Cleanthony Early Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Scola, Okafor, Wood, Early

December 2nd, 2015 at 11:02am CST by Chuck Myron

Luis Scola harked back to his Rockets days as he added an effective 3-point shot to his repertoire for this season, telling Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today that the difference is that he’s allowed the shot to come natually to him, unlike his attempts to add the long-range look in the past. Scola is one of several big men around the league who are extending their range, as Zillgitt examines, and it’s added value to the one-year, $2.9MM deal Scola signed with the Raptors in the summer.

“Houston loves analytics and is big on that. I tried to learn from them a lot,” Scola said. “They planted that seed and said, ‘You’ve got to do this if you want to move forward with the NBA.’”

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TMZ Sports obtained a video that depicts second altercation involving Jahlil Okafor on November 25th, the same night he was allegedly involved in a fight with a heckler outside a Boston nightclub. Boston police officials told TMZ that charges are likely to be filed. The Sixers will provide Okafor with a bodyguard going forward, coach Brett Brown said Tuesday, clearing up some confusion from earlier.
Neither the Sixers nor their D-League affiliate formally announced the move, but the Sixers assigned Christian Wood to their D-League affiliate Tuesday and recalled him later in the day, according to the D-League. Philly sent the rookie down so he could practice with the D-League team, the Delaware 87ers said, according to Adam Johnson of D-League Digest (Twitter link).
The Knicks assigned Cleanthony Early to their D-League affiliate today, the team announced (on Twitter). New York had just recalled Early on Monday, and the plan is for him to again rejoin the NBA squad in time for tonight’s game, tweets Marc Berman of the New York Post.

Atlantic Notes: Winslow, Johnson, Early

December 1st, 2015 at 7:32pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Heat rookie Justise Winslow is aware of the Celtics‘ reported push to move up in the 2015 NBA in order to select him, but the swingman noted that because Boston’s pick fell in the middle of the first round he had minimal pre-draft interaction with the team, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe relays. Celtics coach Brad Stevens sang the rookie’s praises when asked about Winslow’s potential, Himmelsbach adds. “He’s a super-mature kid who’s just going to get better and better,” Stevens said. “Winning’s the most important thing to him, and he’s got a high ceiling. I think he’ll do well. He’s shown that. I think you can see that whenever you have an organization like this that’s at the caliber that they have been, and they’re playing him at the end of games pretty consistently. That just tells you where he is emotionally.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic:

The criteria that Joe Johnson finds most important as he thinks about choosing a team in free agency this coming summer is an ominous one for the woe-begotten Nets, as Andy Vasquez of The Record reveals. “Winning. Winning is going to be important to me,” Johnson told Vasquez. “I’ve made enough money, man, throughout my career. So, yeah, winning will definitely be top priority for me.”
The Knicks have recalled Cleanthony Early from their D-League affiliate in Westchester, the team announced. This was Early’s first trip to the D-League this season.
The Sixers anticipate point guard Tony Wroten will return to action within 8 to 10 days, but Kendall Marshall‘s rehab is going “much slower,” Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

And-Ones: Dunleavy, Mekel, D-League

November 30th, 2015 at 9:15pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Bulls small forward Mike Dunleavy Jr., who underwent back surgery in September, suffered a “setback” and his timetable for a return to the court is unclear, coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters, including Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. Dunleavy re-signed with Chicago during the summer. Hoiberg, per Friedell, said there isn’t concern at this time that Dunleavy will have to miss the entire season or have another procedure on his back.

Here’s more from around the league:

Former Mavericks and Pelicans point guard Gal Mekel has signed with European power-agent Misko Raznatovic, International Journalist David Pick tweets.
The Knicks have assigned Cleanthony Early to their D-League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks, according to the team’s Twitter feed. Early has only seen 24 minutes of NBA action this season.
The Cavs have recalled Joe Harris from the Canton Charge, the team’s D-League affiliate, according to a team press release. Harris appeared in three games during his latest stint, averaging 22.7 points in 36.9 minutes per game.
Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders takes a look at the league’s landscape so far this season and the Hawks are among his underachievers. Greene believes one major reason for the disappointing start is that Atlanta still hasn’t found an adequate replacement for DeMarre Carroll.

Will Joseph contributed to this post.

Atlantic Notes: Early, Thomas, Jones

October 18th, 2015 at 6:45pm CST by Will Joseph

Cleanthony Early, who struggled as a rookie last year with the Knicks, seems to be more comfortable offensively and is playing tougher defense, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Berman adds that Carmelo Anthony has helped groom the small forward into becoming a two-way force.

“[Early] looks more confident this year,’’ Anthony said, per Berman. “I think it was good for him to go through the season last year, this offseason and even right now he looks a lot more confident.’’

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

As the 16th player with a guaranteed contract added to the maximum 15-contract mix, Perry Jones has roughly a week to win a roster spot with the Celtics, Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald writes. Jones did not play Friday against the Knicks, as Murphy points out. “Always keep the faith. That’s part of basketball,” Jones said. “I can’t tell you why I didn’t see the floor, that’s a question for Brad, but I just have to stay ready for the next game.”
Isaiah Thomas is adding some creativity to his offensive repertoire and Celtics coach Brad Stevens believes that is one reason why the team acquired the point guard last year, Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com relays. “First of all, I thought he’d really impact our team,” Stevens said. “I thought his ability to get into the paint would be like a shot in the arm for our team. From an efficiency standpoint, on the offensive end of the floor, both at the end of last year and through the first four preseason games, he’s just playing at such a high level; he’s such a good fit. I think that I thought he’d have a huge impact, but I think he’s probably — and my expectations were high — but I think he’s probably been at the top of those at least.”

Atlantic Notes: Ross, Jackson, Fisher

April 21st, 2015 at 5:15pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Knicks president Phil Jackson has indicated that he won’t be attending next month’s NBA draft lottery, which is something the Zen Master needs to rethink, opines Frank Isola of The New York Daily News. It’s important for Jackson to represent New York at the event not only for him to take ownership of the team’s 17-win season, but to show potential free agents that he is indeed a hands on executive working to right the ship, Isola adds.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Raptors‘ patience with Terrence Ross is beginning to pay dividends during this season’s NBA playoffs, Mike Ganter of The Toronto Sun writes. It took coach Dwane Casey removing him from the starting lineup midway through the season to accomplish it, but the forward’s focus on the defensive end has improved greatly during the second half of the 2014/15 campaign, Ganter notes. “The bench is a great motivator sometimes,” Casey said. “You don’t want to wear that out but I think he had a chance to sit back and watch and see what he needed to do and he’s done it.” Ross is eligible to ink a rookie scale extension this summer.
Derek Fisher, reflecting on his rookie season as Knicks coach, was appreciative of the effort that his players provided him throughout the team’s dismal 2014/15 campaign, Marc Berman of The New York Post relays. “I’m thankful for each and every one of them regardless if they’re back or not,’’ Fisher said. “These guys will always be my first team, no matter what. Any success we have as an organization or me as a coach will start from there and from these guys. I think a number of them can be back. But at this point, I respect them too much to start trying to determine who that should or shouldn’t be. They’ve given this organization a lot.’’
Though the Knicks‘ roster is expected to undergo a significant overhaul this offseason, 2014 second-rounder Cleanthony Early is one player whom the team considers part of its future, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com writes. The 24-year-old didn’t live up to the team’s expectations this season, averaging just 5.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in 39 appearances. Injuries certainly played a factor, with Early dealing with knee and ankle issues the entire campaign, Begley notes.

Atlantic Notes: Early, Sixers, Winslow

April 4th, 2015 at 10:10am CST by Eddie Scarito

Knicks rookie Cleanthony Early has had a difficult season thanks to numerous injuries and his conditioning level suffering as a result, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. “Cle’s had an up-and-down year physically with a couple of injuries that slowed down his development this year,’’ coach Derek Fisher said. “He’s continued to work hard and shows it every day. Getting more comfortable and confident out there with [the] opportunity he’s getting to play each night since he’s back and healthy. It’s great to see that from him. That’s what you like to see from young guys. He’s showing he has a bright future as long as he has the right attitude.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Coach Brett Brown is happy that five of the Sixers‘ six remaining games are against teams still fighting for playoff spots, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Brown likes that his young team will get a taste of playoff intensity from Philly’s opponents, Pompey adds. “I think it is fantastic,” said Brown. “I get so excited because we talk about it so much and they hear me,” he added. “I am privileged that I have this experience and can explain that it [postseason] is a different sport [compared with the regular season] and they are seeing it. They are feeling it.“
If the Knicks were to trade their likely top four lottery pick this year for multiple draft picks, one player the team could look to select is Duke freshman Justise Winslow, Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal speculates in his look at the player. Winslow is currently ranked No. 5 overall by DraftExpress and No. 6 by ESPN.com.
Regardless of if he wins the Rookie of the Year award this season or not, the Sixers‘ Nerlens Noel has had a special year, Max Rappaport of NBA.com writes. “People have to really start talking about him for Rookie of the Year,” coach Brown said. “You don’t just repetitively bang out these types of performances and produce the numbers that he is producing. He is a complete game changer. He is a complete defensive presence when he’s lurking to block shots. He just continues to improve at this time of year. He keeps moving up the food chain and heading in the direction that we’re all so thrilled about.“

Atlantic Notes: Sullinger, Early, Sixers

February 26th, 2015 at 4:28pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said Jared Sullinger has not met conditioning goals in an interview today on 98.5 FM The Sports Hub in Boston, as Brian Robb of Boston.com transcribes (Twitter link). Sullinger suffered a season-ending stress fracture in his left foot on Sunday. Ainge said that he has addressed Sullinger’s conditioning issues “many, many times,” and was not impressed by the results this season. “All of our players have met conditioning, body fat, goals set by trainers, and Jared has not met them,” Ainge said. Sullinger told reporters Wednesday that he plans to use his rehab from a left foot fracture and the offseason to transform his body.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

With only 26 games left, it’s getting late for Knicks rookie forward Cleanthony Early to prove his worth, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday. Early is one of four Knicks with a guaranteed deal for next season, but it doesn’t mean he definitely will return, especially if his salary helps facilitate a trade, Iannazzone noted. Early, the No. 34 pick, has struggled, and he missed six weeks after undergoing right knee surgery in November.
The Sixers saved a little less than $2MM when they claimed Thomas Robinson off waivers, as Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com writes in an Insider-only story. Robinson’s contract takes them over the NBA’s minimum team salary. Prior to the claim, they had been set to have to distribute any shortfall from that amount among their players, but the 76ers now pay only the balance of Robinson’s salary, Pelton notes.
Dumping productive players prior to the NBA trade deadline has become an increasingly popular tanking strategy, and is a problem that the league needs to address, Filip Bondy of The New York Daily News writes. Bondy notes that the deals the Knicks have made this season are a good example of the practice. “It’s been going on for a while, that particular instrument,” said Rod Thorn, NBA president of basketball operations. “More now, because we have so many teams under the cap. Five, six years ago, there were only a handful under the cap. Now half the teams or more are under the cap, and it puts them in position to gain an asset by taking a player that a team is trying to get rid of. There are more trading partners.”

Will Joseph contributed to this post.

And-Ones: Shaw, Lakers, Early, Marble

February 7th, 2015 at 12:59pm CST by Eddie Scarito

There is still a strong belief within the Nuggets front office that Brian Shaw can become an elite NBA coach, Chris Mannix of SI.com writes. Denver’s GM Tim Connolly also reiterated that the franchise has no intention of firing Shaw this season. In his two seasons in Denver, Shaw’s overall record is 55-77, including a fourth place finish in the Northwest Division in 2013/14.

Here’s more from the West:

Shaw admitted that the all of the trade speculation regarding the Nuggets‘ players has become a distraction to the team, Mannix adds. “When you hear your name swirling around in trade rumors, it can’t help but have an effect on most people,” Shaw said. “But I say now and I say to them, it’s something we can’t control. As a player I was traded a few times. I can say to them until I’m blue in the face that they should continue to play and control what you can on the floor, but you are still going to think about it. It’s still going to have an effect on you. But whatever happens is going to happen. It’s part of the business and we have to deal with it.”
The Knicks have recalled Cleanthony Early from their D-League affiliate in Westchester, the team has announced.
The staff over at ESPNLosAngeles.com discussed the Lakers‘ point guard situation, and the consensus was that Jordan Clarkson, whom Los Angles selected with the No. 46 overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft, has been a pleasant surprise this season and should factor into the Lakers’ future plans. The 22-year-old rookie out of Missouri is averaging 6.6 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 27 appearances, including six starts.
The latest player rankings for the 2015 NBA draft were released by Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com, and the updated list sees Ohio State star D’Angelo Russell shooting all the way up to the No. 2 spot. In addition, Kristaps Porzingis has dropped out of the top five for the first time this season.
Flip Saunders, the Wolves‘ president of basketball operations, said that since Minnesota’s roster is finally healthy, the team intends to send Glenn Robinson III to the D-League for seasoning, Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune tweets. Minnesota has yet to assign a player to the D-League this season, as our tracker shows.
Jabari Davis of Basketball Insiders examined the Lakers roster and ran down where each player stands in regard to the franchise’s future.
The Magic have recalled Devyn Marble from the Erie BayHawks, Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel tweets. This concludes Marble’s second sojourn of the season to the D-League.

Eastern Notes: Sixers, Early, Magic

February 5th, 2015 at 8:56pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Scott Skiles has been mentioned as a candidate to take over as coach of the Magic, but he has a reputation as being difficult for players to get along with, Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype writes. Keyon Dooling, who played for Skiles when both were with the Bucks, thinks that Skiles will do better in his next coaching job, Sierra notes. “Skiles is a high-pedigree coach,” Dooling said. “A lot of times when coaches get fired, they get better at wherever they were weak. [If he gets the Orlando job] I think he’ll be better in how he deals with players this time. During my time in Milwaukee, he had an average relationship with the players. I don’t think it was great, I don’t think it was bad. His work ethic, X’s and O’s and game-planning were his strengths. Where he fell short is maybe with people.”

Here’s the latest from the Eastern Conference:

The Knicks have assigned Cleanthony Early to their D-League affiliate in Westchester, the team announced. This will be Early’s second trip of the season to the D-League.
Tobias Harris says that the Magic need to rally around interim coach James Borrego, John Denton of NBA.com writes (Twitter link). “We have to have his back. We have to want to win and play hard and do all that we can do to help [JB].“
The Sixers were pleased with the production that they received from Larry Drew II, but the rookie was caught in an unfortunate numbers game that prevented Philadelphia from signing Drew for the remainder of the season, Max Rappaport of NBA.com writes. “Flexibility,” coach Brett Brown said when asked why the team didn’t sign Drew for the rest of the 2014/15 campaign. “The trade deadline is coming up, and we need flexibility. We may see [Larry] again. Who knows? What I do know is he was an ‘A’. He did everything and some, and it doesn’t prohibit us from revisiting him [in the future] at all.”
Jacque Vaughn became the fall guy for the Magic, who are in the third season of their rebuilding project and appear to be heading in the wrong direction as a franchise, Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel writes.
One of the issues that the Magic‘s front office had with Vaughn was his inconsistent use of Harris and Maurice Harkless, Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel writes. Both players received sporadic playing time under Vaughn, which didn’t sit well with Orlando’s GM Rob Hennigan and CEO Alex Martins, Schmitz notes.

Knicks Notes: Anthony, Fisher, Early, Jackson

February 1st, 2015 at 11:50am CST by Arthur Hill

When the Lakers visit the Knicks this afternoon, Carmelo Anthony will be facing one of the teams that tried hardest to lure him last summer, according to Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News. An unrestricted free agent, Anthony met with several teams before accepting a five-year $124MM deal to stay in New York. The Lakers’ presentation included a four-minute movie produced by Joel Silver and narrated by actor Tobey Maguire. “The film, I wish I could get my hands on that,” said Anthony. “It was a great pitch. I might take what they did and start recruiting on my own over here.”

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The same qualities that made Derek Fisher an effective role player have helped him weather the storm as a first-year coach, Medina writes in a separate story. With four wins in their past five games, the Knicks are enjoying their first taste of success in a season that included a 16-game losing streak, and Fisher’s calm demeanor has been helped right the ship. “When our record is flipped the other way, you’re not going to see me smiling and doing cartwheels on the sideline, either,” the coach said. “I’ll still be carrying myself the same way because I’m always thinking about what else we can do to get better.”
The Knicks have recalled Cleanthony Early from the D-League, the team announced Sunday (Twitter link). Early played two games with Westchester during his D-League assignment. A second-round draft pick in 2014, Early has appeared in 15 games for New York, averaging 4.5 points and 1.9 rebounds.
Knicks president Phil Jackson has “kind of just divorced myself” from the Lakers, reports Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Jackson, who won five NBA titles as a coach in Los Angeles, insisted there won’t be any extra emotion involved in facing the team today. Those sentiments were echoed by Fisher, who also has strong Laker ties. He dodged questions about whether he would have been interested in coaching in Los Angeles. “Had we talked about it, I guess I would’ve decided then,” Fisher said. “But we never had any conversation about it, so I can’t say it would’ve interested me or not.”