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Cavaliers To Acquire Rajon Rondo From Lakers

December 31st, 2021 at 11:17am CST by Rory Maher

DECEMBER 31, 11:17am: There are no other assets such as draft picks or cash included in the trade, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic (Twitter link), who says it’s a straight swap: Rondo for Valentine.

Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link) provides some financial details on the deal, noting that each team will generate a small traded player exception.

DECEMBER 31, 10:08am: The Lakers will trade Rondo to the Cavaliers, according to Charania (via Twitter).

Sources tell Wojnarowski that Cleveland will send Denzel Valentine to Los Angeles in the deal. The Lakers are expected to waive Valentine, who has a partially guaranteed contract, Woj adds. That would open up a spot on L.A.’s 15-man roster and could save the team some money, depending on how long that roster spot remains open.

So far, there’s no indication that any other assets are involved in the swap, but it’s not yet official, so more details could trickle in.

DECEMBER 30, 5:30pm: The Cavaliers are in serious discussions with the Lakers to acquire point guard Rajon Rondo, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports (via Twitter). ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets that the deal is expected to be completed as soon as Friday.

Cleveland lost Ricky Rubio to a season-ending torn left ACL on Wednesday and is seeking point depth in the veteran Rondo, who’s currently sidelined due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

In 18 games this season (16.1 MPG), the 35-year-old Rondo is averaging 3.1 PPG, 2.7 RPG, and 3.7 APG. The four-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion has seen his minutes and games played reduced in recent years, but he’s known for turning things up a notch in the playoffs. Given the Cavs’ lack of guard depth, acquiring Rondo could be a decent move, as Darius Garland has shown he can play well with other strong passers like Rubio.

Kevin Pangos, the only other point guard on Cleveland’s roster, will get his first career start Thursday against the Wizards, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter link). Garland is currently sidelined in the protocols, leading to a big opportunity for Pangos. He was one of the better players in Europe over the past handful of years, so it will be interesting to monitor how he performs in his first prime-time action.

It’s not yet known what other pieces may be included in a Rondo deal, but a player technically isn’t required in return, since the point guard is on a one-year veteran’s minimum contract, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN.

Lamar Stevens, Dean Wade and Ed Davis are all on non-guaranteed deals for the Cavaliers, while Denzel Valentine‘s contract is partially guaranteed at $500K (he’s already earned more than that by sticking with the team this long). Of the four players, I believe Valentine or Davis are the most likely to be traded/waived, as Wade and Stevens are both younger players the Cavs have developed over time.

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COVID-19 Updates: Wizards, Trail Blazers, Heat, Rockets, Sixers, I. Thomas, More

December 30th, 2021 at 8:22pm CST by Rory Maher

The league continues to be battered by players entering and exiting the health and safety protocols. If any of the players entering the protocols registered a confirmed positive COVID-19 test, they’ll remain sidelined for at least six days or until they can return two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart.

Here are the latest updates from around the NBA:

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Three Cavs Out Of Protocols

December 30th, 2021 at 9:38am CST by Luke Adams
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Cavaliers’ Ricky Rubio Out For Season With Torn ACL

December 29th, 2021 at 4:34pm CST by Rory Maher

Cavaliers guard Ricky Rubio has suffered a torn ACL in his left knee and will miss the remainder of the 2021/22 season, the team announced (Twitter link). Rubio suffered the same injury to the same knee as a rookie in 2012.

It’s terrible news for both player and team, as Rubio will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2022, and Cleveland had already lost starting guard Collin Sexton for the season to a torn meniscus which required surgery. ACL tears typically have a recovery timeline of about 12 months, so Rubio might not return to the court again until 2023.

The 31-year-old point guard has been instrumental to the Cavaliers’ surprising 20-14 start to the season; they are currently fifth in the East after winning just 22 games last season. Rubio appeared in all 34 of the team’s games to this point, averaging 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.4 steals in 28.5 MPG.

His shooting slash line of .363/.339/.854 isn’t great, but he has been a locker-room leader, mentor, clutch shot-maker and defensive presence for the young Cavs. He’s currently 10th in the league in defensive win shares, per Basketball-Reference.

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks relays (via Twitter), the Cavs could receive a disabled player exception worth $8.9MM if they choose to apply for it by January 15. However, the Cavs are currently only $3.1MM below the luxury tax threshold and already have a full roster, so they might not end up using it even if they receive it, which they almost certainly would.

Cleveland’s guard depth will be tested with Rubio and Sexton out for the season; rising star Darius Garland is also out for the short term, in the league’s health and safety protocols. Little-used backup Kevin Pangos and rookie two-way player RJ Nembhard could see an uptick in minutes with the three players sidelined. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Cavs target guards in trades, either.

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Cavaliers Sign Malik Newman To 10-Day Contract

December 29th, 2021 at 10:14am CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

DECEMBER 29: Newman’s 10-day deal is now official, according to NBA.com’s transactions log. It’ll run through January 7, covering Cleveland’s next five games.

DECEMBER 28: The Cavaliers will add 6’3″ shooting guard Malik Newman to a 10-day contract using a hardship exception, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter).

As Charania notes, Newman had most recently been playing for the Cavaliers’ NBAGL affiliate club, the Cleveland Charge. The 24-year-old out of Kansas has averaged 17.8 PPG, 3.8 APG, and 3.2 RPG on .473/.423/.789 shooting in 13 games (27.2 MPG) for the Charge this season. He has played in exactly one NBA game, for the Cavaliers, during the 2019/20 season.

Cleveland has six players in the NBA’s health and safety protocols as of this writing, including star guard Darius Garland and little-used reserve Dylan Windler. Guard Collin Sexton is also out for the season after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. Jarrett Allen, Ed Davis, Cedi Osman and Lamar Stevens round out the club’s COVID-19 absences.

Newman will be the Cavs’ fourth hardship addition, joining Luke Kornet, Justin Anderson, and Tre Scott.

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Ricky Rubio Undergoing MRI On Knee Injury

December 29th, 2021 at 9:01am CST by Luke Adams

Cavaliers guard Ricky Rubio, who left Tuesday’s game after injuring his left knee, will get an MRI on that knee today to determine the severity of the injury, according to ESPN’s Andrew Lopez and Adrian Wojnarowski.

Rubio has played a key role in the Cavaliers’ resurgence this season — although he hasn’t been in the starting lineup for most of the year, the veteran point guard has logged 970 total minutes, the second-highest mark on the team.

Rubio, who wasn’t able to put any weight on his left leg as he left the court on Tuesday night, tore his left ACL back in 2012, Lopez notes. The Cavaliers are holding their breath and hoping that this injury isn’t as serious as that one.

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Central Notes: DiVincenzo, Love, Vucevic, Pistons

December 28th, 2021 at 2:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Donte DiVincenzo missed two early layups in his return to action on Saturday, but that didn’t take away from his joy at being back on the court for the first time since May, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. It has taken seven months for the Bucks guard to work his way back from a torn ligament in his left ankle that he suffered in the first round of the playoffs.

Milwaukee’s first championship in 50 years was more remarkable considering that it was accomplished without DiVincenzo, who became a starter last year in his third NBA season. He had been scheduled to return December 15, but was forced to wait 10 extra days after entering the league’s health and safety protocols.

“I was telling Jrue (Holiday) afterwards, it kind of felt like rookie year,” DiVincenzo said. “I had those little butterflies in my stomach, anxious being on the court, just running around, I was like, ‘I’m back!’ So, it took me a little while. Obviously, it’s going to take a while. I haven’t touched a ball in a little while and just trying to get a rhythm. I’m just happy that I’m back. You can’t do anything unless you have your health on the court, so that’s all I’m thankful for, and I’ll keep building off of that.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

  • Brian Windhorst of ESPN looks at how the Cavaliers have found success by defying the league’s trend toward smaller lineups. In the space of less than a month, Cleveland drafted Evan Mobley, gave a $100MM extension to Jarrett Allen and traded for Lauri Markkanen. The Cavs have also benefited from a happier Kevin Love, who has accepted playing 20 minutes per night in a reserve role. “We’ve got a good thing going and I’m having a lot of fun,” he said. “It’s going to be great watching this young team develop.”
  • Nikola Vucevic has looked like a different player since the Bulls returned from their week-long break due to postponements and he credits advice from coach Billy Donovan, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “One thing that when I spoke to Billy that has stuck out and helped me is he knew I was frustrated with shooting the ball and he was like obviously as a player you want to shoot the ball well,” Vucevic said, “but his main thing was I shouldn’t let that affect the rest of my game.’’
  • With eight players and three assistant coaches in protocols, the Pistons are enjoying the advantages of having a G League team close to home, observes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. The team has called up Cheick Diallo, Derrick Walton, Cassius Stanley and Deividas Sirvydis, along with Motor City Cruise coach DJ Bakker.
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COVID-19 Roundup: Nets, Timberwolves, Cavaliers, Knicks, Wizards, Thunder

December 28th, 2021 at 12:52pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The NBA’s new guidelines regarding its health and safety protocols have resulted in several players being released from protocols this morning. The league and its players union agreed Monday to shorten the minimum required quarantine period for a vaccinated COVID-positive players and coaches from 10 days to six.

Here is the latest news on who has entered and cleared protocols today:

  • Nets stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are out of protocols, as is LaMarcus Aldridge, tweets Tim Bontemps of ESPN. While Durant and Aldridge may be ready for Thursday’s game, Irving is still working his way back into game condition and remains ineligible to play in home games because he hasn’t met New York City’s vaccine requirement.
  • Timberwolves forward Taurean Prince has cleared protocols and will rejoin the team, but won’t play tonight against the Knicks, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Minnesota also gets back Anthony Edwards and Naz Reid (Twitter link).
  • Cavaliers power forward Evan Mobley has cleared protocols and is set to reunite with the club today, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports (via Twitter). Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com tweets that the Cavaliers hope to have Mobley play in tonight’s game against the Pelicans, but will put him through his pregame paces first to gauge his conditioning level.
  • Unfortunately, just as one of Cleveland’s best players recovers, another will be absent. Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, enjoying a nearly All-Star-level season with Cleveland, has entered the NBA’s coronavirus protocols, tweets Kelsey Russo of The Athletic.
  • Knicks rookie point guard guard Miles McBride has cleared protocols, the team has announced (via Twitter). New York adds that he has rejoined the team ahead of its game tonight against the Timberwolves.
  • Veteran Heat power forward Udonis Haslem has entered the league’s coronavirus protocols, writes Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. Heat point guard Kyle Lowry is also in protocols. Miami assistant coach Chris Quinn will return to the sidelines, Chiang adds.
  • Wizards forwards Rui Hachimura and Montrezl Harrell have entered the league’s COVID-19 protocols, joining six other Washington players, the team has announced (Twitter link). Hachimura has missed the Wizards’ entire season thus far due to personal reasons. Among the others, unvaccinated All-Star guard Bradley Beal is still in protocols and Wallace reports that his status is “questionable” prior to the Wizards’ upcoming contest against the Heat tonight. Center Thomas Bryant, wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and guards Anthony Gill, Aaron Holiday and Raul Neto are still in protocols.
  • Thunder rookie guard Josh Giddey has entered the league’s health and safety protocols, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Head coach Mark Daigneault has also entered the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols, and will be replaced by assistant coach Mike Wilks starting with this evening’s contest against the Kings, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter). Wilks, a former journeyman NBA guard, suited up for four games with the Thunder during the 2009/10 season, Joe Mussatto of the Oklahoman adds (Twitter link). Players Darius Bazley, Tre Mann, Aleksej Pokusevski, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl remain in the protocols for Oklahoma City.
  • Keep track of all the players currently in COVID-19 protocols through out our daily tracker.

Arthur Hill contributed to this report.

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Bickerstaff Extension Delivers Continuity

December 27th, 2021 at 8:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Cavaliers awarded coach J.B. Bickerstaff with a lucrative Christmas present, extending him through the 2026/27 season. Continuity on the coaching staff will allow the team’s young core to grow, Kelsey Russo of The Athletic opines. It also ensures that the positive culture Bickerstaff has built will become a fixture.

“It’s meaningful to know that you’re with an organization and with a group of people that believe in you and believe in what we’re building and what we’re working towards,” the Cavaliers’ head coach said. “When you have that support, it just gives you more confidence to go out and do the job that you see fit.”

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COVID-19 Updates: Suns, Blazers, Rockets, Wolves, More

December 26th, 2021 at 9:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are the latest health and safety protocols updates from around the NBA:

Entering the protocols:

  • Jae Crowder and Elfrid Payton have become the first two Suns players to enter the COVID-19 protocols, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
  • The Trail Blazers‘ outbreak continues to grow, with Jusuf Nurkic and Cody Zeller among the players now in the protocols, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Seven Portland players have been placed in the protocols since Friday.
  • Rockets guard Garrison Mathews became the second Houston guard to enter the protocols today, joining teammate D.J. Augustin, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link).
  • Timberwolves big man Naz Reid is now in the health and safety protocols, bringing Minnesota’s list of affected players up to eight, tweets Chris Hine of The Star Tribune.
  • The Thunder announced today that they’ve placed rookie guard Tre Mann in the protocols. Oklahoma City now has two players affected — Mann and Darius Bazley.

Exiting the protocols:

  • Point guard De’Aaron Fox returned to action on Sunday when the Kings hosted Memphis. Fox had been in the health and safety protocols since December 16.
  • A pair of Timberwolves – Patrick Beverley and Josh Okogie – are no longer in the health and safety protocols, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. They’re both listed as questionable for Monday’s game vs. Boston.
  • Clippers forward Marcus Morris has cleared the health and safety protocols, though he remained inactive on Sunday as he goes through a reconditioning period, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.
  • Cavaliers wing RJ Nembhard was no longer listed on the team’s injury report on Sunday and played vs. Toronto, so he’s out of the protocols. Isaac Okoro has exited the protocols too, though he’s still working his way back, according to head coach J.B. Bickerstaff (Twitter link via Kelsey Russo of The Athletic).
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