Draft Workouts: Spurs, Suns, Pacers, Blazers, Lakers, Wolves, Thomas

The Spurs, who are widely expected to draft at least one guard next Wednesday, recently worked out both Stephon Castle of UConn and Devin Carter of Providence, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

As we relayed on Wednesday, recent mock drafts from ESPN and Bleacher Report both have San Antonio drafting Castle at No. 4, and the team is said to be high on Carter as well. Iko confirms as much, writing that the Spurs have “strong interest” in Carter, Castle, and Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard, with Carter’s private workout “resonating” among the team’s decision-makers.

Here’s more pre-draft workout news from around the NBA:

Atlantic Notes: Randle, LaVine, Sixers, Newton, Nets, Stevens

Appearing on the latest episode of the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast (YouTube link), Knicks forward Julius Randle spoke about the frustrating process of trying to rehab his right shoulder injury during the second half of the 2023/24 season in the hopes of making it back for the playoffs, only to ultimately opt for season-ending surgery.

“I’m rehabbing for two-and-a-half months, knowing my shoulder ain’t good,” Randle said (hat tip to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. “So it’s a situation where it’s like, ‘Do I play and know that I’m going to miss six or seven months after we’re done playing?’ So I’m probably not playing until the next year. And I’m not good. So can I help the team? I don’t think I can get a rebound. I can’t fall. I feel like if I fall my shoulder is going to come out. So I’m dealing with that.

“I’m also dealing with the part like I feel selfish, like I’m letting the guys down. Then it came to the point where I don’t even want to be around because I’m trying to work to come back but I feel like I’m a distraction. I feel like an outcast. I’m like, let me just stay away, they’re doing great, let me just be around and support when I can. So I had to get out of my own way of my own ego and be like, all right, once I made that decision, deal with it, and keep moving and support the best way you can. But that s–t was tough.”

Randle underwent surgery on his troublesome shoulder in early April, with the Knicks announcing that he would be reevaluated in five months. That would put his evaluation on track for early September, with no guarantee that the star forward will be ready for training camp a few weeks later. However, Randle suggested he feels good about the progress he’s made — and about his chances of being ready to go in the fall.

“I’m getting there. It’s a process. It’s something that’s going to take a long time. I knew that going into it,” he said. “But I’m ahead of schedule, I’m feeling good. I’m healthy. I’ll be ready when the season starts.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

  • K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago reported earlier today that the Sixers are among the teams that have talked to the Bulls about Zach LaVine, then reiterated that report in a story published this evening following Chicago’s Alex Caruso/Josh Giddey trade agreement with Oklahoma City. However, a league source tells Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link) that Philadelphia isn’t interested in pursuing LaVine.
  • UConn’s Tristen Newton was among the prospects who took part in the Sixers‘ pre-draft workout on Thursday, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Newton is the No. 66 prospect on ESPN’s big board.
  • Eben Novy-Williams and Scott Soshnick of Sportico provide more information on the minority stake that Julia Koch and her family are buying in BSE Global, the parent company of the Nets. The deal will include $688MM in cash, per Sportico, with much of that money being put toward outstanding debts.
  • Brad Stevens coached a number of the players who helped lead the Celtics to a title this spring and acquired several of the others. Michael Pina of The Ringer takes a look at the role the head-coach-turned-executive played in Boston winning its record-setting 18th championship.

Pistons Plan To Interview Bickerstaff, Borrego, Sweeney, Nori

7:14pm: The Pistons also intend to interview Borrego, according to Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press.


6:27pm: The Pistons plan to interview former Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff for their head coaching position, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). According to Wojnarowski, Detroit has also received permission to meet with Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney and Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori.

Bickerstaff was just let go by the Pistons’ division rivals in Cleveland last month after he posted a 170-159 (.517) record across four-plus seasons with the Cavaliers, leading them to playoff appearances in 2023 and 2024 and a first-round series victory this spring. Bickerstaff also coached the Grizzlies from 2017-19 and was as an assistant for several teams before that, with stints in Charlotte, Minnesota, and Houston.

Sweeney, who began his NBA career in the Nets’ video room in 2011, has worked on Jason Kidd‘s staffs in Brooklyn, Milwaukee, and Dallas, and was also an assistant in Detroit under Dwane Casey from 2018-21. Casey remains with the Pistons in a front office role.

Nori is another veteran assistant who was on Casey’s staff from 2018-21. He worked for the Raptors, Kings, and Nuggets before that, and has been with the Timberwolves since 2021. Nori shared some of Chris Finch‘s head coaching duties during Minnesota’s playoff run this spring when Finch was unable to roam the sidelines due to knee surgery.

Sweeney and Nori have been hot names on the head coaching carousel in the past couple months. Sweeney was linked to the Lakers’ and Wizards’ vacancies, while Nori reportedly interviewed with the Cavaliers and Lakers. Both men were high on the list of potential Pistons candidates published by James L. Edwards III of The Athletic on Wednesday following Monty Williams‘ ouster.

According to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), the Pistons are expected to seek permission to interview more assistants from around the NBA.

One name to watch will be James Borrego of the Pelicans, who was atop Edwards’ list and was also mentioned by Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) as a candidate who would receive serious consideration if he’s available. Multiple reports have suggested Borrego is the frontrunner for the only other available head coaching job, in Cleveland, so it’s unclear whether or not Detroit will get a chance to talk to him.

Sixers’ Interest In Paul George Has Reportedly Waned

The Sixers‘ interest in pursuing star forward Paul George has “significantly waned” in recent days, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

While Charania doesn’t explicitly state that Philadelphia is moving on from George, he says the team is “expected to be aggressive elsewhere” with its cap room and draft picks as it looks to upgrade its roster around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

It’s a significant development ahead of free agency, since George has long been viewed as the top offseason target for the Sixers, who can create more than $60MM in cap room. George isn’t technically a free agent yet, but could become one if he turns down his $48.8MM player option with the Clippers for the 2024/25 season. He ranked atop our list of this year’s top 50 free agents earlier this week.

The Sixers aren’t the only rival suitor that could make a run at George – he has also been linked to the Magic – but if Philadelphia doesn’t aggressively pursue him, it would seem to significantly increase the odds of a return to Los Angeles for the nine-time All-Star.

George has been extension-eligible with the Clippers all season, but hasn’t been able to reach an agreement with the team after teammate Kawhi Leonard signed a new deal with L.A. back in January. Reports have indicated that the Clippers sought a deal with George similar to the one that Leonard signed (three years, $152MM), which would be below his maximum in terms of both salary and years. The maximum offer Los Angeles can make to the 34-year-old would be worth a projected $221MM over four years, starting in 2024/25.

It’s unclear which players would be the 76ers’ top targets if George is off the table. LeBron James would presumably fit the bill, though there has been no indication yet that he’s mulling a move out of Los Angeles. OG Anunoby has been viewed as a possible option, and a report earlier this week suggested that the Knicks forward may test the market. A separate report stated that Philadelphia is expected to have some interest in Hornets forward Miles Bridges.

DeMar DeRozan, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Klay Thompson are a few other free agents of note, while Zach LaVine and Brandon Ingram are among this offseason’s possible high-profile trade candidates.

Bulls, Thunder To Swap Alex Caruso, Josh Giddey

The Bulls and Thunder have reached an agreement on a trade that will send guard Alex Caruso to Oklahoma City, with guard Josh Giddey heading to Chicago, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The deal isn’t official yet, but it sounds like it will be a straight-up, one-for-one swap. It won’t include any draft compensation, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman and Marc Stein (Twitter links)

Caruso, one of the NBA’s best point-of-attack defenders, has earned All-Defensive nods and Defensive Player of the Year votes in each of the last two seasons. The 30-year-old has also developed into a reliable three-point shooter, making 40.8% of his 4.7 attempts per game in 2023/24 to push his career rate to 38.0%.

In 71 total games for the Bulls last season, Caruso averaged a career-high 10.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.7 steals in 28.7 minutes per contest, with a .468/.408/.760 shooting line. He’ll add even more defensive firepower to a Thunder team that ranked fourth in defensive rating (111.0) in ’23/24 and also features lockdown defenders like Luguentz Dort and Cason Wallace.

The Bulls had resisted trade offers for Caruso in recent years, but decided to part with him as he enters the final year of his current contract. He’ll earn $9.89MM in 2024/25 and will be extension-eligible beginning in July, though he won’t become eligible for his maximum extension (four years, $78MM+) until six months after the trade.

If he doesn’t sign a new contract with Oklahoma City at some point during the coming league year, Caruso will reach unrestricted free agency next summer. However, Wojnarowski (Twitter links) reports that the Thunder had pursued the veteran guard for a while and are making the deal with an eye toward keeping him long-term.

As Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer points out (via Twitter), it will be a reunion for Oklahoma City and Caruso, who played for the OKC Blue in the G League under Mark Daigneault in 2016/17.

Giddey, the sixth overall pick in the 2021 draft, started all 210 regular season games he played for the Thunder over the past three seasons and showed intriguing upside as a play-maker during that time. His best season came in 2022/23, when he averaged 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game on .482/.325/.731 shooting.

However, Giddey took a step back in ’23/24, averaging a career-low 12.3 PPG and 4.8 APG as his playing time dipped from 31.1 MPG to 25.1 MPG. While he improved his three-point percentage to 33.7%, he remained inconsistent from beyond the arc, resulting in opposing defenses sagging off of him. That led to the Thunder eventually moving him to the second unit for the first time in his career during the team’s second-round playoff series vs. Dallas.

Giddey was also the subject of investigations by the NBA and local police due to allegations that he engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a minor, but both the league and police closed their investigations into that matter due to a lack of corroborating evidence.

According to Wojnarowski (via Twitter), the Bulls had been “determined” to find a play-maker capable of replacing Lonzo Ball, who has been sidelined due to knee problems since January of 2022 and is entering the final year of his contract. There’s optimism in Chicago that Giddey, still just 21 years old, will have a clearer path to realizing his full potential in a situation where he has the ball in his hands more often — he often ceded ball-handling duties to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Oklahoma City.

The deal will save the Bulls a little money in 2024/25, with Giddey set to earn $8.35MM in the final year of his rookie contract. The difference between that figure and Caruso’s isn’t massive, but could end up being significant, given that Chicago’s team salary could approach or surpass the luxury tax line this offseason.

Like Caruso, Giddey will be extension-eligible with his new team. The Bulls will have until the day before the start of the regular season to negotiate a rookie scale extension with their new lead guard. If they don’t come to terms by that point, he would be on track for restricted free agency in 2025.

As cap expert Yossi Gozlan observes (via Twitter), this will be the first time the Bulls have made a trade involving a player since August 2021. It sounds like it probably won’t be the last deal the team makes this summer, with Zach LaVine and Ball said to be among the other trade candidates to watch.

Bulls Have Discussed LaVine With Kings, Jazz, Magic, Sixers

The Bulls have been active in trade discussions heading into the 2024 NBA draft and free agency, reports K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to exploring moving up and down from the 11th pick, Chicago has also discussed players already on the roster as well.

Sources tell Johnson that head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas has “floated as many as 15” trade proposals involving Zach LaVine. The Kings, Jazz, Magic and Sixers are among the teams Chicago has called about LaVine, according to Johnson.

As Johnson observes, the Bulls will almost certainly need to trim salary to avoid the luxury tax in 2024/25 if they intend to re-sign DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Williams. DeRozan, who is extension-eligible through June 30, will be an unrestricted free agent, while Williams is restricted.

Johnson reported earlier this month that Chicago’s asking price for LaVine has significantly dropped compared to last year, when they were seeking real assets in return for the 29-year-old. It seems the Bulls are now more focused on finding a way to shed LaVine’s pricey salary — he’s owed $138MM over the next three seasons, including a $49MM player option in 2026/27.

A two-time All-Star, LaVine was limited to just 25 games this past season due to a nagging foot injury, which eventually required season-ending surgery.

To this point, the Bulls have been focused on offering DeRozan short-term deals, Johnson writes. While there’s been “widespread speculation” that the Thunder, Pistons and Hornets may put out offer sheets for Williams, Johnson hears the Bulls are comfortable with their position since they have the right to match any contract the former No. 4 overall pick might receive.

Johnson also mentions Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso as names to watch on the trade market. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski just reported that Caruso is being sent to Oklahoma City for Josh Giddey.

As for the lottery pick, Johnson cites Providence’s Devin Carter, Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham, G League Ignite’s Ron Holland and Duke’s Kyle Filipowski as potential targets, though the Bulls have gotten a close look at a “wide range of prospects.”

Rockets Rumors: Clingan, Sheppard, No. 3 Pick, Smart, More

The Rockets have UConn center Donovan Clingan and Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard at the top of their board heading into next week’s draft, league sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Houston controls the No. 3 overall pick.

According to Iko, Clingan seems to have the edge over Sheppard, but it’s not a sure thing the 7’2″ big man will be available with the third pick. ESPN recently reported that while Zaccharie Risacher remains the favorite to go No. 1 to the Hawks, Atlanta is also high on Clingan, who may be Risacher’s top competition. Ken Seguira of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has also heard the Hawks are high on Clingan.

The Rockets already have Alperen Sengun at center and he shares an agent with Clingan, Iko writes. Those factors — plus the trade deadline addition of Steven Adams — would seemingly work against Houston selecting Clingan, and the team has been unable to get him in for a private workout to this point. Sheppard, meanwhile, will visit the Rockets this week, sources tell Iko.

Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman recently suggested Houston might not have much leverage if they decide to trade the No. 3 selection due to a perception that there’s a minimal difference in value between that pick and those later in the lottery. However, Iko has heard differently, writing that there’s “rapidly growing interest” from rival teams in Clingan and Sheppard. Those teams may also be motivated to move up ahead of the Spurs, who control the Nos. 4 and 8 picks.

While several teams have shown interest in the third pick, team and league sources tell Iko the Hornets, Grizzlies and Trail Blazers have been “the most vocal” in their pursuit of the selection, with Memphis and Charlotte particularly “aggressive.”

Iko hears all three clubs are fans of both Clingan and Sheppard. The Hornets control the 6th and 42nd overall picks; the Grizzlies control Nos. 9, 39 and 57; and the Blazers control Nos. 7, 14, 34 and 40.

Here are some more Rockets rumors, all from Iko:

  • In an ideal situation, Houston would prefer to use the No. 3 pick as part of a package to acquire a star player like Donovan Mitchell, but there hasn’t been much league-wide “activity or movement” when it comes to stars this offseason, according to Iko. The Pelicans are rumored to have floated a proposal of Brandon Ingram for Sengun, but Houston has “no interest” in that deal, team sources tell Iko. Iko also hears New Orleans discussed Ingram with the Sixers.
  • If the Rockets can’t land a star and still decide to move the third pick, Iko wonders if a Grizzlies offer centered around Marcus Smart and the ninth pick could make sense for both sides. According to Iko’s sources, GM Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka are fans of Smart, who played under Udoka in Boston. In a move-back scenario, Houston might be interested in selecting Tennesee forward Dalton Knecht, says Iko.
  • Houston also controls a second-round pick (No. 44) in the upcoming draft. San Francisco’s Jonathan Mogbo, Minnesota’s Cam Christie, Illinois’ Terrence Shannon, Colorado’s KJ Simpson, UCLA’s Adem Bona and Marquette’s Oso Ighodaro are among the prospects who have been discussed at that spot, though Iko acknowledges some of those players might get drafted before then. Clemson forward/center PJ Hall, Texas forward Dylan Disu, St. John’s guard Daniss Jenkins and Washington State forward Jaylen Wells are among the players who will work out for Houston this week, Iko reports.
  • For free agency, Iko hears the Rockets have placed a high priority on adding shooting, but the team is only interested in two-way contributors — Alec Burks, Gary Harris, Talen Horton-Tucker and Saddiq Bey are names to watch. Bey, however, will be a restricted free agent if he’s given a qualifying offer, which complicates matters (he’s also recovering from a torn ACL). A source close to Eric Gordon tells Iko that the veteran guard is “50-50” on exercising his player option to remain with the Suns, but the longtime former Rocket is also open to a reunion with Houston. The Rockets will have the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to dangle in free agency, Iko notes.

2024 NBA Offseason Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers

In 2022/23, the Cavaliers made the playoffs without LeBron James on their roster for the first time since 1998 and earned the No. 4 seed before being quickly dispatched in the first round by the No. 5 Knicks. They entered the ’23/24 season with a fairly simple goal: win their first playoff series without LeBron since 1993.

Cleveland ultimately achieved that goal, but the path to get there was a bumpy and somewhat unsatisfying one. Rather than taking a step forward during the regular season, they won three fewer games (48) than they did a year ago (51), then narrowly escaped a seven-game first-round series against a lower-seeded Magic team whose core players were participating in their first postseason. The Cavs were never close to getting past the Celtics in the second round, falling to the eventual champions in five games.

Now, there are a few caveats that make the Cavs’ season sound better than it appeared on the surface. They had to deal with a series of injuries affecting their most important players in both the regular season – Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley each missed 25+ games – and the postseason, where starting center Jarrett Allen missed eight of 12 contests due to a rib injury and a calf issue sidelined Mitchell for final two games vs. Boston. And even if the Cavs had been fully healthy, no one was beating the Celtics in these playoffs — Cleveland’s one win against them was as many as any of Boston’s four playoff opponents earned.

Still, Cavs management was dissatisfied enough with the team’s season on the whole to make a head coaching change this spring, dismissing J.B. Bickerstaff after he spent four-plus seasons in that role. The club has yet to officially hire a replacement, but appears to be leaning toward James Borrego, the former Hornets head coach who has spent the last two seasons as a top assistant in New Orleans.

Will the head coaching change be the only major move the Cavaliers make this offseason, or will the front office also determine that significant roster changes are needed to take the next step toward title contention? Will Mitchell, who can become a free agent in 2025, sign an extension with the franchise or decline to commit beyond next season? The answers to those two questions will help the Cavs chart a path this summer and will determine just how similar next year’s roster looks to this year’s.


The Cavaliers’ Offseason Plan

We don’t yet have definitive answers to the two questions posed above, but recent chatter has suggested we’re trending in a certain direction. A series of reports have indicated there’s growing optimism in Cleveland about the team’s odds of extending Mitchell this offseason. That would be a big win for the Cavs, who gave up a huge collection of assets — including Lauri Markkanen and multiple unprotected first-round picks — to acquire Mitchell from Utah two years ago.

There has been speculation that Mitchell will opt for a shorter-term extension that lines him up to get his next deal in 2027, when he has 10 years of service under his belt, rather than seeking the longest term possible at this time. I have to think that would be just fine with the Cavaliers, who would be happy to get some clarity of any kind and would be able to put off any major decisions about Mitchell’s future for at least a couple more years. If that scenario comes to pass, the star guard would likely sign a three-year extension worth a projected $151MM that begins in 2025/26 and includes a third-year player option for ’27/28.

If Mitchell gets extended, Garland’s future will become the newest subject of speculation in Cleveland. The former All-Star is under contract for four more guaranteed seasons and the Cavs have shown no inclination to break up their star-studded backcourt, but at least one report has stated that a new deal for Mitchell could prompt Garland’s representatives at Klutch Sports to talk to the club about finding a new home for their client. Garland, who made the All-Star team in 2022, has seen his scoring, assists, and usage rate decline in the two seasons since Mitchell’s arrival.

Even if Garland or his reps ask for a trade, the Cavaliers would be under no obligation to grant that request, given that he has no path to free agency until 2028. But it’s fair to wonder if it might actually be in the club’s best interest to consider a deal that sends out Garland for a wing who would better balance the roster.

The best stretch of Cleveland’s 2023/24 season came after Garland suffered a broken jaw in December. The team, which had a 13-12 record to that point, went 15-4 with Garland sidelined. Additionally, while Mitchell had a +7.3 net rating during his 1,943 regular season minutes, that number dipped to +4.4 during the 750 minutes in which he shared the court with Garland.

On their own, those numbers aren’t nearly compelling enough to justify trading a 24-year-old who has an All-Star nod on his résumé, especially since they don’t tell the full story — for instance, a few of the wins in that 15-4 stretch came without Mitchell available, and the team’s hot streak extended well into Garland’s return. While they’re both ball-dominant, Mitchell and Garland are also reliable three-point shooters, so the fit isn’t bad. That’s why I expect the club to keep its guard duo intact through the 2024 offseason, unless things go south in some way (e.g. Mitchell doesn’t sign an extension, or Garland pushes aggressively for a trade).

That’s not the only positional overlap the Cavs will have to evaluate this summer though. Mobley is up for a rookie scale extension and is considered likely to get a maximum-salary offer. Up to this point, the team has been happy to play him at power forward alongside Allen at center, but the strengths (rim protection, interior scoring) and weaknesses (a lack of floor spacing) of those two big men are pretty similar, resulting in speculation that Mobley will eventually make the move to the five.

As with the guards, there are reasons why it makes some sense to retain both bigs. Having both of them available gives the Cavs the ability to have an elite rim protector on the floor for all 48 minutes, and playing them alongside one another helps make up for defensive breakdowns on the perimeter. The duo also didn’t really get the chance to show what it could do together on the postseason stage, since Allen was injured in Game 4 of the first round and didn’t play again after that.

But again, the Cavs had a better net rating with just one of Allen or Mobley on the court than they did when the two big men played together. And if the club decides Mobley is the center of the future, Allen would have substantial value on the trade market this summer, given his relatively team-friendly contract, which has just two years and $40MM left on it.

While I like the idea of moving Allen a little more than I like the idea of moving Garland, finding a perfect match isn’t easy. From an on-court perspective, a deal with the Pelicans (who have had interest in Allen for years) involving Brandon Ingram makes a ton of sense, but if the Cavs are already on the hook for maximum-salary contracts for Mitchell, Garland, and Mobley, acquiring Ingram in order to extend him and add a fourth max deal to their books probably isn’t financially feasible. If Cleveland is going to move Allen for a wing or forward, the team would probably want that player earning a salary more in the range of Allen’s $20MM.

Washington could be a fit. Kyle Kuzma‘s three-year, $64.4MM contract is far more manageable that what Ingram will earn over the next few seasons. However, Kuzma’s subpar three-point efficiency (33.6% in 2023/24; 33.7% for his career) would be an issue for the Cavs, and the rebuilding Wizards, who are in position to draft their center of their future (Alexandre Sarr or Donovan Clingan) at No. 2 in next week’s draft, may not have much interest in Allen.

With those roadblocks in mind, it’s perhaps not surprising that Koby Altman told reporters in May that he doesn’t expect “sweeping changes” this offseason, or that recent reports have suggested the front office’s private stance has aligned with its public one.

If Mitchell signs an extension, all four of Cleveland’s core pieces will be under contract for multiple seasons and would each still have significant trade value at the 2025 trade deadline, in the 2025 offseason, or even at the 2026 deadline. The Cavs can afford to be patient for the time being, perhaps waiting to see if the new head coach helps that core unlock its full potential. There’s no reason to rush into a trade involving Garland or Allen this summer unless the deal is an obvious fit from both a basketball and financial perspective.

So if the Cavs stand pat with their big four, what might their offseason look like? Well, their position to the tax line will have to be a consideration as they weigh possible decisions, including what to do with restricted free agent Isaac Okoro. If we assume the team locks in Craig Porter‘s partially guaranteed salary and keeps its first-round pick (20th overall), payroll would be at about $159MM for 11 players. That would leave plenty of room below a projected $171MM+ luxury tax line to fill out the roster with minimum-salary players, but a new deal for Okoro – whose qualifying offer is $11.8MM and who will likely exceed that figure on a new contract – would almost certainly push the Cavs into a tax territory.

If the Cavs want to retain Okoro and aren’t prepared to be a taxpayer, perhaps a deal involving Caris LeVert ($16.6MM) or Georges Niang ($8.5MM) could be in the cards. Frankly, both players could become trade candidates even if tax savings aren’t a consideration.

LeVert doesn’t make sense in the club’s starting five and is on an expiring contract. While he has some value as a sixth man, the club could stagger Mitchell and Garland to ensure one of them is running the second unit, reducing the need for another ball-dominant player like LeVert in that group. As for Niang, he was one of Cleveland’s most-used reserves during the season and shot the ball well (.376 3PT%), but saw his minutes slashed in the playoffs due to his defensive limitations. Both guys have value to Cleveland, but I expect the team to at least explore upgrading their spots.

Ty Jerome is another candidate to be traded after he missed nearly his entire first year in Cleveland due to an ankle injury, though his cap hit is just $2.56MM. If he’s healthy, the Cavs may prefer to keep Jerome and see if he can deliver on the promise he showed in 2022/23 that prompted the club to give him a guaranteed two-year deal in the first place.

If this year’s No. 20 pick isn’t used as a sweetener in a trade, the Cavs can afford to take the best player available at that spot, since they won’t necessarily be expecting that player to vie for a spot in the rotation right away. I could also see the club trading down in order to replenish its cupboard of future draft assets a little and to reduce the cap hit for that pick. For what it’s worth, the latest mock drafts from both ESPN and Bleacher Report have the club rolling the dice at No. 20 on one of the youngest players in the draft, Pittsburgh guard Carlton Carrington.


Salary Cap Situation

Guaranteed Salary

Non-Guaranteed Salary

  • Sam Merrill ($2,164,993)
  • Craig Porter ($891,857)
    • Partial guarantee. Rest of salary noted above.
  • Total: $3,056,850

Dead/Retained Salary

Player Options

  • None

Team Options

  • None

Restricted Free Agents

  • Isaac Okoro ($11,828,974 qualifying offer / $26,762,385 cap hold): Bird rights
  • Total (cap holds): $26,762,385

Two-Way Free Agents

Note: Because he has finished each of the past two seasons on a two-way contract with the Cavaliers, Mobley’s qualifying offer would be worth his minimum salary (projected to be $2,093,637). It would include a small partial guarantee.

Draft Picks

  • No. 20 overall pick ($3,336,000 cap hold)
  • Total (cap holds): $3,336,000

Extension-Eligible Players

Note: Unless otherwise indicated, these players are eligible for extensions beginning in July.

Unrestricted Free Agents

Other Cap Holds

Note: The cap holds for these players are on the Cavaliers’ books from prior seasons because they haven’t been renounced. They can’t be used in a sign-and-trade deal.

Cap Exceptions Available

Note: The Cavaliers project to operate over the cap and under the first tax apron.

  • Non-taxpayer mid-level exception: $12,859,000

Atlantic Notes: Van Gundy, Brunson, Harden, George, Hartenstein, Raptors

Jeff Van Gundy and the Celtics’ brass mutually agreed it would be better for him to become the lead assistant with the Clippers rather than taking a similar job with Boston, according to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe.

Van Gundy was a candidate to replace former associate head coach Charles Lee, who is leaving to coach the Hornets. But the Celtics were somewhat uneasy about the prospect of Van Gundy, a senior consultant for the organization, leapfrogging members of the coaching staff and getting the job. The Celtics are expected to hire Lee’s replacement from an in-house candidate, Himmelsbach adds.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Jalen Brunson is eligible for an extension this summer for a max of four years and $156MM. If he waits until next summer, Brunson would be eligible for a five-year, $270MM contract. Yet Ian Begley of SNY TV believes Brunson will be willing to listen to an extension offer from the Knicks this summer, which would give the front office more cap flexibility in future seasons.
  • Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein will get a big raise in free agency, but how much is he worth in the open market? The Athletic’s Fred Katz polled 16 front-office officials, with their answers ranging from $15MM to $22.5MM per season. The Knicks, who hold his Early Bird rights, can offer a maximum of four years and $72.5MM.
  • James Harden ripped Sixers top executive Daryl Morey last offseason, calling him a “liar” among other things, until he was traded to the Clippers. Could Harden’s contentious relationship with his former boss influence teammate Paul George‘s decision whether to stay put or sign with the Sixers? Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer explores that topic.
  • The Raptors have picks No. 19 and 31 in this year’s draft. The Athletic’s Eric Koreen looks at eight wings who might make sense in that draft range, including Colorado’s Tristan da Silva and Creighton’s Baylor Scheierman.

International Notes: Giannis, Team Canada, Hezonja, Clarkson, Vildoza, Ataman, Team China

Giannis Antetokounmpo is looking forward to participating in Greece’s training camp, though he’s still dealing with the injury that short-circuited the Bucks’ playoff run. Milwaukee’s superstar will look to help Greece advance out of the FIBA Olympic qualifying tournament in Piraeus early next month.

“I have not practiced yet, but I feel better. I cannot wait to join the training camp,” he told Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net and other reporters.

Antetokounmpo suffered a calf strain late in the NBA regular season. The announcement that he would play for Greece was made at the beginning of this month.

We have more international basketball news:

  • Canada’s preliminary Olympic roster is loaded with NBA players and there will be tough decisions ahead to pare it to 12 players, Josh Lewenberg of TSN notes. Kings forward Trey Lyles, former NBA bigs Khem Birch and Mfiondu Kabengele and two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey are some of the players who, on paper, will be fighting for the last two spots on the roster, writes Lewenberg.
  • Former NBA forward Mario Hezonja announced on social media that he’s re-signing with Real Madrid, Sportando relays. “Real Madrid believed in me when many didn’t, cared for me and my family since the first day I arrived and made us feel at home. My only intention was to stay so I am happy to communicate to you that I will continue my journey at MY HOME, MY REAL MADRID for a long time!” he wrote. There had been speculation he might look at NBA opportunities.
  • Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson was not on the Philippines’ 12-man roster for the FIBA Olympic qualifier. Coach Tim Cone opted for continuity, according to executive director Erika Dy. Cone decided to go with the same group that participated in an Asia Cup qualifier over the winter. “Premise of coach Tim, we have the same roster every time. The shorter training periods will accumulate, and the players will build chemistry,” Dy said, per BasketNews.
  • Virtus Bologna is reportedly interested in former NBA guard Luca Vildoza, who is leaving Greece’s Panathinaikos, according to another Sportando report. Vildoza had a seven-game stint with the Bucks in 2021/22.
  • After leading Panathinaikos to a Euroleague title, Ergin Ataman is eager to get a shot at coaching in the NBA. But he told the Spanish outlet AS that he only wants to make the jump if he’s offered a head coaching job. “Before it was my dream, now it’s not, but if you want a star coach from Europe, here I am. Why would I be afraid of training NBA stars?” he said, per Eurohoops.net.
  • The Chinese national team will participate in the California Classic in Sacramento next month, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee reports. They’ll be grouped against Summer League teams from the Kings, Hornets, and Spurs. Squads from the Warriors, Lakers and Heat will play against each other in San Francisco.