Andrew Bogut Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: Bulls, Middleton, Beasley

March 7th, 2017 at 7:04pm CST by Austin Kent

Although some Bulls fans may have clamored for a youth movement in Chicago, the team saw first-hand that their young core may not be ready for primetime just yet, Nick Friedell of ESPN writes. Briefly in Monday’s loss to the Pistons, the Bulls trotted out a lineup of Denzel Valentine, Jerian Grant, Paul Zipser, Bobby Portis and Cristiano Felicio but the offense quickly stalle, resulting in the prompt reinstatement of star forward Jimmy Butler.

Friedell explains that the vaunted trio of Portis, Valentine and recently acquired Cameron Payne may not be reliable enough offensively, citing their struggles against Detroit as an example of what life would be like for Bulls fans without Butler or Dwyane Wade there to steer the ship. Should Wade leave via free agency this summer and Butler get traded, there could be more nights just like Monday in the future.

Payne, brought over from the Thunder in the Taj Gibson trade, hasn’t been particularly effective in a Bulls uniform, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune writes in his own piece, highlighting the supposed “pure” point guard’s abundance of field goal attempts. Head coach Fred Hoiberg echoed the sentiment. “He took a couple shots that he maybe could’ve got one more bounce to the rim or kicked out for a shot,” Hoiberg said. “This is really the first meaningful big minutes that he’s getting in this league. And it’s all valuable experience for him. And he’s not afraid of the moment. He’s going to give you everything he has.”

There’s more out of the Central Division tonight:

After battling back from a ruptured hamstring that required surgery, Khris Middleton has wasted no time getting into a rhythm beyond the arc for the Bucks, Alex Boeder of Bucks.com writes. All of Middleton’s shooting numbers since he returned nine games ago are outpacing his career averages.
The Pacers have put an emphasis on putting smaller lineups on the floor of late with mixed results, Nate Taylor of the Indianapolis Star writes. Since the implementation of the changes the team has shot better from the field but struggled on defense.
Injured Bucks forward Michael Beasley will be out at least two more weeks, Charles Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets. Beasley, sidelined with a hyperextended knee, will be re-evaluated at that time.
The Cavaliers are in danger, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, more so now that Andrew Bogut has broken his leg and will miss the remainder of the 2016/17 season. Injuries, coupled with upcoming road games, general fatigue and lingering defensive woes could spell trouble for the squad, he writes.

Central Notes: Bogut, Portis, Carter-Williams

March 5th, 2017 at 8:20pm CST by Austin Kent

The Cavaliers bench is as deep as its been in 47 years of franchise history, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. The addition of Andrew Bogut, who signed Thursday and is scheduled to play Monday, gives the club an impressively qualified 11th man.

Though Vardon acknowledges that many coaches reduce their rotation to seven or eight players in the postseason, Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue will have every opportunity to keep his at nine or ten.

“You never know what can happen and now you always got those guys on the bench that are ready to play,” Lue said of the new Cavaliers. “They are veteran guys that can step up, been in big positions and are capable of making good plays in the playoffs. So, that’s always a luxury to have.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

He didn’t demote Reggie Jackson to the bench but Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy did tweak the minute distribution at the point guard position, MLive’s Aaron McMann reports. “The only thing we told [Jackson] was, he was going to go in shorter bursts and really pace himself,” Van Gundy said. “Push himself defensively and try and get the pace of the game up on offense. That’s all we talked about.”
Head coach Fred Hoiberg spoke about some of the miscommunication issues he’s had with Bulls players like Bobby Portis and Michael Carter-Williams. Mark Strotman of CSN Chicago reports that Hoiberg sounded frustrated when questioned about the reported incidents.
Released by the Heat mid-season, Derrick Williams has already found himself in a “perfect situation” in Cleveland, Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal writes. Williams’ confidence is surging thanks to the support of his Cavaliers teammates. “When you’ve got guys like [LeBron James] telling you to shoot, the confidence just goes through the roof,” Williams said.

Cavs Notes: Bogut, Williams, MVP

March 3rd, 2017 at 2:28pm CST by Austin Kent

The Cavaliers were quiet at the trade deadline but have made two significant moves since adding recently waived veterans Andrew Bogut and Deron Williams. Chris Mannix and Bobby Marks of The Vertical discussed the signings in a recent video.

Not only do the March moves shed light on why the club didn’t make a drastic move at the trade deadline — they also tie into the previously reported LeBron James “playmaker” demands. The Cavs knew that they had March 1 in their back pocket all along. While they may not have known specifically that Bogut or Williams would fall to them, it would have been reasonable for general manager David Griffin to assume that the reigning champions would at least be on the short list of any new veteran free agent hoping for a playoff run.

Limited tradeable assets and draft picks gave the Cavaliers little other choice, Marks argues, but they can rest assured that they’ve bolstered their lineup with some solid depth. Mannix mentions Williams’ possible impact in particular. The Cavs have been without a veteran backup at the point guard position since Matthew Dellavedova signed with the Bucks and Mo Williams abruptly retired.

“The gap between the Cavaliers and everybody else in the Eastern Conference just got a little bit wider,” Mannix says.

There’s more from Cleveland:

Once again, LeBron James is making a case to win the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, writes ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. Veteran forward James Jones spoke about James’ bid for yet another award and why his case sometimes gets overlooked. “Sometimes they get bored with what they know is coming, even if that’s still the best option out there.”
Agents have substantial influence on the waiver wire, writes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Vardon suggests that NBA front offices would be wise to heed an agent’s request to not put in a bid for a veteran player going through the waiver processes, lest they want to damage their chances of doing business with the agency in the future.
Veteran Kyle Korver spoke about his recent return to Atlanta and Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal published video of the conversation. “It felt like I was on a really long road trip and I came back,” he said. The forward speaks fondly of his time with the Hawks but is grateful for his opportunity in Cleveland.

Cavaliers Sign Andrew Bogut

March 2nd, 2017 at 1:53pm CST by Austin Kent

MARCH 2: The Cavaliers have officially signed Bogut, the team announced today in a press release. Cleveland waived Jordan McRae on Wednesday in order to open up a spot on the roster for Bogut.

FEBRUARY 28: Andrew Bogut has committed to signing with the Cavaliers, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN and he’s expected to do so this weekend. The center won’t officially clear waivers until 5 PM EST on Wednesday but was released in time to be eligible to play for the Cavs during the postseason.

The Australian big man had strongly considered the Rockets and Celtics, Shams Charania of The Vertical tweets, but decided to head to Ohio after toiling away on a lottery-bound Mavs team for the past few month. Of the multitude of suitors hoping to lure the center, Houston was the one that could offer the most money, but Bogut was legitimately impressed with Boston’s pitch. Per Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe, Bogut and his agent will likely consider the Celtics when the offseason free agency period opens on July 1.

In Cleveland, Bogut has the clearest path to the NBA Finals, where he could possibly clash against his former team. Just last summer, the center was hastily dealt by Golden State to the Mavs in order for the Warriors to free up space to sign Kevin Durant.

In 26 games this season, Bogut has averaged 3.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game but the biggest benefit the Cavaliers will get from the 32-year-old veteran is his interior defense.

Bogut was recently bought out by the Sixers after being dealt from Dallas to Philadelphia in the Nerlens Noel/Justin Anderson swap. The two parties immediately pursued buyout options.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Cavaliers Notes: McRae, Bogut, Dellavedova, Williams

March 1st, 2017 at 7:08pm CST by Arthur Hill

Second-year guard Jordan McRae expressed no bitterness on his way out the door after being waived today, relays Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. He was released to open a roster spot for the signing of free agent center Andrew Bogut. McRae appeared in 37 games for the Cavs this season, starting four, but was only playing about 10 minutes per night. He will receive all of his nearly $1.15MM salary. “All smiles here,” McRae posted on his Instagram account. “Not a bad thing to say about any player or anybody that has anything to do with this organization. I’m proud to say I am a part of Cleveland’s first-ever NBA championship. The memories I will take with me for the rest of my life. Best of luck to this great group of guys, brothers for life love you guys. Thanks Cleveland.”

There’s more tonight out of Cleveland:

Former Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova played a role in helping Bogut, a fellow Australian, choose Cleveland, tweets TNT analyst David Aldridge. Dellavedova, who spent three seasons with the Cavs before a sign-and-trade sent him to Milwaukee over the summer, gave a glowing recommendation to Bogut about the players and the organization.
Deron Williams, who signed with the Cavaliers on Monday, said the defending champions were the “best fit” for him, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. The veteran point guard, who committed to Cleveland after agreeing to a buyout with the Mavericks, said he considered the city when he was in a similar situation in 2015. He also cited a friendship with guard Kyle Korver, who was a former teammate in Utah. “I just feel like I’ll be comfortable here,” Williams said. “I’ll have a significant role here, with the need for a backup for Kyrie [Irving] and also being able to play with Kyrie. We get a chance to play together and of course competing for a championship is something that I haven’t had a chance to do.”
James believes it’s too early to say whether this year’s roster is now better than last year’s, Vardon writes in a separate piece. This week’s signings of Williams and Bogut added two accomplished veterans to an already-talented team and filled the primary needs for a backup point guard and an extra big man. “Yeah, we’re pretty deep and the biggest thing is just trying to get everyone to mesh together and who plays well together and who doesn’t,” said coach Tyronn Lue.

Cavaliers Waive Jordan McRae

March 1st, 2017 at 1:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Andrew Bogut will clear waivers today and is expected to sign with the Cavaliers shortly thereafter, meaning the team has to clear a spot on its 15-man roster. According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Cleveland will create that opening by waiving Jordan McRae. The Cavs have since confirmed the transaction in a press release.

McRae, who will turn 26 later this month, appeared in 37 games for the Cavs this season, averaging 4.4 PPG in 10.4 minutes per contest. Although the club guaranteed McRae’s full-season salary by keeping him on the roster through January’s guarantee deadline, the 6’6″ guard was mentioned in multiple trade rumors in recent weeks, suggesting he may not finish the season in Cleveland.

After initially joining the Cavs down the stretch in 2015/16, McRae earned a minimum salary (about $875K) for the team this season. Assuming McRae goes unclaimed on waivers, the Cavs will remain on the hook for that cap hit, but won’t carry any dead money beyond the current league year — the former second-round pick had been on track for restricted free agency this summer.

If McRae does catch on with another NBA team, he’ll retain his playoff eligibility, having been waived before the end of the day on March 1.

Celtics Rumors: Bogut, T. Jones, Sullinger

March 1st, 2017 at 9:46am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics had been in the running to sign veteran center Andrew Bogut, but with the former No. 1 pick opting to sign instead with the rival Cavaliers, Boston doesn’t exactly have a Plan B in place, writes Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald.

A source tells Murphy that, while the two sides were reportedly in touch, Terrence Jones doesn’t appear to be a target for the Celtics. However, team management hasn’t ruled out the possibility of a reunion with Jared Sullinger “somewhere down the line if it is needed.” As Murphy suggests, Sullinger has battled conditioning and health issues, and he hasn’t been himself this season, but the Ohio State product – who turns 25 this Saturday – has made the Celtics a better rebounding team in the past.

Here’s more from out of Boston:

Although the Celtics haven’t closed the door on re-adding Sullinger, a reunion is “highly unlikely,” says A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com.
A source tells Murphy that the Celtics may simply decide to rely on in-house options as they try to improve their rebounding, though they’ll keep an eye out for potential upgrades. “There’s nothing imminent; (the Celtics) will continue looking and see what happens,” the source said. Chris Mannix of The Vertical also hears that the C’s are likely to stand pat with their current roster.
According to a separate source, the Celtics had internally debated the value Bogut would have in the lineup, Murphy writes. Due to concerns about Bogut’s health and uncertainty about whose minutes he would take, members of the Celtics had “mixed reviews” on whether or not the veteran center would be a good addition, Murphy’s source said.

And-Ones: Mavericks, Bogut, Stone, Teodosic

February 28th, 2017 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Having waived Deron Williams and Andrew Bogut, the Mavericks will be relying on their young players more than ever going forward. As Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com writes, Mark Cuban recognizes the value of Dallas’ 2017 draft pick and acknowledges that going with a young lineup looks like the club is “tanking” to improve that pick. However, Cuban says he doesn’t necessarily expect the team’s young lineup to perform worse than the veteran-heavy lineup.

“In our case, we’re playing our youngest players, but we’re playing them with the expectation that they’re going to win,” said the Mavericks owner. “I think that’s the best type of experience. And if that means we get the eighth pick or the 10th pick instead of the fourth pick, I’ll live with the consequences.”

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

Andrew Bogut won’t clear waivers until tomorrow, but he may make a decision on his new home by tonight, according to David Aldridge of TNT. Aldridge tweets that Bogut is talking to teams about his potential role, since he’d like some certainty on that subject before he makes his decision. Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe confirms (via Twitter) that Bogut spoke to multiple coaches today about his possible role. The Cavaliers and Celtics are viewed as the frontrunners to land the former No. 1 pick.
Veteran guard Julyan Stone, who had been playing for the D-League’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants, has left the Pacers‘ NBADL affiliate and signed with Italian club Reyer Venezia, as Emiliano Carchia of Sportando notes. Stone, who has appeared in 47 total NBA games and was in camp with Indiana last fall, previously played for Reyer Venezia during the 2014/15 season.
According to an international report from Serbian outlet Novosti (translation via Sportando), the Nets and Nuggets are expected to be among the teams eyeing Milos Teodosic for the 2017/18 season. We heard back in September that the star CSKA Moscow guard was considering making the leap to the NBA next season, with a report earlier this month identifying the Nuggets, Spurs, and Jazz as potential suitors.
In a piece for SBNation.com, Paul Flannery examines some of the unintended consequences that the league’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement had on this year’s trade deadline.

Rockets Sign Isaiah Taylor

February 28th, 2017 at 11:25am CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 28: The Rockets have officially signed Taylor and assigned him to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, per Watkins. Houston now has one opening on its 15-man roster.

FEBRUARY 27: The Rockets are signing D-League guard Isaiah Taylor to their NBA roster, reports Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com. According to Watkins, Taylor will receive a three-year, non-guaranteed contract, and figures to remain assigned to Houston’s D-League affiliate for now.

Taylor, who went undrafted out of Texas last summer, signed a partially guaranteed contract with the Rockets and was with the club for training camp and the preseason. However, he didn’t earn a spot on the club’s regular-season roster, and joined the Rio Grande Valley Vipers as an affiliate player.

In 12 games for the Vipers, Taylor has averaged 21.1 PPG and 6.1 APG, showing an ability to get the free throw line (7.3 attempts per game) and to make outside shots (41.3% on threes).

Having traded away K.J. McDaniels and Tyler Ennis at the trade deadline, the Rockets had two open roster spots available — the team acquired Marcelo Huertas from the Lakers for Ennis, but waived Huertas shortly after trading for him. Taylor will fill one of those two roster openings as a developmental player, while the club figures to focus on adding a veteran with its other open spot.

According to Watkins (via Twitter), the Rockets don’t have serious interest in Andrew Bogut, who is expected to join the Cavaliers if he’s bought out by Philadelphia. Houston is looking to add a wing or another big man, says Watkins.

And-Ones: Hansbrough, Bogut, Jennings

February 27th, 2017 at 11:02pm CST by Milo Taibi

Tyler Hansbrough has signed a contract with the D-League, Chris Reichert of The Step Back reports (Twitter link). Now 31 years old, Hansbrough played 44 games with the Hornets last season, receiving a career-worst 7.8 MPG. Hansbrough went unsigned as an unrestricted free agent over the offseason, but expressed interest in returning to Charlotte after 2015/16.

“Personally, when I was called, I felt like I went out there and helped the team in the ways that I could. I’d be glad to be back,” Hansbrough told Sam Perley of Hornets.com.

Other goings-on around the game…

The Rockets are unlikely to sign Andrew Bogut, sources tell Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. The Rockets would like to add Bogut as insurance in case of a Clint Capela or Nene Hilario injury, but the big man may be looking for a bigger role.
The Pistons don’t appear to be interested in a reunion with Brandon Jennings, Rod Beards of The Detroit News relays. “With Ish here, I don’t think [Jennings] would be a fit. From Brandon’s standpoint, my guess is he wants to go somewhere he can play,” Van Gundy said. “In a contract year, especially, he needs to get playing time and get seen. I hope it works for him. I really like him and he’s able to land something good this summer.”
The BIG3 announced five additional players will register for its draft pool: James White, Andre Owens, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Lawrence Moten, and Ndudi Ebi (press release). In April, BIG3 will hold a player combine for all players in the draft pool. While all five players have NBA experience, White most recently appeared in an NBA game- scoring 25 points over 57 games with the 2012/13 Knicks.
The Cavaliers could be the winner of the Nerlens Noel trade if Bogut decides to join the defending champs, John Smallwood of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Rumors linked Bogut to Cleveland over the weekend, but it was reported today that the big man has “strong interest” in joining the Celtics.

Chris Crouse contributed to this post