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Cavaliers Notes: Smith, Dellavedova, Hill, Sexton

December 8th, 2018 at 5:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Cavaliers have traded veterans George Hill and Kyle Korver in the past two weeks, and J.R. Smith appears to be the next priority, tweets Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. The Rockets and Pelicans have expressed interest in Smith, according to O’Connor, who notes that both teams need to fortify their wing depth.

Smith hasn’t played since an “amicable” breakup with the Cavs on November 20, and his representatives are working with the team to find a trade. He fell victim to a youth movement in Cleveland and saw his playing time cut to about 20 minutes per night in the 11 games he has gotten into this season.

In addition to his considerable playoff experience, Smith’s contract beyond this season could make him attractive to a contender. He has just a $3.87MM guarantee on his $15.68MM salary for 2019/20, so there is limited long-term risk in acquiring him.

There’s more today out of Cleveland:

  • The Cavaliers who played alongside Matthew Dellavedova during his first stint in Cleveland are thrilled to welcome him back, relays Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Reacquired from the Bucks in the Hill trade, Dellavedova was admired by his teammates for his intensity and competitiveness. “I think of his toughness and his ability to change the pace of the game and his familiarity,” Channing Frye said. “He’s a champion, consummate professional, good for our locker room.”
  • Coach Larry Drew’s decision to put Hill back into the starting lineup when he returned from a shoulder injury may have helped raise his trade value, Fedor suggests in the same piece. Drew has been experimenting with rookie guard Collin Sexton in an off-the-ball role and wanted Hill beside him to run the offense. The move showed the Bucks that Hill was fully healed and able to contribute.
  • Dellavedova will inherit Hill’s role as Sexton’s mentor, Fedor writes in a separate story. Those who remember Dellavedova’s spirited practice sessions with Kyrie Irving expect Sexton to get the same experience. “He will be good for Collin on the days that we do practice, he will be good for Collin because of the way he plays, how scrappy he is,” Tristan Thompson said. “When he gets in, it’s those kinds of plays that he makes, it’s momentum swings and high energy so we will definitely embrace that.”
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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/6/18

December 6th, 2018 at 9:20pm CST by JD Shaw

Here are Thursday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

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Pelicans Sign Andrew Harrison To Two-Way Deal

December 5th, 2018 at 4:37pm CST by ChrisCrouse

DECEMBER 5: The Pelicans have officially signed Harrison to his two-way contract, per a press release from the team.

DECEMBER 4: The Pelicans will sign Andrew Harrison to a two-way deal, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

The combo guard began the season in Memphis before the team waived him. He then caught on with the Cavaliers on a two-way deal, only to be waived again after Cleveland acquired Alec Burks.

Harrison has played in 139 NBA games to date. He’s averaging 7.2 points and 2.8 assists per contest while shooting 37.5% from the field.

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Ugetti: Pelicans Among Teams Most In Need Of Trade

December 5th, 2018 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

If Seattle has any chance to get any NBA team before then, it would likely have to be via relocation rather than expansion, Helin continues. Still, while there has been some speculation about the long-term viability of the Grizzlies and Pelicans in Memphis and New Orleans, respectively, no NBA franchises – including those two teams – appear to be in any imminent danger of leaving their current towns.

  • The Pelicans, Rockets, Wizards, Heat, and Mavericks are the would-be contenders who most need to make a trade, in the view of Paolo Uggetti of The Ringer. Meanwhile, a handful of NBA.com writers weigh in on the teams most in need of a shake-up, and many of the same clubs are mentioned.
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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/4/18

December 4th, 2018 at 9:48pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Here are Tuesday’s G League assignments and recalls from across the NBA:

  • The Jazz have recalled Grayson Allen and Georges Niang from the Salt Lake City Stars, according to the team’s Twitter feed. It was each player’s only G League assignment of the season.
  • Jevon Carter and Ivan Rabb had an eventful day. The Grizzlies assigned the pair to their G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle for morning shootaround, per the team’s Twitter feed. The two were then recalled for the Grizzlies’ mid-day practice before being re-assigned to the Hustle to play in their night game.
  • The Pelicans have assigned Frank Jackson to the G League, according to a team press release. New Orleans doesn’t yet have its own affiliate, so Jackson will play for the Texas Legends, pursuant to the flexible assignment system.
  • The Pacers have recalled Alize Johnson from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, per the team’s website. Johnson has been with the G League affiliate since November 7.
  • The Nets have assigned Dzanan Musa to their G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, according to the team’s Twitter feed.
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Poll: Will The Pelicans Make The Playoffs?

December 4th, 2018 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Several Western Conference playoff teams from last season, including the Jazz, Rockets, Spurs, and Timberwolves, rank outside the top eight in the conference in the early going this season. While all four of those teams would be disappointed to miss the postseason, you could make a case that a lottery finish wouldn’t be quite as devastating for any of those clubs as it would be for the Pelicans, who also find themselves on the outside looking in for now.

The 12-13 Pelicans currently place 11th in the West, with a tough road ahead. In order to crack the top eight, they’ll need to surpass overachieving clubs ahead of them – like the Mavericks and Kings – while holding off would-be contenders behind them, such as the Jazz and Rockets. And they’ll have to do with the uncertainty surrounding Anthony Davis‘ future hanging over the season.

While Davis can’t become a free agent until at least 2020, this is a crucial season for the Pelicans. Next summer, they’ll be able to offer Davis a designated veteran extension, paying him the “super-max.” If he turns down that offer, the Pelicans will likely have to start thinking seriously about whether to trade their star big man.

That sort of thinking is premature for now. As Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders reports, sources say that Davis is happy in New Orleans and wants to win there. However, Kyler also cautions that Davis won’t be satisfied with simply finishing in eighth place in the West and failing to make a deep playoff run — he’s counting on the team to do all it can to improve the roster and to give him reason to believe he can eventually win a title with the Pelicans.

In other words, there’s plenty of pressure on the Pelicans to add reinforcements to this year’s roster and/or to position themselves to make a major splash in the offseason. And missing out on the playoffs this season would be a huge red flag for the organization.

With all that in mind, we want to know what you think about the Pelicans’ outlook this season. Is this a playoff team? Will they need to make a trade or two to nab a top-eight spot? And how will this year’s outcome impact Davis’ long-term future?

Vote below in our poll, then head to the comment section to weigh in on the Pelicans!

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/1/18

December 1st, 2018 at 8:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Here are Saturday’s G League assignments and recalls from across the NBA:

  • The Hornets sent forward Dwayne Bacon and guard Devonte’ Graham to the Greensboro Swarm, the team announced on its website. This is the first G League assignment of the season for Bacon, who has appeared in 13 games for Charlotte and is averaging 6.4 points per night. It’s the third time for Graham, who has gotten into eight NBA games.
  • The Spurs assigned Chimezie Metu to their Austin affiliate, according to the team website. He has appeared in 12 games with San Antonio.
  • The Pistons have recalled Luke Kennard from Auburn Hills, the team announced in an email. Kennard is recovering from an AC joint sprain in his right shoulder that has sidelined him for the past 15 games.
  • The Pelicans sent rookie Kenrich Williams to the G League, tweets Will Guillory of The Athletic. New Orleans doesn’t have a direct affiliate, so Williams has been assigned to the Westchester Knicks.
  • The Knicks called up center Luke Kornet from Westchester and placed him on the active list for tonight’s game, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News (Twitter link).
  • The Rockets recalled guard Brandon Knight from their Rio Grande affiliate, tweets Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston.
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Free Agent Stock Watch 2019: Southwest Division

November 30th, 2018 at 8:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Every week, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents next offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we turn our attention to the Southwest Division:

Wesley Matthews, Mavericks, 32,  SG (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $70MM deal in 2015
Matthews got off to a strong start, reaching the 20-point mark in six of the first 10 games. An injury set him back as a mild hamstring strain kept him out of four games. He’s shot 33% from 3-point range in the last two games since returning to action. There’s always a market for players who can make the long ball but at his age, Matthews is probably looking at a short-term deal in his next contract and might have to settle for a second-unit role.

Marquese Chriss, Rockets, 21, PF, (Down) – Signed to a three-year, $9.2MM deal in 2016
Chriss received a fresh start when the Suns traded him to a contender. So far, Chriss has failed to take advantage of the situation, even after the club decided to part ways with Carmelo Anthony. Chriss has only appeared in seven games and hasn’t played more than eight minutes in any of them. It’s hard to believe he was chosen with the No. 8 overall pick in 2016. Chriss is still younger than many college players, so he’ll get another chance somewhere else, but he’ll have to settle for a modest contract.

Shelvin Mack, Grizzlies, 28, PG (Up) – Signed to a one-year, $2MM deal in 2018
The Grizzlies brought in Mack on a veteran’s minimum deal to back up Mike Conley. Mack has been a steady presence in the rotation, averaging 9.9 PPG and 3.6 APG while keeping his turnovers down (1.3 per game). He’s also shot it well from long range (41.8%). Mack isn’t flashy but he’s a competent second-unit floor leader and he might get more than one year on the open market next summer.

Nikola Mirotic, Pelicans, 27, PF (Up) — Signed to a two-year, $15MM deal in 2017
Mirotic made national headlines last season when Bulls teammate Bobby Portis slugged him during a practice dispute. Far removed from that incident, Mirotic is enjoying a career year with the Pelicans. He’s averaging 19.2 PPG and 10.5 RPG in 31.6 MPG. His 3-point percentage is down from last season but is still a solid 37%. Mirotic should receive plenty of attention on the open market as a stretch four who can also pound the glass.

Rudy Gay, Spurs, 32 (Up) – Signed to a one-year, $10MM deal in 2018
Gay had an ugly outing against Minnesota on Wednesday (three points in 19 minutes) but otherwise he’s been quite efficient this season. He’s shooting 49.2% from the field and 46.7% outside the arc and has also been a factor on the boards (7.1 per game). Gay has been thrust into a starting role with the injury-riddled Spurs but he’ll probably be looked upon as a second-unit contributor when he returns to the open market. He’s showing he still has something left in the tank.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Celtics Waive Walt Lemon Jr.

November 29th, 2018 at 4:18pm CST by JD Shaw

The Celtics have waived guard Walt Lemon Jr., who was on a two-way contract with the team, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Lemon didn’t appear in any games with Boston, spending much of his time with the club’s G League team in Maine. He was signed to a two-way deal in July after spending part of the 2017/18 season with the Pelicans, where he played five NBA games.

Lemon, 28, went undrafted in 2014 after playing four collegiate seasons at Bradley. He averaged 22.4 points in 40 games with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, G League affiliate of the Pacers, during the 2017/18 season.

The Celtics have started the season with an 11-10 record, struggling to gain chemistry on both ends of the floor. They’re set to host the 4-16 Cavaliers on Friday.

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Gentry Dismisses AD Trade Speculation

November 27th, 2018 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams
  • Asked on Monday about how the Pelicans are dealing with Anthony Davis trade speculation, head coach Alvin Gentry suggested that he’s not even thinking about that, as Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald relays. “That’s what you guys talk about,” Gentry said of the Davis chatter. “We don’t talk about it. So he’s here. He’s playing on our team. We’re trying to win games. That’s the only thing that matters right now. It’s not anything that I’m going to have a say-so in or anything else, so we don’t bother about it.”
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