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Cavaliers Notes: Mitchell, Knicks, LeVert, Garland

October 31st, 2022 at 8:57am CST by Arthur Hill

The Cavaliers knew they were getting a star when they traded for Donovan Mitchell, but so far he’s been better than anyone anticipated, writes Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. Mitchell had 38 points and a career-high 12 assists Sunday night as Cleveland won its fifth straight game, topping a Knicks team that spent much of the summer trying to acquire Mitchell from the Jazz. Even though he’s a three-time All-Star, Mitchell is exceeding expectations.

“We already had such a great group, but I think he just elevates us to another place,” Kevin Love said. “A guy that has experience, a guy that is a star in this league is playing some really great basketball right now. … We don’t see any signs of him slowing down.”

Through six games with the Cavs, Mitchell ranks fourth in the league in scoring at 32.2 PPG and is in the top 10 in assists at 7.3 per night. Both numbers would be career highs by a wide margin if he can sustain them for an entire season. Mitchell doesn’t feel like he’s a different player since the trade, but says he was often overlooked in Utah.

“We were in Mountain time. No one really watched us, so you kinda fall under the radar,” he said. “I feel like I’ve just been doing this nonstop, and I just continue to get better and more efficient. … I think this has been my best stretch in my career, but I gotta keep going.”

There’s more from Cleveland:

Mitchell, who at one point during the offseason was convinced he was going to wind up in New York, told Steve Popper of Newsday that he wasn’t trying to deliver any kind of message to the Knicks in Sunday’s game. “It’s easy to point to the summer and say that [it was payback], but I’m pretty much friends with everybody on that team, so it’s always good to play against your guys and I have nothing but love for them,” Mitchell said.
Caris LeVert impressed Mitchell with his 41-point outburst in Friday’s win at Boston, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. LeVert won the competition for the starting small forward slot, but is currently being used at shooting guard while Darius Garland is sidelined with an eye injury. “I played against Caris in Brooklyn and nothing against him last year, he had the injuries, but I think this is the Caris we all know,” Mitchell said. “He looks healthy and looks different. He was due. He’s been an animal. He led us by example.”
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the swelling in Garland’s eye has gone down and the team is waiting for him to become more comfortable with his vision, tweets Kelsey Russo of The Athletic.

Quentin Grimes Remains Sidelined With Pain In Left Foot

October 30th, 2022 at 9:45am CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks guard Quentin Grimes will miss his sixth straight game today with soreness in his left foot, per Zach Braziller of The New York Post. Grimes, who has been listed as day-to-day since the preseason, has been working out before every game, but hasn’t been able to participate in a full practice.

Atlantic Notes: Mitchell, Barrett, VanVleet, Brogdon

October 29th, 2022 at 9:54pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks are about to get their first look at Donovan Mitchell since spending much of the summer trying to trade for him, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. Buoyed by Mitchell’s addition, the Cavaliers are tied for second in the East at 4-1 and they’ll try to improve that record when they host New York on Sunday.

The Jazz and Knicks held protracted trade talks through the offseason, but they weren’t able to finalize a deal, allowing Cleveland to swoop in with an offer for the three-time All-Star. Mitchell has been everything the Cavs thought he would be, averaging career highs in points (31.0), rebounds (4.8) and assists (6.4) through the first five games of the season.

“The one thing he does extremely well is he stops on a dime. When he drives hard to the basket and he stops, with the speed and agility he has, he always creates separation,” said Evan Fournier, who was rumored to be in several versions of the Mitchell trade. “He’s really hard to guard. He’s very streaky. He can be not efficient at times. But when he gets it going, it feels like he can’t miss.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Knicks‘ RJ Barrett has struggled with his shot this season, but he’s making up for it with defense, according to Steve Popper of Newsday. Barrett, who was also rumored to be part of proposed packages for Mitchell, will likely get the first chance at slowing him down on Sunday. “Ever since (coach Tom Thibodeau) got here, the whole defensive intensity kind of picked up, and just me being that guy on certain players every night,” Barrett said. “It’s been a fun challenge. Watching the film, trying to get better every day. Really, that’s it. … Just a commitment. Coming in locked in and focused every day. I think it’s more mental than physical.”
The Raptors risk burning out Fred VanVleet if they can’t find some backcourt help, warns Dave Feschuk of The Toronto Star. VanVleet is averaging a team-high 38 minutes per game, and Toronto doesn’t have a reliable point guard replacement off the bench.
Malcolm Brogdon is playing fewer minutes with the Celtics than he did with the Pacers, but his new teammates appreciate everything he does when he’s on the court, per Jay King of The Athletic. “To be able to come in and accept a role that he’s not used to — and I know from experience that’s not easy to do,” Marcus Smart said. “But he’s done it, he’s been professional. And then to come in and be able to not miss a step when he does come in, it’s like he’s been with us ever since day one.”

Cam Reddish Earning Crunch-Time Minutes For Knicks

October 29th, 2022 at 10:22am CST by Luke Adams

Cam Reddish hasn’t just been earning regular rotation minutes for the Knicks so far — he has also been part of some of the team’s crunch-time lineups, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. After playing nearly the full overtime period in Wednesday’s win over Charlotte, Reddish said that his confidence is “sky high,” adding that he thinks he’s “doing a pretty good job trying to find my niche.” The fourth-year forward will be eligible for restricted free agency in 2023.

Knicks Notes: Brunson, Randle, Robinson, Grimes

October 27th, 2022 at 9:55pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The emergence of new Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson as the team’s primary ball-handler has helped free up power forward Julius Randle from the pressures of the team’s lottery-bound 2021/22 season, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Popper notes that Randle has appeared to be more engaged with his teammates and a more active leader overall.

“I’m just trying to lose myself in the team,” Randle said. “Adding Jalen, our team another year starting playing together helps. But the big shot he hit in crunch time [Monday], typically they’re looking for me to go get a basket. For him to take that pressure off me is huge.”

There’s more out of Madison Square Garden:

Brunson has already helped New York in late-game situations, winning the kinds of the games the team would lose last year, writes Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post. “We’re supposed to win game even when we’re not playing our best,” Brunson said. “That’s the sign of a good team.” Brunson’s arrival in New York reminds Vaccaro of the impact Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd had when he joined the then-New Jersey Nets in 2001. Though pundits were not particularly high on the Nets’ chances of title contention, Kidd promptly led the team to consecutive NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003.
Knicks starting center Mitchell Robinson has big goals now that he has signed his first big-money NBA contract, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. The seven-foot big man inked a four-year, $60MM deal to remain in New York this summer. “Most people yell out, ‘When you get paid, you don’t want to work no more,'” Robinson said. “That’s the opposite of me… Even though I got a little bag, I’m still gonna work even harder now because I want another one. I want more. I’m hungry.” Robinson also indicated that he was hoping to eventually earn a Defensive Player of the Year award.
Knicks reserve guard Quentin Grimes has been sidelined so far this season as he grapples with a sore foot. Ian Begley of SNY.tv reports that New York is holding Grimes out until he is pain-free. “They said it was kind of [an] overuse thing. Just being in the gym a lot [in the summer],” Grimes said. “Coming back at night, going back to Houston, working on it and working on it. Then [head coach Tom Thibodeau] had us in there for sure, working out.”

Forbes Releases 2022 NBA Franchise Valuations

October 27th, 2022 at 10:59am CST by Luke Adams

For the first time since Forbes began issuing annual valuations of NBA teams over two decades ago, a team other than the Knicks or Lakers ranks atop the publication’s list of 2022’s most valuable franchises.

According to Mike Ozanian and Justin Teitelbaum of Forbes, the Warriors are now considered the NBA’s most valuable club, with a record-setting valuation of $7 billion following a championship season.

Forbes’ duo explains that the Warriors generated more revenue and operating income in 2021/22 than any other team in NBA history, buoyed by $150MM in arena sponsorships and advertising, along with $250MM from premium seating.

While the Warriors enjoyed the biggest bump in value since Forbes’ most recent round of valuations, every other NBA team saw its valuation rise during that time as well, according to Ozanian and Teitelbaum, who say the average franchise is now valued at $2.86 billion. That’s 15% more than a year ago, despite the fact that the stock market is down 15% over the same time period.

Of the NBA’s 30 teams, only one – the Nets – lost money last season, per Forbes’ report, which states that record-setting sponsorship and advertising revenue ($1.35 billion last season) has put the league back on its “pre-Covid growth trajectory.” Further growth is anticipated going forward, with a new television and media deal to be negotiated in the coming years — it will take effect in 2025.

Although Forbes’ figures are just estimates and often don’t quite match up with the sale prices for franchises that change hands, they’re still useful for getting a sense of the league’s most and least valuable teams.

Here’s Forbes’ full list of NBA franchise valuations for 2022:

Golden State Warriors: $7 billion
New York Knicks: $6.1 billion
Los Angeles Lakers: $5.9 billion
Chicago Bulls: $4.1 billion
Boston Celtics: $4.0 billion
Los Angeles Clippers: $3.9 billion
Brooklyn Nets: $3.5 billion
Dallas Mavericks: $3.3 billion
Houston Rockets: $3.2 billion
Philadelphia 76ers: $3.15 billion
Toronto Raptors: $3.1 billion
Miami Heat: $3 billion
Phoenix Suns: $2.7 billion
Washington Wizards: $2.5 billion
Milwaukee Bucks: $2.3 billion
Portland Trail Blazers: $2.1 billion
Cleveland Cavaliers: $2.05 billion
Sacramento Kings: $2.03 billion
Utah Jazz: $2.025 billion
San Antonio Spurs: $2 billion
Atlanta Hawks: $1.975 billion
Denver Nuggets: $1.93 billion
Detroit Pistons: $1.9 billion
Oklahoma City Thunder: $1.875 billion
Orlando Magic: $1.85 billion
Indiana Pacers: $1.8 billion
Charlotte Hornets: $1.7 billion
Minnesota Timberwolves: $1.67 billion
Memphis Grizzlies: $1.65 billion
New Orleans Pelicans: $1.6 billion

Knicks Pick Up Options On Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes

October 26th, 2022 at 12:39pm CST by Luke Adams

As expected, the Knicks have exercised their team options for 2023/24 on guard Immanuel Quickley and wing Quentin Grimes, the team announced today (via Twitter). The Knicks also confirmed that they’ve picked up Obi Toppin‘s ’23/24 option, as was previously reported.

Quickley, 23, was the 25th overall pick in the 2020 draft. He has been a go-to reserve for New York since entering the league, averaging 11.4 PPG as a rookie and 11.3 PPG last season. He has struggled with his shot (.320 FG%, .200 3PT%) through three games in 2022/23, but is filling up the box score with 5.0 APG and 5.3 RPG.

Grimes had a promising rookie season in 2021/22 after being drafted at No. 25 overall in 2021, shooting 38.1% on three-pointers and showing some real defensive upside. He was expected to vie for the starting shooting guard spot this season, but has been hampered by a left foot issue and has yet to make his regular season debut.

Quickley will earn a guaranteed $4,171,548 salary in 2023/24. Grimes’ salary for that season is now a guaranteed $2,385,720.

Quickley will be eligible for a rookie scale extension in 2023 and for restricted free agency in 2024, while Grimes still has one more option (for ’24/25) on his rookie contract — the Knicks will have until next October 31 to make a decision on that option.

All of this year’s rookie scale option decisions can be found right here.

Knicks Exercise 2023/24 Option On Obi Toppin

October 26th, 2022 at 9:23am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks have picked up their team option on forward Obi Toppin for the 2023/24 season, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Toppin’s fourth-year option will pay him a guaranteed salary of $6,803,012.

Toppin, the eighth overall pick in the 2020 draft, hasn’t played a significant role so far for the Knicks, averaging just 11.0 minutes per game in 62 appearances as a rookie and 17.1 MPG in 72 games last season. However, he has been increasingly productive in his limited minutes. He’s averaging 9.3 PPG and 3.7 RPG on 57.1% shooting through three games (16.0 MPG) in 2022/23.

Toppin will earn approximately $5.35MM this season before making $6.8MM in the final year of his rookie contract in 2023/24. He’ll be up for a rookie scale extension during the 2023 offseason and would be eligible for restricted free agency in 2024 if he doesn’t sign a new deal before then.

The Knicks have two more rookie scale option decisions to make besides Toppin’s before next Monday’s deadline, though both seem fairly simple. We can presumably count on the team picking up Immanuel Quickley‘s fourth-year option ($4.17MM) and Quentin Grimes‘ third-year option ($2.39MM) for ’23/24.

Knicks Notes: Randle, Offense, Reddish

October 23rd, 2022 at 7:53pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Knicks power forward Julius Randle has been enjoying a solid run as a play-maker for New York in this young NBA season, writes Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Reserve combo guard Derrick Rose appreciates the improvement.

“The way he’s reading the floor is totally different,” Rose raved. “His passing has been unbelievable. Understanding that we want to get up a certain amount of threes and he’s finding the shooters.”

With starting point guard Jalen Brunson function as the club’s primary passer, Randle has become a supplemental ball-handler among the starters, which appears to be a better fit for him.

There’s more out of New York:

Though Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau remains focused on the defense, the team is developing on the offensive side of the ball early in the season as well, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. The team has been significantly faster-paced and more pass-happy than last year’s incarnation, per Popper. New York is fifth in scoring and 17th in pace after ranking 29th in pace during the 2021/22 season. “It’s not just playing fast, and you don’t want to take reckless shots, but you got to move without the ball and you got to move with pace,” Thibodeau said. “And so, getting it up fast is the initial part, but creating the movement is the secondary part that’s equally important, and then when we put it down and we drive the ball, attack the rim.”
Knicks forward Cam Reddish, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, has enjoyed a stellar start to his fourth NBA season. His effort in practice could be a key factor in his play so far, per Zach Braziller of The New York Post. “It’s what a guy does in practice every day,” Thibodeau said of Reddish’s performative improvement. “Usually, if you practice well, you’re gonna play well.. He’s gotten a lot better offensively and defensively… And a big part of that is, I think, him getting comfortable with his teammates, his teammates getting comfortable with him. His attitude’s been great. Just keep working.”

Central Notes: LaVine, Mitchell, Garland, Lopez

October 22nd, 2022 at 8:42pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls coach Billy Donovan provided more insight into Zach LaVine‘s condition during a session with reporters before Saturday’s game, tweets Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago. Donovan admits that the team didn’t expect LaVine to miss the first two games before making his season debut tonight. However, he said decisions will have to be made based on LaVine’s level of pain and stressed that his left knee is strong after arthroscopic surgery in May.

“There’s nothing wrong with him structurally, he’s fine,” Donovan said. “It’s just something that we’ll have to manage. We knew we were going to have to manage that going into the season. We just didn’t know when or what it will look like.”

Donovan didn’t rule out back-to-backs for LaVine for the rest of the season, but he said it’s something else that will be “managed.” He explained that those decisions will be made by the medical staff in consultation with LaVine. Donovan added that the team understood that pain issues might persist even after the operation.

“But it’s not a situation where it’s going to limit him from playing,” Donovan said. “It’s just a matter of, OK, how much are all these loads and the build-up of 82 games, how much of an effect does that have on him and how does the medical staff and Zach and all of us help him get to a place where he can be really effective.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Donovan Mitchell was surprised to wind up with the Cavaliers when the Jazz decided to pull the trigger on a trade. During an appearance this week on JJ Redick’s podcast, Mitchell talked about spending the summer playing in pro-ams in Florida and thinking he might be headed to the Heat. “Miami, New York, where else?” Mitchell said. “Maybe Washington. Those were the three in my head that I thought, ‘Okay, if anything were to happen, it would probably be on that side.’”
Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, who missed another game tonight with a laceration of his left eyelid, hopes to return on Friday, although a source tells Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com that he may be out even longer. There’s no structural damage, Fedor adds, and Garland won’t need surgery. Fedor’s source said the swelling has eased up and Garland was able to open the eye slightly today for the first time since the injury.
The return of Brook Lopez is making a difference for the Bucks‘ defense, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Lopez is fully healthy after playing just 13 games last season due to back problems. “You kind of forget how important he is for our defense,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “This is my year five with him. You kind of take it for granted. But the games he didn’t play last year, you kind of realize the load you have to carry when Brook is not on the floor. Like me and Bobby (Portis), we had to do everything.”