adelaide 36ers center Kai Sotto is set to work out for the Pacers on Tuesday, according to Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com, who tweets that Sotto has recovered from a sprained ankle. In 23 contests in Australia’s National Basketball League in 2021/22, the 20-year-old big man averaged 7.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG and 0.8 BPG. Sotto was voted as the 2022 NBL Fans MVP.
With the fifth pick of the 2022 draft in hand, the Pistons are exploring the fit of several potential draft picks, writes Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. Detroit is looking to build around 2022 All-Rookie first team point guard Cade Cunningham, the first pick in the 2021 draft.
In case you missed it, Bucks reserve forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo, older brother of 2021 Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, has opted to exercise his $1.8MM player option for the 2022/23 NBA season with Milwaukee. Across 48 games this season, the 6’6″ forward averaged 3.6 PPG and 2.1 RPG across 9.9 MPG.

Central Rumors: J. Williams, Cavaliers, Turner, Rubio, LaVine

June 18th, 2022 at 8:42pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Cavaliers view Jalen Williams as a peripheral prospect with the No. 14 pick, but he’ll get a chance to change their minds at a workout Monday, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Williams said that session will be his last one before Thursday’s draft and only his third for a lottery team, with the Spurs and Thunder being the others. Williams has reportedly been moving up draft boards and believes his lack of exposure at Santa Clara caused some teams to overlook him.

“Teams haven’t seen me a lot just due to the fact that we were a west coast team playing late at night,” he said. “Just showcasing that I’m a lot bigger than what it looks like on TV and I’m more athletic. Honestly, just playing my game, going in there and competing with other dudes that are doing the same thing as me. Just show a good, positive attitude throughout the whole workout. Everyone here can hoop so try to do the little things to stand out.”

The Cavs might have a greater interest in Williams if they trade down, which is under consideration, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Scotto hears from league sources that Cleveland would be willing to move backward in this year’s draft in exchange for a future first-round pick.

There’s more from the Central Division:

Trade rumors continue to surround Pacers center Myles Turner, but he prefers to stay in Indiana, Scotto notes in the same story. Turner, whose season was ended by a foot injury in mid-January, wants a chance to play alongside Tyrese Haliburton, who wasn’t acquired from the Kings until February. Turner reportedly views Haliburton as the best passing point guard he’s ever had a chance to team up with. He also expects a larger role in the offense now that Domantas Sabonis is in Sacramento.
The Cavaliers have interest in bringing back free agent guard Ricky Rubio, Scotto adds. Rubio helped Cleveland get off to a fast start last season before suffering a torn ACL in late December. He was sent to the Pacers in February as part of the Caris LeVert deal.
Zach LaVine appears increasingly likely to re-sign with the Bulls shortly after free agency begins, Marc Stein states in his latest column on Substack. Teams that were believed to have interest in pursuing LaVine are being warned that he may not be available, Stein adds.

Draft Notes: Banchero, Wesley, Williams, Mock

June 18th, 2022 at 11:58am CST by Dana Gauruder

Duke’s Paolo Banchero is projected by most mock drafts to be selected by the Rockets with the No. 3 pick. Banchero believes that’s two slots too low, USA Today’s David Thompson writes.

“I feel like I am the best player in the draft and I feel like I showed that throughout the year,” he said. “I feel like I showed everything with my skill sets and my intangibles.”

However, he wouldn’t be disappointed if he ends up playing with Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr in Houston.

“Those are two extremely skilled, extremely talented players,” Banchero said. “Both guys I’ve known for a while. I feel like playing with them would be fun.”

We have more draft-related info:

Notre Dame’s Blake Wesley is the latest player to get a green room invite, Jonathan Givony of ESPN tweets. He’s currently ranked No. 27 on ESPN’s Best Available list. There are now 22 players with green room invitations.
Jalen Williams has worked out for the Clippers, Warriors, Nuggets, Grizzlies, Bucks, Thunder and Spurs, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee tweets. ESPN ranks the Santa Clara guard at No. 21. Williams will soon visit the Cavaliers, Anderson adds.
In Basketball News’ Matt Babcock’s latest mock draft, Williams winds up with the Grizzlies at No. 22. Jabari Smith is the Magic‘s pick at No. 1.

LSU's Eason Could Spark Defense

June 16th, 2022 at 8:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

There are 10 players on the Cavaliers’ radar for the No. 14 pick, according to Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. It’s logical to assume LSU forward Tari Eason is one of them, and Fedor sees Eason as a potential defensive force alongside Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.

Central Notes: Pistons Prospects, Griffin, Bucks Wings, Chandler

June 14th, 2022 at 8:36pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Pistons could go in a variety of directions with the No. 5 pick in the upcoming draft, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. According to Edwards, while Purdue guard Jaden Ivey or Iowa forward Keegan Murray seem most likely to be selected, Arizona swingman Bennedict Mathurin enjoyed a good workout with the club and has impressed Detroit’s front office personnel.

Edwards considers the 6’4″ Ivey, a consensus All-American and a 2021/22 All-Big Ten selection, to have the highest ceiling among this trio. In 36 college contests, Ivey averaged 17.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 3.1 APG and 0.9 SPG with a shooting line of .460/.358/.744.

Edwards acknowledges that the versatile Murray seems more readily capable of contributing at the next level than Ivey. The 6’8″ forward, himself a consensus All-American and 2021/22 All-Big Ten honoree while with the Hawkeyes, averaged 23.5 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.9 BPG, 1.5 APG and 1.3 SPG across 35 games.

Mathurin projects to be a solid long-range shooter and wing defender, Edwards writes. Mathurin was a consensus All-American and the 2021/22 Pac-12 Player of the Year during his second season with the Wildcats, averaging 17.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG and 2.5 APG. During his sophomore season, the 6’7″ guard boasted shooting averages of .450/.369/.764.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

Former Duke small forward AJ Griffin believes he would be a good match for the Pacers, per James Boyd of the Indianapolis Star. The Pacers possess the sixth pick in the 2022 draft. “I think I would fit perfectly,” Griffin said. “Just being able to play with guys who look for their open teammates and get your teammates going, I think I would fit perfectly… I love [guard Tyrese Haliburton]’s game.” Though Griffin averaged a fairly modest 10.4 PPG and 3.9 RPG as a one-and-done freshman for the Blue Devils, he proved to be a promising three-point shooter, connecting on 44.7% of his 4.1 long-range looks per night. The 18-year-old is currently listed as the ninth-best player on ESPN’s big board.
Though the Bucks did not defend their 2021 title in the 2022 postseason, the team’s rotation wings performed at a high level during the 2021/22 season, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Nehm grades the on-court play of All-Star small forward Khris Middleton, swingman Wesley Matthews, guard Pat Connaughton, guard Grayson Allen, and the rest of Milwaukee’s perimeter players.
The Cavaliers are set to work out Tennessee point guard Kennedy Chandler on Wednesday, according to Andrew Slater of Pro Insight (Twitter link). Cleveland possesses the No. 14 pick at the end of the 2022 draft lottery. Chandler was the MVP of the 2022 SEC Tournament. A 2022 All-SEC Second Team selection, the 6’0″ guard averaged 13.9 PPG, 4.7 APG and 3.2 RPG on .464/.383/.606 shooting for the Volunteers. Chandler is listed as the No. 19 prospect on the latest ESPN board.

Draft Notes: Wesley, Sotto, Rockets, Timberwolves

June 13th, 2022 at 8:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Notre Dame shooting guard Blake Wesley has upcoming workouts scheduled with the Grizzlies, Heat and Bulls, Josh Robbins of The Athletic tweets. Wesley told Robbins he had already worked out for the Spurs, Cavaliers, Bucks and Pistons.

A potential first-round selection, the 6’5” Wesley is ranked No. 27 overall on ESPN’s Best Available list.

We have more draft-related news:

International center prospect Kai Sotto will return to NBA team workouts this week on the West Coast after nursing a sprained ankle, Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com tweets. He already worked out for the Knicks, Magic and Hawks, among others. The 7’3” big man from the Philippines spent last season in Australia’s National Basketball League, averaging 7.5 PPG and 4.5 RPG for the Adelaide 36ers.
The Rockets are sitting at the No. 3 spot and will presumably take the remaining big man in the trio of Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren and Paolo Banchero, unless there’s a draft-day surprise. The Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen picks the brains of some NBA executives and a college coach to get a handle on how the trio’s skills will translate to the NBA.
The Timberwolves brought in six prospects on Monday, Andrew Slater tweets. That group included Tyson Etienne (Wichita State), Jermaine Samuels (Villanova), Aminu Mohammed (Georgetown,) Justin Lewis (Marquette), Fanbo Zeng (G League Ignite) and Kalob Ledoux (Louisiana Tech).

O’Connor’s Latest: Sixers, Collins, Blazers, Cavs, Magic

June 13th, 2022 at 2:21pm CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers are exploring potential trades involving the No. 23 pick in the 2022 draft and Danny Green‘s expiring $10MM contract, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer reports within his latest mock draft.

Because they owe their unprotected 2023 first-round pick to Brooklyn, the Sixers can’t trade their 2022 first-rounder until after it has been used. However, they could reach a tentative trade agreement on or before draft night and make that pick on another team’s behalf, officially completing the deal after the draft.

Using Green’s expiring contract as a salary-matching piece would also be a little tricky, since it’s currently non-guaranteed, meaning it would count as $0 for outgoing purposes. The Sixers could guarantee some or all of Green’s $10MM salary to make it more useful in a trade. But the more money they guarantee, the less appealing it will be as an asset to a potential trade partner, since Green is expected to miss most or all of next season after tearing his ACL.

Here’s more from O’Connor:

The Hawks are looking to acquire a lottery pick and are dangling John Collins, league sources tell The Ringer. It sounds like Atlanta also wouldn’t be opposed to including the No. 16 pick in the right deal. The Trail Blazers, who hold the seventh overall pick, are one of the teams the Hawks have talked to, says O’Connor.
O’Connor is the latest reporter to hear from sources that the Cavaliers would like to re-sign Collin Sexton and bring back point guard Ricky Rubio, and to confirm that the Pistons are among the teams with interest in Sexton.
Chet Holmgren “has some supporters” within the Magic‘s front office, but O’Connor believes “all indications” point to Orlando selecting Jabari Smith with the No. 1 overall pick.

Eastern Notes: Buckner, Cavaliers, Williams III, Sixers, Brogdon

June 12th, 2022 at 7:55pm CST by JD Shaw

The Cavaliers are promoting assistant Greg Buckner to an associate head coach position, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter). As Wojnarowski notes, Buckner played a key role in helping Cleveland become a strong defensive team last season.

Buckner spent 11 years in the NBA as a player from 1998-2009. He joined the Rockets as a player development coach in 2011, then became an assistant with the Grizzlies in 2017. The Cavaliers hired him in 2020.

Cleveland finished with a 44-38 record this season, dealing with several injuries throughout the year. The team lost in the play-in tournament and failed to make the playoffs for the fourth year in a row.

There’s more from the Eastern Conference tonight:

Celtics center Robert Williams III tweaked his knee and asked to come out of Game 4 on Friday, head coach Ime Udoka said, as relayed by Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). However, Williams is hopeful to play in Game 5. The shot-blocking big man has dealt with knee soreness for several weeks. Williams said he feels better and is relieved to have more of his usual explosion lately, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston tweets.
The Sixers‘ recent handling of a third star hasn’t been good, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. If Philadelphia pursues a trade for another star, Pompey believes the team must make sure he’s the right fit. As it stands, the Sixers are headlined by James Harden and Joel Embiid, but the team also has two quality players in Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris behind them. That quartet alone combined to score 86.3 points per game last season.
James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required) examines whether Malcolm Brogdon has played his last game with Indiana. Brogdon played a career-low 36 games this past season with the Pacers, who could explore his value on the trade market during the offseason. He averaged 19.1 points per contest on 45% shooting last year.

Draft Notes: Duren, Agbaji, Washington, Griffin, Davis

June 12th, 2022 at 11:57am CST by Arthur Hill

Longtime coach Larry Brown, now serving as an assistant at the University of Memphis, believes Tigers center Jalen Duren has a bright future in the NBA, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Brown talked to Knicks general manager Scott Perry recently about Duren and teammate Josh Minott, who is projected as a second-round pick. Brown says Duren has similar skills as Heat big man Bam Adebayo.

“A lot of people compare him to Bam,’’ Brown said. “I spent time with Cal [Kentucky coach John Calipari] when Bam was there. Bam doesn’t shoot 3s either. Jalen is 3 inches taller than Bam. … I always teased him: I wanted him to be like [former Pistons center] Ben Wallace because he can run with anybody. He really can run. And can move his feet defensively.’’

The Knicks could consider Duren with the 11th pick if they’re not sure about re-signing free agent center Mitchell Robinson. There are concerns that coach Tom Thibodeau may not want to take the time to develop an 18-year-old center prospect, but Brown is convinced the wait will be worth it.

“If someone’s taking him to be starter on a playoff team, I don’t think it’s completely fair,’’ Brown said. “He’s 18. If you’re looking at a kid to develop and really be a factor, he’s the one you got to consider. … He wants to be coached. That’s important, especially with Thibs. He’ll coach him and demand things, and he’ll respond to that.’”

There’s more draft-related news to pass along:

As a four-year college player, Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji is a rarity among potential lottery picks, notes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Agbaji said he’s been studying Desmond Bane, who followed the same path before succeeding with the Grizzlies. “That’s someone that I would say is similar to me game-wise. We’re both athletic, strong and can guard and make plays off the bounce, too,” Agbaji said after working out Friday for the Wizards. “He was a four-year guy, went under the radar and has his feet down in Memphis now. That’s really cool seeing that. He’s one of those guys who I saw his transition into the league.”
TyTy Washington sat out the end of his workout with the Wizards on Saturday after banging his knee in a collision, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. A team trainer checked Washington and said the knee will be OK. The Kentucky guard has also worked out for the Thunder, Knicks and Cavaliers and has upcoming sessions with the Spurs and Pelicans (Twitter link).
Duke forward AJ Griffin will work out for the Pacers Monday, tweets James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star. Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis moved his workout with Indiana to Tuesday because of scheduling issues.

Identifying Potential Cavs Free-Agent Targets, Ricky Rubio Reunion Chances

June 11th, 2022 at 3:20pm CST by JD Shaw

In her latest mailbag, Kelsey Russo of The Athletic examines the chances of a Ricky Rubio reunion and considers other potential Cavaliers free agent targets. Rubio was highly effective before suffering a torn ACL, helping keep the Cavs in the playoff mix in the Eastern Conference.