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Eric Bledsoe

LeBron Upset Cavs Didn’t Add George, Bledsoe?

January 24th, 2018 at 8:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

Amid all the problems plaguing the Cavaliers this month, one underlying issue is LeBron James‘ frustration with the front office over not upgrading the roster, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Appearing on The Lowe Post podcast with ESPN’s Zach Lowe, Windhorst said James saw that the Cavs had a chance to land Paul George and Eric Bledsoe and was angry when both players ended up elsewhere.

Cleveland reportedly came close to acquiring George in a three-team trade shortly before the Pacers shipped him to the Thunder in early July. A deal was in place to trade Kevin Love to Denver in exchange for Gary Harris and the No. 13 pick, which the Cavaliers would have sent to Indiana to get George. Pacers president Kevin Pritchard had second thoughts about the trade and backed out before it was finalized.

The Cavaliers were also rumored to have interest in Bledsoe, who was among James’ summer workout partners and shares an agent in Rich Paul. Instead the Suns sent him to Milwaukee in exchange for little-used Greg Monroe and two draft picks.

“I’m sure if [Cavaliers owner] Dan Gilbert would ever speak freely, he probably never will, but he would say, ‘Well, I needed LeBron to commit past this year if I was going to trade, and LeBron wouldn’t commit, so therefore it’s LeBron’s fault this didn’t happen,'” Windhorst said. “Everybody’s going to have their own story. I’m just telling you that LeBron is there and he’s like, ‘We could have had Eric Bledsoe and Paul George, and instead we have a draft pick who I’m never going to meet [Brooklyn’s unprotected first-rounder] — Well, I don’t know about that, but I’m not meeting him this year — we have Isaiah Thomas, who is very clearly hampered and we have Jae Crowder, who’s having the worst year of his career.”

This offseason was the first for rookie GM Koby Altman, who was hired to replace David Griffin in late July. James had been a vocal defender of Griffin and questioned why the team refused to give him a new contract last season.

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MacMullan’s Latest: Irving, LeBron, Cavs, Suns

January 3rd, 2018 at 10:27am CST by Luke Adams

With Isaiah Thomas having returned to the Cavaliers on Tuesday, and the Cavs now poised to square off against the Celtics on Wednesday, it only makes sense to revisit one of the 2017 offseason’s biggest trades. ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan has done just that, taking a deep dive into the factors that led to Kyrie Irving heading from Cleveland to Boston.

Along the way, MacMullan passes along several noteworthy tidbits — while the whole piece is worth checking out, especially for Cavs and Celtics fans, we’ve rounded up some of the most interesting details below:

  • While Irving made his trade request in July, the Cavaliers explored the possibility of moving the point guard in June, which MacMullan suggests contributed to Irving’s decision to ask out of Cleveland. “They didn’t want me there,” Irving said of the Cavs. Former teammate LeBron James disputes that notion, which he says “makes absolutely no sense.”
  • One deal the Cavs explored in June would have sent Irving and Channing Frye to the Suns and resulted in both Paul George and Eric Bledsoe landing in Cleveland. However, Phoenix balked at that deal, since the club was unwilling to give up the No. 4 overall pick, says MacMullan. A few days later, the Pacers dealt George to the Thunder instead.
  • Although no formal offer was made during those negotiations, Irving caught wind of the talks and believed they were orchestrated by James’ camp, since LeBron shares an agent with Bledsoe. Team and league sources suggest otherwise, telling MacMullan that former Cavs GM David Griffin sensed that an Irving trade request may be coming and initiated talks with the Suns.
  • When Irving and his agent met with the Cavaliers on July 9, they pressed owner Dan Gilbert about the team’s direction, and mentioned the Spurs, Knicks, and Timberwolves as preferred landing spots for Irving. Boston didn’t come up during that meeting, but Gilbert coveted the Nets‘ 2018 first-round pick that was held by the Celtics, and Irving’s camp didn’t oppose a deal to the C’s.
  • When the Celtics emerged as a viable trade partner for Irving and the Cavs, Gilbert went to James and attempted to secure a promise that he’d stay in Cleveland beyond the 2017/18 season, but LeBron declined to commit, sources tell MacMullan.
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Deveney’s Latest: Thunder, Bucks, Kings, Evans

December 20th, 2017 at 3:47pm CST by Luke Adams

In his latest piece for The Sporting News, Sean Deveney takes a closer look at several teams that are good bets to be either buyers or sellers as February’s trade deadline approaches. We’ve rounded up several of the highlights of Deveney’s piece below, but the article also includes several notes on the Nuggets, Cavaliers, Timberwolves, and a few other teams, so be sure to check it out in full. Let’s dive in…

  • According to Deveney, the Thunder figure to be targeting a shooter who can help create space and possibly an extra defender to bolster their depth.
  • Having already rolled the dice on Eric Bledsoe, the Bucks are looking to take another step toward legit contention and may be willing to gamble again before the deadline, says Deveney.
  • The Kings are in the market for a deal that could improve their long-term outlook. George Hill has already been shopped, per Deveney.
  • Tyreke Evans, who is enjoying an excellent season for the Grizzlies, has generated “significant interest,” according to Deveney.
  • Even though they’re not a contender, the Mavericks remain reluctant to sell off veterans like Wesley Matthews, J.J. Barea, and Devin Harris, writes Deveney. Nerlens Noel will be on the trade block though.
  • The Clippers would be willing to move DeAndre Jordan in the right deal, but so far the names connected to him have been underwhelming, says Deveney.
  • Don’t be surprised if the Hawks put out feelers to test the market value of point guard Dennis Schroder, per Deveney.
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Central Notes: Rose, Wade, Mirotic, Bledsoe, Terry

December 5th, 2017 at 8:29pm CST by marksuleymanov

Derrick Rose is back training with the Cavaliers as he attempts to rehab from a nagging ankle injury and resume his basketball career. If all goes well and Rose is healthy enough for an on-court return, his role on the suddenly surging Cavs is not clear, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes. 

Cleveland is in the midst of a 12-game winning streak and currently occupy second place in the Eastern Conference. Jose Calderon has settled into the starting point guard role — where Rose began the season due to Isaiah Thomas‘ injury — and the bench has been effective with Dwyane Wade a potential sixth man of the year candidate.

Fedor noted that the Cavaliers’ offense and defense have been better with Rose off the court. Injuries have taken a toll on Rose’s 29-year-old body as he is no longer the NBA Most Valuable Player-caliber talent he was with the Bulls. However, Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue said Rose’s ability to score would still be a welcome addition.

“He was great. That Washington game, we had a big game in Washington and I think he had 24-25 points,” Lue said to reporters, including Fedor, during shootaround on Monday. “Just his pace, his ability to get to the basket, his speed that he plays with is great for us.”

Check out other news and notes out of the Central Division:

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Suns Notes: Bledsoe, McDonough, Centers

November 21st, 2017 at 6:31pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Eric Bledsoe will return to Phoenix on Wednesday for the first time since the team traded him to the Bucks, but the point guard is downplaying the events, calling it “just another game.”

“It’s just another game,” Bledsoe said (via ESPN’s Nick Friedell). “Another game we just got to win. We got to win this game, get above .500, build off that.”

Bledsoe wouldn’t comment on the “hair salon” incident or on Suns‘ management when asked if he wished either party had handled things differently leading up to his departure.

“I’m at this point now,” Bledsoe said. “I’m on another team focused on what we can build here. So I ain’t focused on that.”

Here’s more from Phoenix:

  • The Suns waited too long to trade Bledsoe, RealGM’s Danny Leroux contends, suggesting that the team should have dealt him before last season’s trade deadline. The scribe argues that the number of teams in playoff contention at the time, combined with Bledsoe’s age and reasonable contract, made February 2017 the right time to move him.
  • Greg Moore of the Arizona Republic believes that GM Ryan McDonough can turn things around for the franchise, though it will take some time. The Suns are expected to be one of only a few teams with substantial cap room this summer and while Moore is hopeful that someone like LeBron James or DeMarcus Cousins decides to come to the team, he envisions Phoenix landing a player in the tier below them. He names DeAndre Jordan, Aaron Gordon, and Marcus Smart as possibilities.
  • Tyson Chandler is expected to be back in the lineup on Wednesday after missing the last three games with an illness, Moore writes in a separate piece. Coach Jay Triano said he isn’t sure how he’ll handle the center rotation, with Greg Monroe, Alex Len and Chandler all vying for minutes. “I haven’t even thought about it,” Triano said. “I’ve got a couple of days to figure out the rotations.”
  • The Northern Arizona Suns, the team’s G League affiliate, have added Earl Barron and Nick Friedman as assistant coaches, Chris Reichert of The Step Back reports (Twitter link). The club has also promoted Tyler Gatlin to associate head coach.
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Nuggets Were Close To Eric Bledsoe Trade

November 16th, 2017 at 8:57am CST by Arthur Hill

Denver was in the “red zone” on a potential trade for Eric Bledsoe last month, according to Zach Lowe of ESPN. Complete details aren’t provided, but Lowe believes Phoenix would have received Emmanuel Mudiay and a first-round pick.

Negotiations with the Suns eventually fell apart and the Nuggets moved on, leaving them with an extremely young point guard duo in Mudiay and Jamal Murray.

“We chase every opportunity to improve ourselves,” said Denver GM Tim Connelly, who refused to comment directly on the Bledsoe talks. “We’ve had a lot of excellent players offered to us for our young talent. There’s a fine line between overvaluing your own players and being too aggressive chasing short-term results.”

The decision not to give up too much for Bledsoe is understandable, writes Lowe, who says he wouldn’t have made made the Nuggets title contenders this season or next. After that, he will be seeking a huge contract as a free agent in his 30s with a history of knee problems.

Lowe also notes that Denver had an opportunity to make a run at Kyrie Irving over the summer, but refused to include Murray in a potential deal. He believes a package of Murray, Wilson Chandler and a minimally protected first-rounder would have gotten the Cavaliers’ attention.

The experience issue at point guard was created just before the season started when the Nuggets elected to waive Jameer Nelson, who played 75 games last season and started 39. Denver worked out a deal to trade him to a lower-level team in exchange for a protected second-round pick, but pulled out because the front office didn’t want Nelson to be stuck on a team with no shot at the playoffs. He eventually signed with the Pelicans after clearing waivers.

“It was tough to see Jameer go,” coach Mike Malone said. “The players trusted him. I find value in veteran mentors. In our meetings, of course I brought up all the reasons it made sense to keep him. But you have to think big picture. It wasn’t like I was kicking and screaming. By the end, we were all on board.”

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Central Notes: Bledsoe, Grant, Dunn, Pistons

November 14th, 2017 at 5:04pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks are now 3-0 since trading for Eric Bledsoe, and the veteran point guard believes even better things are ahead for his new club. Prior to Milwaukee’s win over the Grizzlies on Monday night, Bledsoe told Ashish Mathur of AmicoHoops.net that he’s still getting back in shape and getting familiar with his new teammates.

“It’s only going to get better,” Bledsoe said. “It’s only two games, bro. I can’t really go off two games. I haven’t played in two, three weeks. I’m still trying to get back into the flow of things. But as the season goes on, we’ll learn more about each other and our tendencies and where we like the ball.”

Meanwhile, Bledsoe’s arrival has pushed Malcolm Brogdon into a bench role, which has actually worked out well for the Bucks, who can no longer count on Greg Monroe to anchor the second unit. As Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes, Milwaukee’s new-look bench has produced solid results so far, with Brogdon and Matthew Dellavedova sharing ball-handling duties.

  • While the Bulls‘ power forward situation has drawn most of the headlines as of late, the club’s point guard situation is also worth watching, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, who says that head coach Fred Hoiberg is still looking for “his” point guard. Jerian Grant and Kris Dunn are among the point guards vying for the lead role, and both players are expected to be in the starting lineup on Wednesday, per K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune.
  • The Pistons have been one of the NBA’s most pleasantly surprising teams in the first month of the 2017/18 season, but that hasn’t yet translated to good attendance numbers for the team’s new downtown arena. Rod Beard of The Detroit News takes a closer look.
  • Earlier this afternoon, I previewed the 2018 salary cap situations for all five Central teams.
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Central Notes: Bledsoe, Drummond, Parker

November 10th, 2017 at 6:28pm CST by Austin Kent

Expect Eric Bledsoe to start in his Bucks debut tonight, Matt Velasquez of The Journal Sentinel writes. Milwaukee will clash with the Spurs in San Antonio and Bledsoe will see his first taste of in-game action since October 21.

“For his first day of shootaround, you could see the dynamic of his speed, something that we don’t have at that position,” Bucks head coach Jason Kidd said. “We’ll find out here quickly [how he fits with the team].”

The 27-year-old guard has averaged 13.1 points and 4.6 assists per game over the course of his eight-year NBA career, his best two seasons coming with Phoenix last year and the year prior.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

  • The Pistons know that Andre Drummond needs to keep his head in the game in order to be most effective. As Ansar Khan of MLive writes, the big man is well aware of that fact himself. “When I play with high energy and confidence it gives everybody else confidence and you can see it in everybody’s face when they’re playing,” Drummond said. “In previous years, I played down and it looked like it could bother me and everybody kind of moved around in slow motion.”
  • If the Bulls are to choose one of Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotic, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune believes it would be the former. Portis, he writes, is well liked by his teammates. He’s also on a cheaper contract and would handle coming off the bench behind rookie Lauri Markkanen better.
  • This isn’t Bucks forward Jabari Parker‘s first time recovering from an ACL injury. This time around, Steve Aschburner of NBA.com writes, he does so well aware of what the process entails – and in a nicer facility, to boot.
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Central Notes: Bucks, Wade, Pacers

November 9th, 2017 at 4:59pm CST by Austin Kent

The Bucks haven’t announced how they plan on utilizing recently acquired point guard Eric Bledsoe but incumbent starter Malcolm Brogdon is fine with whatever option they choose, Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes.

“Starting you automatically get into your rhythm faster,” Brogdon, now in his sophomore season with the Bucks, said. “Coming off the bench you’re colder, it can be harder at times. But I’ve done both and I’m going to do whatever this team needs me to do.”

Through the first nine games of the season, the reigning Rookie of the Year has averaged 16.2 points and 4.9 assists per game for the Bucks. If Brogdon ends up with a reduced number of minutes and/or touches, however, those would inevitably decline.

Even if the addition of Bledsoe doesn’t impact Brogdon substantially, the acquisition could impact current Bucks backup point guard Matthew Dellavedova.

“We’ll see how it goes, but [with] shorter minutes everybody should be able to go harder and do it on both ends,” Dellavedova said. “We’ve been scoring a lot of points; we need to get some stops.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

  • The decision to play Dwyane Wade off the bench has paid off for the Cavaliers, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. The veteran guard’s production has risen across the board compared to his previous stint as a starter with his new club.
  • The Pacers have lost four straight contests, the most recent resulting in a closed-door team meeting, Clifton Brown of The Indianapolis Star writes. Per point guard Cory Joseph, the contents of the meeting will stay internal. How the club handles the recent adversity will serve as a test of character for the young franchise.
  • The Cavaliers can’t expect Isaiah Thomas‘ eventual debut to fix all the team’s issues, Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes. “IT is definitely a big piece of what we want to do, but IT hasn’t stepped out on the floor in a Cavs uniform yet,” LeBron James said. “We know what he’s capable of doing, but he hasn’t played with us, so we don’t want to put that type of pressure on him, even though he loves it.“
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Eric Bledsoe Leftovers: Quotes, Reactions, More

November 8th, 2017 at 11:58am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to ESPN’s Chris Haynes, Eric Bledsoe opened up about the trade that sent him to Milwaukee, expressing excitement about playing for a future Hall-of-Famer in Jason Kidd, and alongside a current superstar in Giannis Antetokounmpo. Bledsoe also admitted that the Suns sitting him at the end of last season played a part in souring him on his situation in Phoenix, since he felt he was “100% healthy.” Still, he says he has no hard feeling about how things played out.

“I felt like with where the team was headed, it was time for me to move on,” Bledsoe said of the Suns. “They’ve got an amazing, young, talented team, and I feel like it was time for me to find a better situation for my career. It had nothing to do with anything the Suns had going on. I made the decision that this was best for me.”

With Bledsoe poised to make his debut for the Bucks later this week, let’s round up a few more grades, reactions, and leftover notes on Tuesday’s trade:

  • Malcolm Brogdon, who may see his role altered as a result of Bledsoe’s arrival, tells Spencer Davies of Basketball Insiders that losing Monroe “is definitely a negative for us.” However, he likes Bledsoe’s game too. “Having another guard that can really create his own shot, get downhill and make plays—I think that will definitely help us,” Brogdon said.
  • While Bledsoe should fit the mold of the Bucks‘ “long-armed and athletic” roster, he likely won’t do much to solve the club’s spacing issues, writes Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post in his assessment of the deal.
  • The Bucks are the clear winners of the swap, in the view of Charles Curtis of USA Today, who suggests the Suns‘ return for a player of Bledsoe’s caliber was absolutely terrible.” Jeremy Woo of SI.com was less harsh on the Suns’ side of the trade, but agrees that the Bucks were the winners, while ESPN’s Kevin Pelton (Insider link) is somewhat lukewarm on the deal for both sides.
  • The merits of the trade for the Suns and Bucks are debatable, but Bledsoe himself is the clear winner, says Steve Aschburner of NBA.com.
  • The Suns haven’t made the postseason since 2010, and now they’ve further postponed the timeline on their rebuild, writes Dan Bickley of AZCentral.com, who suggests that the fans in Phoenix deserve better from the franchise.
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