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Pacific Rumors: Warriors Needs, Mason, Ball, Hill

February 5th, 2018 at 10:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Warriors’ top need is a shooting wing off the bench, and their most likely targets are Marco Belinelli of the Hawks and Tyreke Evans of the Grizzlies, Tim Kawakami of The Athletic opines. Patrick McCaw is the player Golden State will most likely move in order to get a wing who also has size and passing ability, Kawakami continues. Belinelli is on an expiring deal and Atlanta would have to believe in McCaw’s long-term ability enough to also take back Nick Young, Kawakami speculates. Evans would also be a rental and Golden State would probably have to pair McCaw with a first-round pick to get him, Kawakami adds.

In other developments around the Western Conference:

  • Kings point guard Frank Mason will not play until after the All-Star break, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee reports. The rookie out of Kansas suffered a heel injury on December 31st. Mason, chosen with the 34th overall pick last June, has appeared in 29 games, averaging 7.6 PPG and 2.9 APG.
  • Lakers rookie point guard Lonzo Ball was unable to ramp up his workouts last week without experiencing soreness in his sprained left knee, Bill Oram of the Orange County Register reports. His workouts never progressed to lateral movement or running close to full speed, Oram continues. Ball has missed the last 10 games.
  • The Kings were close to dealing point guard George Hill to the Cavaliers but they won’t mind if he’s still on the roster beyond the trade deadline, Jones writes in a separate piece. Sacramento would have received Channing Frye and Iman Shumpert, and perhaps Derrick Rose, in return. The Kings would have to clear roster space to make that deal but their primary goals must be collecting picks, acquiring young talent and retaining financial flexibility, Jones continues. Hill has also endeared himself to the front office and the team’s young core despite losing his starting job, Jones adds.
  • Trade rumors are weighing heavily on the minds of Clippers players, Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register relays. Coach Doc Rivers admits that trade talk has been a distraction. “Sometimes you go talk to a guy and the guy says, ‘Oh, I’m good,’ and that could mean he’s not good or good,” Rivers told Teaford. “You’ve got to read that. Sometimes it’s clear as day. I can tell you I’ve seen that over the last three or four days from a couple guys, and it’s obviously weighing on them.”
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Cavs Willing To Surrender Nets Pick

February 3rd, 2018 at 12:54pm CST by clarkcrum

Despite rumors to the contrary, Terry Pluto of the The Plain Dealer hears that the Cavaliers have indeed entertained the idea or trading the Nets‘ 2018 first-round pick (currently 8th in our 2017/18 NBA Reverse Standings), but only for the right return.

Pluto reports that the Cavs will only trade the all-but-assured lottery selection in exchange for a younger player who is under contract for a couple of seasons. A short-term answer who can become a free agent this summer, like Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, will not entice the team to surrender Brooklyn’s pick.

On the other hand, an expiring contract like Jordan’s would make sense in exchange for the Cavs’ own 2018 first-rounder opines Pluto, who suggests a deal that would send Iman Shumpert, Channing Frye, and their own first-round pick to Los Angeles in exchange for Jordan would work within the salary cap. Whether the Cavs or Clippers would be interested in such a deal remains to be seen.

As for the Brooklyn pick, a previously mentioned trade candidates from a rebuilding team who is relatively young, under contract through this offseason, and has already been linked to the Cavs is Hawks swingman Kent Bazemore. However, it’s hard to believe the Cavs giving up a potential lottery pick for Bazemore at this point.

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George Hill Trade Between Cavs, Kings Not Imminent

January 25th, 2018 at 12:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Despite multiple reports earlier this week suggesting that momentum was building toward a trade that would send George Hill to Cleveland, the Cavaliers and Kings are further apart than initially believed, writes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. According to Vardon, there are still “significant hurdles” to clear before a deal can be completed.

Reports on Tuesday indicated that the Cavs and Kings were making progress on a trade that would include Iman Shumpert and Channing Frye, and perhaps Derrick Rose and/or a second-round pick. However, one source tells Vardon that the two teams were speaking “conceptually” and weren’t on the verge of pulling the trigger. Another of Vardon’s sources said that the Cavs wanted to change the parameters of a potential deal.

As I noted on Tuesday, a deal involving Hill, Shumpert, Frye, and Rose would make sense for both clubs. Shumpert, Frye, and Rose have a combined cap hit of $19.23MM this season, which nearly matches Hill’s $20MM cap charge. Both Frye and Rose are on expiring contracts, which would appeal to the rebuilding Kings, who would subsequently be on the hook for Shumpert’s $11MM player option for 2018/19 instead of Hill’s fully guaranteed $19MM salary. The Cavs, meanwhile, would add a veteran guard who has had a down year but would be a good fit in their rotation if he can recapture his previous form.

The Cavs still have two weeks until the February 8 trade deadline, so there’s plenty of time to work out the specifics on a trade for Hill. If the two teams can’t reach an agreement and the Kings don’t find another taker for the veteran guard, a buyout isn’t out of the question, according to Vardon, who writes that Sacramento is ready to move on from Hill.

As they weigh the merits of a deal, the Cavs are also making changes to their lineup in the hopes of busting out of their current slump. Head coach Tyronn Lue said today that Tristan Thompson will replace Jae Crowder in the club’s starting lineup, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link).

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Cavs, Kings Continue To Discuss George Hill

January 23rd, 2018 at 4:05pm CST by Luke Adams

4:05pm: The Kings would receive some sort of draft compensation from the Cavs in the proposed deal for Hill, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times. Meanwhile, Frye would likely become a buyout candidate if he’s dealt to Sacramento, Stein adds.

If a deal happens and the Kings and Cavs agree on a second-round pick rather than a first-rounder, it would have to change hands sometime down the road — Cleveland has traded its next three second-round selections, though the club does hold Miami’s 2020 second-rounder.

3:32pm: The Cavaliers’ reported interest in Kings guard George Hill is “real,” according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, who tweets that the Cavs appear more open to taking on money beyond 2017/18 than they were two months ago. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter), Cleveland and Sacramento continue to talk about a possible deal involving Hill, with Iman Shumpert and Channing Frye among the probable outgoing pieces for the Cavs.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (video link) also hears that Cleveland has made legit progress in talks on Hill, suggesting today during an appearance on The Jump that the two teams are “way down the road” on a potential trade. It’s at the “one-yard line,” according to Windhorst.

Of course, the last time we heard that sort of NFL-inspired metaphor applied to NBA trade talks was in an offseason report suggesting that the Rockets were getting close to acquiring Carmelo Anthony — obviously, that swap didn’t pan out. Still, it appears that the Cavs are in position to potentially pull the trigger on a deal for Hill before the February 8 deadline, if they so choose.

Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link) hears that the Kings – who have a full 15-man roster – are looking to move a player or two to clear the roster space necessary to complete an unbalanced trade. According to Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net, a deal for Hill could include Derrick Rose in addition to Shumpert and Frye, in which case Sacramento would need to open up two roster spots.

A trade along those lines would make sense for both clubs. Shumpert, Frye, and Rose have a combined cap hit of $19.23MM this season, which nearly matches Hill’s $20MM cap charge. Both Frye and Rose are on expiring contracts, which would appeal to the rebuilding Kings, who would subsequently be on the hook for Shumpert’s $11MM player option for 2018/19 instead of Hill’s fully guaranteed $19MM salary. The Cavs, meanwhile, would add a reliable veteran guard who has had a down year but would be a very good fit in their rotation if he can recapture his previous form.

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Kyler’s Latest: Jordan, Kings, Mirotic, Whiteside

January 18th, 2018 at 11:45am CST by Luke Adams

The streaky Clippers, who lost nine straight games back in November, have now won a season-high six consecutive contests, re-inserting themselves in the playoff picture in the Western Conference. Even though DeAndre Jordan has been sidelined with an ankle injury for the Clips’ last three wins, the streak seems to bode well for his chances of sticking in Los Angeles through the trade deadline.

As Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders writes, Clippers ownership and management doesn’t seem at all eager to blow up the roster. For now, the club is focused on seeing if it’s capable of competing in the West, preferring to wait until a bit closer to the deadline to evaluate all of its options.

If the Clippers do change course by February 8, the Bucks and Rockets figure to be among the teams with interest in Jordan, whose contract situation is worth monitoring. According to Kyler, there’s a belief that the veteran center won’t be able to top his $24.12MM player option as a free agent, meaning it’s possible he could decide to opt in for 2018/19. That possibility may affect how the Clippers and potential trade partners view Jordan at the deadline.

Here’s more from Kyler:

  • The Kings‘ veteran players are all potential trade candidates at the deadline, though some are more likely to be moved than others. George Hill, for example, won’t have much value, given his contract situation, his injury history, and his underwhelming play this season. Sources close to the situation tell Kyler that Sacramento seems to be trying to help its veterans find better situations as those players fall out of the team’s regular rotation.
  • Kyler hears that Nikola Mirotic‘s camp is pushing for the Bulls to pick up the forward’s $12.5MM team option for 2018/19. Until that team option is exercised, Mirotic has the ability to block a trade, giving him some leverage if Chicago wants to complete a deal. League sources tell Kyler that the Bulls have “gotten pretty far down the road” in talks with the Jazz and Pistons about Mirotic.
  • There’s “growing talk” around the NBA that the Heat would be open to the idea of moving Hassan Whiteside for the right mix of contracts and young players, Kyler writes. The Bucks and Cavaliers, both on the lookout for a center, would be obvious suitors, but it would tough for either team to make a deal, given Whiteside’s large cap hit ($23.78MM). John Henson, Mirza Teletovic, Tristan Thompson, and Iman Shumpert are among the players whose contracts might have to be included for Milwaukee or Cleveland to make a deal work, which doesn’t sound overly appealing for Miami.
  • The Mavericks are “dangling” some expiring contracts and appear to be seeking a promising prospect on a rookie scale deal, along with future picks, says Kyler. Dallas also has cap flexibility to take on a contract or two.
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Cavs Notes: Rose, Shumpert, Thomas, Thompson

January 10th, 2018 at 2:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Neither Derrick Rose nor Iman Shumpert has appeared in a game for the Cavaliers since November, and it sounds like both players will remain sidelined for at least a little longer.

While there was an expectation that Rose may return to action for the Cavaliers during their current road trip, that won’t happen after all, head coach Tyronn Lue said today. As Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes, it sounds like Shumpert’s return isn’t imminent either.

“We thought he was (closer),” Lue said of Shumpert, who is recovering from a knee injury. “He had some soreness in his foot or whatever.”

As the club waits for its injured players to get healthy, here are a few more notes out of Cleveland:

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Central Notes: LaVine, Rose, Shumpert, R. Jackson

December 30th, 2017 at 9:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

When they stumbled their way to a 3-20 start, no team seemed less likely to have a seven-game winning streak than the Bulls. But that’s what happened, and their improbable play since December 8 has given them the league’s best record during that span at 10-2. With Zach LaVine due back soon, the only thing that could dampen spirits in Chicago is a rumored trade involving Nikola Mirotic or Robin Lopez, writes K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune.

Trade rumors began when the Bulls appeared headed for a high lottery pick and Mirotic was sidelined by facial fractures from a preseason fight with teammate Bobby Portis. Those two have resolved their differences enough to co-exist on the court, and Chicago has pulled to within five games of a playoff spot.

“We’re playing so well you don’t want to interfere with that,” LaVine said about the possibility of a deal. “But that’s not a decision for me or anybody on the team. We go out there to play and win and prove ourselves and impress. That’s what we’re going to do.”

There’s more tonight from the Central Division:

  • Today marked the first of six straight contact practices scheduled for LaVine as he works his way back from ACL surgery, Johnson adds in the same story. LaVine, who was averaging 18.9 points per game for the Timberwolves before the injury last season, said he feels “close” to returning. “I’ve actually picked things up pretty quickly,” he said of the Bulls’ offense. “The main thing is just doing a lot of conditioning. I like being one of the best in-shape dudes out there. I’m getting that down. The touch and feel comes back the more you play.”
  • There’s also positive health news regarding the Cavaliers, relays Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. In addition to the imminent debut of Isaiah Thomas, Cleveland expects to have Derrick Rose and Iman Shumpert back soon. Rose has been sidelined since December 7 with bone spurs and a sprained ankle, while Shumpert hasn’t played since having meniscus surgery December 1. “D Rose looked good the other day,” said coach Tyronn Lue. “First time I seen him run without a limp. He was going through some stuff. He was doing three-man weave with a lot of pace and speed. … You know Shump, he’s always healing faster than he’s supposed to, so he’s coming along well also.”
  • Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson can’t start his rehab process until the swelling goes down in his injured right foot, tweets Rod Beard of The Detroit News. That’s expected to happen in about two weeks.
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Kyler’s Latest: Jordan, Gasol, Bazemore, Hornets

December 19th, 2017 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA trade deadline is just over seven weeks away, so it’s only a matter of time before teams start discussing potential deals a little more earnestly. In anticipation of trade talks heating up, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders takes a closer look at a handful of players whose names figure to come up frequently in trade rumors in the coming weeks, passing along the latest nuggets of info on each of those guys. Here are a few highlights from Kyler’s piece:

  • Source close to the situation tell Kyler that a Cavaliers offer for DeAndre Jordan would be built around Tristan Thompson, Iman Shumpert, and a first-round pick, though Cleveland is only willing to discuss its own pick at this point, rather than the Nets’ first-rounder. It remains to be seen whether the Clippers will be willing to move Jordan, but the big man’s future in L.A. is “anything but clear,” writes Kyler.
  • More and more people around the NBA believe that the Grizzlies would be willing to explore the market for Marc Gasol, but it may require Gasol telling them he wants out, per Kyler.
  • League sources tell Kyler that the Hawks might be open to moving Kent Bazemore for the right combination of expiring contracts and a first-round pick. Even if that pick is “highly protected,” as Kyler suggests, I’d be very surprised if any team is willing to pay that price for Bazemore, who is owed $18MM+ in 2018/19 and $19MM+ in 2019/20.
  • The prevailing belief around the league is that the Hornets would like to move one of their big contracts, such as Michael Kidd-Gilchrist‘s. However, Charlotte would likely need to attach a young player to a deal in order to dump salary. Kyler suggests Malik Monk and Dwayne Bacon likely aren’t going anywhere, identifying Frank Kaminsky as a possible name to watch.
  • The Magic and Kings are also worth keeping an eye on, according to Kyler, who identifies Nikola Vucevic and George Hill as a pair of potential trade candidates. Orlando isn’t looking to shake things up for the sake of it, but Vucevic figures to draw interest. As for Hill, his significant cap hit limits his trade value, but he’d probably “welcome a move,” says Kyler.
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Iman Shumpert Undergoes Knee Surgery, Expected To Miss Two Months

December 1st, 2017 at 1:59pm CST by Luke Adams

1:59pm: Shumpert underwent surgery today to repair a small meniscus tear in his left knee, tweets Shams Charania of The Vertical. According to Charania, Shumpert is expected to be out for two months.

8:44am: Cavaliers swingman Iman Shumpert will be sidelined for the foreseeable future, as he’s set to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on Friday, the team announced in a press release. The Cavs have not yet provided a recovery timetable for Shumpert, but league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN that the veteran could miss the next six to eight weeks.

Shumpert, 27, has been nagged by left knee issues so far this season, putting up numbers across the board that are among his career-worsts. That includes just 4.8 PPG, , a .386 FG%, and a .280 3PT% in 13 games (six starts).

The subject of trade rumors frequently throughout 2017, Shumpert is earning a $10.34MM salary this season, with a player option worth $11MM+ for 2018/19. Even when he was healthy, the former first-round pick wasn’t generating a ton of interest on the trade market, so his knee injury will further reduce the odds of Cleveland finding a suitable deal before February’s trade deadline. If Shumpert were to miss the next eight weeks, that would put him on track to return less than two weeks before this season’s deadline, which wouldn’t give him much time to rebuild his value.

With Shumpert on the shelf, J.R. Smith, Dwyane Wade, Kyle Korver, and Jae Crowder figure to continue carrying the load on the wing for the Cavs, with Cedi Osman perhaps seeing a few more opportunities too.

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Central Notes: Cavs, Bradley, LaVine

November 18th, 2017 at 3:42pm CST by clarkcrum

The Cavaliers are essentially playing without a true point guard, as both Isaiah Thomas and Derrick Rose are out with injuries and Jose Calderon has been relegated to the bench, averaging only 6.7 MPG. Lately the Cavs have been using Iman Shumpert as their starting point guard, with LeBron James handling ball-handling duties as well.

However, according to a team press release, the Cavs will now also be without Shumpert for at least the next 5-7 days. Shumpert left last night’s game against the Clippers in the first half with left knee soreness. He was examined and did not return.

As first reported by Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, the Cavs will likely recall two-way player John Holland from the Canton Charge to replace Shumpert on the Cavs’ active roster. According to Vardon, Dwyane Wade could also see his role at point guard increase after he filled in admirably during the Cavs’ come from behind victory against the Clippers last night.

There’s more from Cleveland and the rest of the Central Division:

  • As detailed by Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, Kyle Korver has become an important centerpiece of the Cavaliers’ line-up so far this season. Perhaps most telling is James’ comparison of Korver to former teammate and 10-time NBA All-Star Ray Allen. “You’ve got two of the greatest shooters to ever play this game,” James said. “There’s a lot of similarities in their approach… they take that craft, that marksmanship very seriously.“
  • In another piece for Cleveland.com, Fedor analyzes how James is beginning to accept the challenge of defending the opposing team’s best offensive player during crunch time. In the fourth quarter of the Cavs’ recent victories against the Knicks and the Clippers, James was the primary defender in the fourth quarter against both Kristaps Porzingis and Blake Griffin.
  • Avery Bradley is slowing becoming one of the best two-way guards in the NBA, writes Rod Beard of The Detroit News. Bradley is averaging career-bests in PPG (17.8) and 3P% (45.2%) this season and Stan Van Gundy has been impressed. “He came in with the respect based on what he had done, but it grows a lot more when you’re out here every day and see the way he goes to work.” The Pistons are currently tied for 2nd place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 10-5.
  • The Bulls’ Zach LaVine is expected to be cleared for practice on Monday, tweets K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. LaVine, who has not yet played for the Bulls this season after being traded from the Timberwolves as part of the Jimmy Butler trade, has been out with a torn ACL since February.
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