Hoops Rumors Originals

NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Southeast Division

November 6th, 2018 at 11:13am CST by Luke Adams

Over the course of the 2018/19 NBA season, up until February’s trade deadline, we’re keeping an eye on potential trade candidates from around the NBA, monitoring their value and exploring the likelihood that they’ll be moved. Each of these looks at possible trade candidates focuses on a specific division, as we zero in on three players from that division.

Viewed as perhaps the weakest division in the NBA coming into the season, the Southeast has been even worse than expected during the first month, with the Wizards and Heat both struggling. Not every Southeast team will be a seller at the deadline, but it looks safe to assume that at least a couple will.

Here’s our early-season look at a few possible trade candidates from the Southeast…

Kent Bazemore, F
Atlanta Hawks
$18.09MM cap hit; guaranteed $19.27MM player option for 2019/20

Frequently mentioned in trade rumors over the summer, Bazemore hasn’t been the subject of many recent reports, but his name figures to surface again in the coming months. The 3-6 Hawks are well on their way to a spot in the lottery, and Bazemore only has one year on his contract beyond this season. He makes much more sense as a complementary three-and-D wing for a contending team than he does as a long-term piece in Atlanta.

Bazemore has struggled with his three-point shot so far in 2018/19 (.326 3PT%), but he made a career-best 39.4% of his long-distance attempts last season, and he has otherwise been solid this year, posting career bests in PPG (14.3) and FG% (.485) in the early going. His cap charge will make a deal tricky for some teams, but if Atlanta is willing to take another unwanted contract back in a deal, there should be teams with interest.

The Pelicans and Rockets were two teams linked to Bazemore during the offseason, and both clubs still have a need on the wing. New Orleans could use Solomon Hill as a salary-matching piece, while Houston could use Brandon Knight‘s contract for matching purposes.

Marvin Williams, F
Charlotte Hornets
$14.09MM cap hit; $15MM player option for 2019/20

Williams checks a lot of the same boxes that Bazemore does — he’s a wing with good size who can knock down a three-pointer and switch between various positions on defense. He’s also a little less expensive. However, there are two roadblocks in the way of a potential Williams deal.

For one, the Hornets – unlike the Hawks – have serious playoff aspirations in 2018/19 and won’t want to surrender a reliable veteran who could help them get there. Secondly, Williams hasn’t exactly been boosting his trade stock so far. His 6.5 PPG and .371 FG% would both be career worsts, and if he doesn’t start playing better, he won’t help the Hornets win or net them anything in a trade.

Charlotte’s forward rotation will be worth watching this season. With rookie Miles Bridges looking great so far, it seems like just a matter of time until the Hornets part with at least one of Williams, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, or Nicolas Batum, if they can.

Dion Waiters, G
Miami Heat
$11.55MM cap hit; contract guaranteed through 2020/21

The Heat were already loaded with shooting guard depth and exploring ways to move Waiters even before Rodney McGruder emerged as a more reliable option early this season. Now the former fourth overall pick looks even more expendable.

Unfortunately for the Heat, the ankle injury that ended Waiters’ 2017/18 season early has kept him out of action so far this fall, and there’s no indication of when he might return to action. The 26-year-old’s contract, which still has two years left after this season, will probably still create negative value even after he gets healthy, but if he’s able to get back on the court and show off some of the talent that earned him that four-year investment in the first place, it’d go a long way toward rebuilding his stock.

The Timberwolves, for instance, might view a Jimmy Butler offer of Josh Richardson, a first-round pick, and Waiters much more favorably if they thought they could count on Waiters to stay on the court and contribute.

Previously:

NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Central (10/25)
NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Atlantic (10/31)

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Community Shootaround: NBA Coaches On Hot Seat

November 5th, 2018 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers‘ firing of Tyronn Lue last month represented the first in-season coaching change of the 2018/19 NBA season, but odds are it won’t be the last. As I outlined last week, six of the last eight NBA seasons have featured multiple in-season coaching changes, with at least three head coaches being replaced during the season in all six of those years.

Those numbers don’t guarantee that two more head coaches will be dismissed during the 2018/19 season, but they suggest it would be a bit of a surprise if the NBA’s other 29 coaches make it through the year unscathed.

So which head coaches may be on the hottest seats this season? The underperforming clubs deserve the first look. That means Scott Brooks, whose Wizards are just 2-7, and Luke Walton, who has led LeBron James and the new-look Lakers to a 4-6 start.

Of course, multiple recent reports have suggested that Brooks still has the full support of the Wizards’ organization. And after word broke that Lakers president Magic Johnson “admonished” Walton following the Lakers’ slow start, Johnson gave his head coach a strong public vote of confidence.

If Brooks’ and Walton’s seats weren’t at least a little warm though, there’d be no need for those votes of confidence in the first place. The Rockets, for instance, are off to an underwhelming 3-5 start, but there has been no chatter about Mike D’Antoni‘s job security — presumably because the organization is confident that he’ll turn things around.

Expectations weren’t terribly high for the Bulls (2-8) entering the season, and injuries have decimated their lineup, but it’s possible we may soon begin hearing some speculation about Fred Hoiberg‘s future if the losses keep piling up.

A former Chicago coach, Tom Thibodeau, also appears to be on the hot seat in Minnesota, as Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic notes in his latest mailbag. But even with the Timberwolves off to 4-6 start and dealing with Jimmy Butler drama, the team has shown no inclination to make a change at this point.

What do you think? Which coaches around the NBA deserve to be under serious scrutiny? Which coach will be the next one ousted?

Jump into the comment section below to weigh in!

Trade Rumors App For iOS/Android

November 4th, 2018 at 2:50pm CST by Luke Adams

If you enjoy Hoops Rumors on your smartphone or tablet, be sure to check out our free Trade Rumors app!

Trade Rumors, available for iOS and Android, is the best way to consume our content on a mobile device. Here’s what it delivers, all for free:

All the articles from Hoops Rumors, MLB Trade Rumors, Pro Football Rumors, and Pro Hockey Rumors in an easy-to-navigate, eye-catching format. Swipe through stories to quickly consume all the news and rumors from our four sites. Not into all four sports? No problem – any sport can be easily removed.
Customize what you see. You can create feeds for any team or player across any of our sites.
Notifications. For any team or player, you can set up push notifications to ensure you always get breaking news instantly. Notifications can also be set up at the sport level.
Commenting. You can read and contribute comments on the app seamlessly.
Customer service. If you find a bug, we’ll fix it. If you have a feature request, we’ll consider it. The app is continually evolving and improving.
Did we mention Trade Rumors is a free app? What do you have to lose? Download it now!

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Hoops Rumors Originals

Hoops Rumors Originals: 10/27/18 – 11/3/18

November 3rd, 2018 at 6:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

Every week, our writing team here at Hoops Rumors creates original content to complement our news feed. Below are the original segments and features from the past seven days:

In the wake of Tyronn Lue’s firing, Luke Adams examined how teams have fared after recent in-season coaching changes.
He also compiled a full list of rookie scale option decisions for next season in the wake of Wednesday’s deadline.
Chris Crouse looked at the fantasy impact of the upheaval in Cleveland.
We previewed five storylines to watch in November.
Our Trade Candidate Watch series focused on the Atlantic Division.
Our Free Agent Stock Watch series also put a spotlight on the Atlantic.
In this week’s polls we asked our readers about the Wizards’ chances to reach the postseason and the early favorites in the Eastern Conference.
In our Community Shootarounds, we discussed the Trail Blazers’ playoff chances and the issues surrounding the Wizards.

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Hoops Rumors Originals

Hoops Rumors Originals: 10/28/18 – 11/03/18

November 3rd, 2018 at 2:44pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Every week, our writing team here at Hoops Rumors creates original content to complement our news feed. Below are the original segments and features from the past seven days:

More than a few players could be changing teams in November and Luke Adams examined five potential storylines to watch in regard to player movement.
Luke Adams identified some trade candidates within the Atlantic Division, including the Knicks‘ Courtney Lee.
In our weekly Fantasy Hoops series, I examined the drama surrounding the Cavaliers and how fantasy owners can benefit from the dysfunction.
With Tyronn Lue claiming the title of first coach fired, Luke Adams took a look at the recent history of in-season NBA coaching changes.
The deadline for teams to exercise a third- or fourth-year option was Wednesday and Luke Adams recapped all of the teams’ decisions.
In our Community Shootarounds this week, we asked:
- Should the Wizards make moves to become more competitive?
- Do the TrailBlazers have enough on the roster to again make the playoffs in a crowded Western Conference?
In a poll, Eric Spyropoulos asked about the Wizards‘ playoffs chances. At the time of this writing, roughly 67% of readers believe Washington can still make the playoffs and earn a lower seed.
In another poll, Luke Adams asked which team is the early favorite to win the Eastern Conference. The Raptors are currently in the lead with 42% of the votes.

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Hoops Rumors Originals

Five NBA Storylines To Watch In November

November 2nd, 2018 at 9:46am CST by Luke Adams

November typically isn’t a busy month for the NBA when it comes to roster changes and player movement. Most offseason signees can’t be traded until at least December 15, free agents can’t be signed to 10-day contracts yet, and the majority of the NBA’s teams are still trying to determine whether or not they need to make any tweaks to their respective rosters.

Still, there are a few noteworthy storylines related to potential player movement worth watching this month. Here are five of them:

1. Will Jimmy Butler finally be traded?

It may feel like Butler has been on the trade block for all of 2018, but word of his trade request only broke about a month and a half ago. Despite the apparent dysfunction it has created in Minnesota, the Timberwolves have shown they’re in no rush to honor that request.

The Wolves won’t be under real pressure to make a move until the February 7 trade deadline, but multiple NBA reporters and experts have suggested they wouldn’t be surprised if a deal gets done by Thanksgiving. If things get any worse in Minnesota, or if potential trade suitors for Butler get a little more desperate in the coming weeks, it could expedite the process.

2. Will any struggling playoff teams make major changes?

The Wizards (1-6), Rockets (1-5), Lakers (3-5), and Thunder (3-4) are off to rocky starts despite being widely regarded as probable playoff teams entering the season. The Thunder are playing a little better lately and the Lakers were always expected to need some time to figure things out, so I wouldn’t expect either of those clubs to do anything drastic, but there’s not much margin for error in the West.

The Wizards and Rockets would be better candidates for a drastic shake-up if they continue to lose. Scott Brooks reportedly isn’t on the hot seat in Washington, but that could change if the team can’t turn things around once Dwight Howard is back. In Houston, a major trade (for Butler?) would be more likely than a head coaching change.

3. Will the Cavaliers make any roster moves?

The one team that already made a coaching change since the season began is now a strong candidate to be one of the NBA’s most active sellers prior to February’s trade deadline. A potential Cavaliers fire sale could start as early as this month — there are trade scenarios involving veterans like Kyle Korver and J.R. Smith that could be pursued without having to wait for trade restrictions to lift in December.

Kevin Love also figures to become a trade candidate this season, but he won’t be eligible to be dealt until January 24, having recently signed an extension.

4. Will Patrick McCaw‘s restricted free agency finally be resolved?

Most NBA free agents sign new deals in July, or at least by the start of training camp. McCaw’s restricted free agency, however, continues to drag out into the regular season, vexing his teammates.

There are no RFA deadlines on the calendar for November, so it’s possible McCaw will remain a free agent a month from now. At this point, with the Warriors and their shooting guard locked in a stalemate, it appears the only hope of a resolution would involve one side caving and giving into the other. Considering how good the Dubs have looked so far this season, they seem unlikely to get desperate and increase their reported two-year offer to McCaw.

5. What sort of impact will the start of the G League season have on the NBA?

The NBA G League begins its regular season on Friday night, with a record 27 teams playing in the league this year. That means we’re likely to see frequent shuttling of players between the NBA and the G League in the coming weeks and months, with clubs assigning, recalling, and transferring players back and forth between their NBAGL affiliates and their NBA squads.

It also means that players on G League contracts will have an opportunity to make a case that they’re worthy of consideration from NBA teams. There are five open two-way contract slots around the NBA, as well as 11 open roster spots. G League call-ups could fill some of those spots, especially if injuries start piling up for certain clubs.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Hoops Rumors Originals

Poll: Early Eastern Conference Favorites

November 1st, 2018 at 11:57am CST by Luke Adams

Entering the 2018/19 season, the Celtics were widely viewed as the Eastern Conference’s best team. Oddsmakers placed their over/under for the year at 59.5 wins, and our readers predicted that they’d eclipse that number.

Seven games into their season, the Celtics have had a couple minor missteps, including a home loss to Orlando, but there’s no reason to believe that they aren’t still among the favorites in the East.

Still, a pair of Boston’s rivals have stepped up as potentially legit challengers to come out of the conference. The Raptors are 7-1, having defeated the Celtics and Sixers so far, with their only loss coming in Milwaukee in a game Kawhi Leonard missed. The Bucks, meanwhile, are the NBA’s last undefeated team at 7-0. They haven’t scored fewer than 113 points in a game this season, and comfortably dispatched Toronto on Monday without Giannis Antetokounmpo in their lineup.

It’s very early in the season, but the Raptors and Bucks have looked like the best possible versions of themselves so far. Leonard is healthy and is playing like one of the NBA’s best two-way stars, with Kyle Lowry also off to a great start and the Raptors’ deep rotation of complementary players thriving. In Milwaukee, Mike Budenholzer‘s arrival has helped unlock the club’s offensive potential, with Antetokounmpo making an early case for MVP consideration and Khris Middleton serving as a strong second option.

There are other potential contenders in the East. The Sixers remain dangerous, especially if they can add another shooter or two. The Heat will be very intriguing if they can acquire Jimmy Butler from Minnesota. The Pacers are playing well again, and Dwane Casey is turning the Pistons into a potential threat. In the early going though, the Celtics, Raptors, and Bucks appear to be the three strongest threats to come out of the East.

With the Bucks having beaten Toronto and the Raptors having defeated the Celtics so far this season, the C’s will get a chance to complete the circle by handing the Bucks their first loss tonight in Boston. It’ll be a good early-season test for a Milwaukee team that will have Antetokounmpo back in its lineup.

Again, it’s too early in the season to draw any definitive conclusions, but have your views on the East changed at all over the last two or three weeks? Which team is your current pick to represent the Eastern conference in the NBA Finals?

Place your vote below and then head to the comment section to share your two cents.

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

Recap Of 2019/20 Rookie Scale Option Decisions

November 1st, 2018 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

Decisions on rookie scale options for the 2019/20 season were due on Wednesday — any team that wanted to exercise a third- or fourth-year option on a player for next season was required to do so by last night.

As is typically the case, most of those options were picked up. Even for top picks, who are paid higher salaries due to the NBA’s rookie scale, those third- and fourth-year options are relatively team-friendly. So unless a player has fallen well short of his team’s expectations, it generally makes sense to lock in his salary for the following season at this point.

However, not every player with a 2019/20 team option had it exercised by Wednesday’s deadline. Several players selected in the first rounds of the 2016 and 2017 drafts had those options declined, meaning they will now be on track to reach unrestricted free agency during the summer of 2019, assuming they’re not waived before then.

Listed below are the players who had their options turned down, followed by the players whose options were exercised. If a player had his option picked up, his 2019/20 salary is now guaranteed and he won’t be eligible for free agency until at least 2020.

Declined options:

Note: These players will become unrestricted free agents in 2019.

Dragan Bender, Suns (fourth year, $5,896,519)
Marquese Chriss, Rockets (fourth year, $4,078,236)
Justin Patton, Timberwolves (third year, $3,117,240)
Henry Ellenson, Pistons (fourth year, $2,856,804)
Malachi Richardson, Raptors (fourth year, $2,581,597)
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Thunder (fourth year, $2,529,684)
Tyler Lydon, Nuggets (third year, $2,190,720)
Furkan Korkmaz, Sixers (third year, $2,033,160)

Exercised options:

Fourth year:

Note: These players will become eligible for rookie scale extensions on July 1, 2019. If they’re not extended, they’ll be on track for restricted free agency in 2020.

Ben Simmons, Sixers ($8,113,930)
Brandon Ingram, Lakers ($7,265,485)
Jaylen Brown, Celtics ($6,534,829)
Kris Dunn, Bulls ($5,348,007)
Buddy Hield, Kings ($4,861,208)
Jamal Murray, Nuggets ($4,444,746)
Jakob Poeltl, Spurs ($3,754,886)
Thon Maker, Bucks ($3,569,643)
Domantas Sabonis, Pacers ($3,529,555)
Taurean Prince, Hawks ($3,481,986)
Dario Saric, Sixers ($3,481,986)
Denzel Valentine, Bulls ($3,377,569)
Juan Hernangomez, Nuggets ($3,321,030)
Malik Beasley, Nuggets ($2,731,714)
Caris LeVert, Nets ($2,625,718)
DeAndre’ Bembry, Hawks ($2,603,982)
Pascal Siakam, Raptors ($2,351,839)
Skal Labissiere, Kings ($2,338,847)
Dejounte Murray, Spurs ($2,321,735)
Damian Jones, Warriors ($2,305,057)

Third year:

Note: Teams will have to make fourth-year option decisions for 2020/21 on these players by October 31, 2019.

Markelle Fultz, Sixers ($9,745,200)
Lonzo Ball, Lakers ($8,719,320)
Jayson Tatum, Celtics ($7,830,000)
Josh Jackson, Suns ($7,059,480)
De’Aaron Fox, Kings ($6,392,760)
Jonathan Isaac, Magic ($5,806,440)
Lauri Markkanen, Bulls ($5,300,400)
Frank Ntilikina, Knicks ($4,855,800)
Dennis Smith Jr., Mavericks ($4,463,640)
Zach Collins, Trail Blazers ($4,240,200)
Malik Monk, Hornets ($4,028,400)
Luke Kennard, Pistons ($3,827,160)
Donovan Mitchell, Jazz ($3,635,760)
Bam Adebayo, Heat ($3,454,080)
Justin Jackson, Kings ($3,280,920)
Guerschon Yabusele, Celtics ($3,117,240)
D.J. Wilson, Bucks ($2,961,120)
T.J. Leaf, Pacers ($2,813,280)
John Collins, Hawks ($2,686,560)
Harry Giles, Kings ($2,578,800)
Terrance Ferguson, Thunder ($2,475,840)
Jarrett Allen, Nets ($2,376,840)
OG Anunoby, Raptors ($2,281,800)
Ante Zizic, Cavaliers ($2,281,800)
Caleb Swanigan, Trail Blazers ($2,033,160)
Kyle Kuzma, Lakers ($1,974,600)
Tony Bradley, Jazz ($1,962,360)
Derrick White, Spurs ($1,948,080)
Josh Hart, Lakers ($1,934,160)

For a team-by-team breakdown of this year’s rookie scale option decisions for the 2019/20 season, along with full stories on each decision, you can check out our tracker.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post.

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Hoops Rumors Originals

NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Atlantic Division

October 31st, 2018 at 11:29am CST by Luke Adams

Heading into the 2018/19 season, the Atlantic was viewed as a two-tiered division, with the contenders (the Celtics, Raptors, and Sixers) in a different class than the probable lottery teams (the Nets and Knicks). Still, while the Nets and Knicks still look like the eventual sellers in the division, the contenders may also have some players who emerge as trade candidates for potential deadline deals.

Here’s our early-season look at a few possible trade candidates from the Atlantic…

Courtney Lee, G/F
New York Knicks
$12.25MM cap hit; guaranteed $12.76MM salary in 2019/20

Given the Knicks’ status as a rebuilding team and their desire to clear more cap room for 2019, Lee represents one of the most obvious trade candidates in the league. His contract isn’t unwieldy, he’s coming off a strong year (12.0 PPG on .454/.406/.919 shooting), and he’s a solid locker-room presence.

The only problem? He’s not healthy. Lee has yet to appear in a game this season due to neck issues, and the Knicks have been unable to pinpoint what exactly is causing the spasms in the swingman’s neck.

With no mandate to win this season and the trade deadline still more than three months away, the Knicks can afford to be patient with Lee and wait for him to get fully healthy. His trade market is unlikely to heat up until he gets back on the court and shows that he’s 100%.

Furkan Korkmaz, G
Philadelphia 76ers
$1.74MM cap hit; $2.03MM team option for 2019/20

Even before Korkmaz made comments this week about just wanting a chance to play, he looked like a potential trade candidate for the 76ers. Three or four years ago, Korkmaz probably would have been getting 25 minutes per night on the Process Sixers, but there’s no room for him in the team’s current rotation and it’s not clear if that will change anytime soon.

It will be interesting to see whether Philadelphia decides to pick up Korkmaz’s 2019/20 option today. The cost is so modest that it seems like a no-brainer, but the Sixers will be looking to maximize their cap room next summer. If Korkmaz isn’t in their plans and the 76ers aren’t confident in their ability to trade him, that option may well be declined. If it’s exercised, Korkmaz could be an appealing low-cost trade target for a team willing to develop him.

For instance, the Sixers and Cavaliers reportedly discussed a Kyle Korver/Jerryd Bayless swap in the offseason, but were unable to agree on draft compensation in such a deal. Now that the Cavs are focusing more on finding minutes for their young players, perhaps attaching Korkmaz and a second-round pick to Bayless’ expiring contract would be enough for Philadelphia to land Korver.

If the Sixers explore trading Korkmaz, they seem more likely to try to attach him to a larger deal like that than to simply try moving him for a second-round pick, considering how many future second-rounders they’ve already stockpiled.

C.J. Miles, F
Toronto Raptors
$8.33MM cap hit; $8.73MM player option for 2019/20

Given the way the Raptors are playing so far this season, there’s certainly no need for the 7-1 squad to shake things up just for the sake of it. But there are a couple why it might make sense to eventually gauge the market for Miles: Toronto is over the tax line and may have too many solid role players once everyone is healthy.

A high-volume three-point shooter who has made 36.0% of his career attempts from beyond the arc, Miles provides value as a player who can stretch defenses and attract attention whenever he’s on the court. He’s off to a slow start this season though (.231 3PT%) and the Raptors don’t need his shooting as much after acquiring Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green over the summer — Miles’ 14.0 minutes per game would be his lowest mark in over a decade.

If the Raptors do try to reduce their tax bill, Miles and Norman Powell ($9.37MM) would be the team’s most obvious trade candidates based on the disparity between their salaries and their roles. A proven veteran like Miles, who has two years left on his contract compared to Powell’s four, may be the easier player to move.

Previously:

NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Central (10/25)

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Fantasy Hoops: Keeping Up With The Cavaliers

October 30th, 2018 at 11:07pm CST by ChrisCrouse

It was all good just a week ago… or maybe it wasn’t. Cleveland’s documented power struggle between the coach and the front office has ended and the results will bring a new leader on the court and the potential for new fantasy options to emerge.

(This is not to be confused with Cleveland’s other power struggle: Hue Jackson Vs. Winning Games. That also ended earlier this week with the Browns firing both Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Be sure to check out our sister site Pro Football Rumors for everything that happened at this year’s NFL trade deadline).

Cavs players were reportedly angry with the decision to fire Tyronn Lue. Kevin Love posted a photo of him and Lue on social media and perhaps coincidentally, on the day after the firing, it was reported that Love could miss up to month with an ailing toe. Cleveland had made a promise to Love that the team would remain competitive this season though it has failed to turn words into actions.

Don’t expect a trade soon, as Love isn’t eligible to be dealt until January. He is a decent bet to be on the block leading up to this season’s trade deadline. Love shouldn’t be dropped in fantasy but if your team begins to struggle, swapping a high-risk, high-reward player in an ever-developing situation for immediate help is likely the right move.

~~Interim coach~~ “Voice of the team” Larry Drew is coaching this squad in a setting which has been likened to a “substitute teacher” entering the classroom. The kids in Cleveland earned an A grade on Tuesday night, beating the Hawks by 22 points in the team’s first win of the season.

Rodney Hood had arguably his best game as a Cavalier, looking like the player the Cavs thought they were trading for when they acquired him from the Jazz last February. He made nine of his 13 looks on Tuesday and registered three steals. Hood is going to be a major part of the Cavaliers’ rotation and deserves to be in fantasy lineups.

Cedi Osman should be owned in all leagues. He started and scored 20 points and will remain in a prominent role until Love returns. Jordan Clarkson, who had an off night, making just 1-of-5 from downtown, deserves attention as well.

J.R. Smith can be dropped. He didn’t play on Tuesday and has been told he’s out of the rotation, per Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. Kyle Korver shouldn’t be on rosters right now, as the team is currently shopping the sharpshooter. Depending on the landing spot, he may be worth an add but he won’t exactly be a highly coveted fantasy free agent once that happens beyond owners looking to stream a 3-point specialist.

The situation is Cleveland appears fluid. The team may become more active in looking to trade other vets in the next few weeks. Stay tuned to Keeping Up With The Cavaliers within our Fantasy Hoops series to stay ahead of the competition in fantasy basketball and benefit from the unique state of Cleveland’s affairs.

Fantasy questions? Take to the comment section below or tweet me at @CW_Crouse.

Missed an earlier edition of Fantasy Hoops? Check out the entire series here.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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