Isaiah Thomas Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Isaiah Thomas’ Best Chance At Top Deal May Be With Cavs

January 9th, 2018 at 5:52pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Isaiah Thomas will be a free agent at the end of the season and league executives tell ESPN’s Brian Windhorst that the point guard’s best chance at a lucrative deal is with the Cavaliers.

Windhorst also hears that Cleveland will have interest in retaining Thomas regardless of whether or not LeBron James returns to the team, as long as Thomas can prove he’s past the hip injury. If James bolts, the Cavs cannot simply let go of other assets just because they will no longer be serious contenders for a championship.

According to Windhorst, although the Cavs made it clear behind the scenes that the Nets’ pick was the top piece in the Kyrie Irving trade, the organization will feel some pressure to keep Thomas, as he was the best player sent to Cleveland in the deal. The scribe also notes that owner Dan Gilbert loves underdogs and players who have overcome challenges. The Cavs paid $2.4MM to buy a draft pick in 2016 in order to take Kay Felder—an undersized point guard who went to a smaller university—because of Felder’s ability to overcome challenges. Felder didn’t work out for Cleveland, but Thomas’ career fits the mold of what caught Gilbert’s eye.

Thomas is making roughly $6.3MM this season, though he spoke last summer about desiring the max. That was before he was dealt to Cleveland and before he missed significant time with his hip injury. It was reported last week that the market for his services will be difficult to predict. However, the point guard is thriving in limited minutes with his new club and signs appear to be pointing in the right direction.

The Cavs have the league’s highest payroll at approximately $134.1MM, but they hold Thomas’ full Bird rights, which means they are eligible to go well beyond the cap to make him an offer.

The point guard market could help Cleveland retain Thomas at a rate lower than the max. Players such as Kyle Lowry and George Hill found out last summer that the market for veteran floor generals was underwhelming and both point guards settled for less than they were expecting just months before.

Furthermore, most of the teams projected to have cap space for a $20MM annual offer are not expected to make a play for an expensive point guard. The Bulls like what they have in Kris Dunn. The Sixers will continue to let Ben Simmons handle the one and the Mavs just drafted Dennis Smith Jr. with the No. 9 overall pick back in June.

Windhorst names the Nets, Suns, and Pacers as possibilities, but the scribe is bearish on all three, especially Phoenix since it already traded Thomas away once.

Thomas has played in three games with Cleveland (2-1 record) so far, taking some of the offensive responsibilities off of James’ plate. The point guard is averaging 15.0 points and 3.3 assists in 19.7 minutes per contest.

Jamal Crawford Wanted To Play With Isaiah Thomas

January 8th, 2018 at 8:16pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Veteran shooting guard Jamal Crawford would have signed with the Cavaliers if their blockbuster trade with the Celtics had happened sooner, he revealed to Joe Vardon of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Crawford is close friends with Isaiah Thomas and that would have played a pivotal role in deciding where to go as a free agent last summer.

“That’s my brother,” Crawford told Vardon and other media members. “We’re past like friends or basketball relationship. … Like, we go on vacation, like it’s his family and my family. … so that would’ve had to change things.”

Cleveland wanted to sign Crawford for the veteran’s minimum but the Timberwolves offered their $4.3MM room mid-level exception. Crawford has a player option worth $4.6MM for next season.

Crawford also considered signing with the Warriors after the Clippers traded him to the Hawks. Atlanta had no intention of keeping Crawford after acquiring him in a three-team deal in July and the two sides reached a buyout agreement.

Crawford also liked the idea of joining a team on the upswing, instead of one of the reigning conference champions, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“If I would go there and we would win a championship, I’d be like ‘OK, what’s next Jamal?’ You want to embrace that journey and I wanted to go through it with these guys,” said Crawford, referring to the Timberwolves. “There’s nothing against , like, I have the ultimate respect for the Cavs and the Warriors and all those teams. But they’re already there. I wanted to go somewhere where they can kind of build up.”

Crawford is averaging 9.7 PPG and 2.3 APG in 18.8 MPG as one of Minnesota’s key reserves.

Cavaliers Notes: Jordan, Rose, Thomas, Crowder

January 7th, 2018 at 12:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Trading for Clippers center DeAndre Jordan might be the answer to the Cavaliers’ defensive woes, writes Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com. Although they have a 26-13 record, defense has been a problem all season for Cleveland, which is allowing 107.2 points per game and ranks 28th in the league in defensive efficiency. One of the issues is the lack of a shot blocker in the middle, which Jordan would immediately solve.

There were reports last month that the Cavs “quietly explored” the possibility of trading for Jordan, who has spent the past decade with the Clippers. He has a player option worth slightly more than $24MM for next year, and L.A. may want to get some value for him now rather than risk losing him in free agency.

Pluto notes that Tristan Thompson at $16.4MM and Channing Frye at $7.4MM would provide a workable salary match for Jordan, and said sources have told him the Clippers would “strongly consider” the deal if Cleveland includes the Nets’ unprotected first-rounder for this year’s draft. However, the Cavs don’t plan to part with that asset given LeBron James‘ uncertain future. Pluto suggests an offer of Thompson, Frye and the Cavs’ draft pick, which falls at No. 25 in our latest Reverse Standings.

There’s more today out of Cleveland:

Depth at point guard is the most valuable thing Derrick Rose will provide when he returns from his ankle injury, Pluto adds in the same story. Coach Tyronn Lue would like to reduce the minutes for Dwyane Wade, and Rose may take some of his playing time.
In just two games since returning from a hip injury, Isaiah Thomas is having a profound effect on the Cavaliers’ offense, notes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Thomas came off the bench Tuesday, scoring 17 points in 19 minutes, then added 19 points in 22 minutes in his first start with the team Saturday as Cleveland scored a season-high 131 points in a win at Orlando. “I’m able to push the pace a little more, get the ball out of Bron’s hands and show the defense something different that they haven’t seen all year,” Thomas said. “I think with me being out there it definitely gives us another level that we can reach.”
After being acquired as part of the Kyrie Irving trade, Jae Crowder is enjoying his surroundings with older, more accomplished teammates in Cleveland, relays Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe [subscription account].

Cavaliers Notes: Bogut, Trade Exception, Thomas, Thompson

January 6th, 2018 at 6:39pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Cavaliers aren’t interested in bringing back Andrew Bogut, who was waived by the Lakers today, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Cleveland already has 15 players on its roster and isn’t willing to open a space to take another shot at the veteran center.

Bogut signed with the Cavs in March, but suffered a fractured left tibia 58 seconds into his first game with the team and was subsequently waived. The 33-year-old appeared in 24 games for L.A., but averaged just 9 minutes per night. He is hoping to sign with a contender if he clears waivers Monday.

There’s more news out of Cleveland:

Having 15 players with guaranteed contracts makes it unlikely the Cavaliers will use a $4.8MM trade exception before it expires Monday, writes Dan McCormack of AmicoHoops. With the team already far over the salary cap, the front office doesn’t want to take on extra salary that would result in higher luxury-tax penalties. Cleveland is unlikely to hand out any 10-day contracts for the same reason, McCormack adds, with any roster moves expected to come through trades.
Isaiah Thomas is making his first start of the season tonight in Orlando, McCormack adds in a separate piece. The high-scoring guard, who was acquired from Boston in the Kyrie Irving trade, put up 17 points in 19 minutes Tuesday in his first game since recovering from a hip injury. LeBron James believes Thomas will provide an instant boost to the offense. “It definitely adds another playmaker on the floor, another shotmaker on the floor, another guy who can command a double-team, especially off pick-and-rolls,” James said.
Tristan Thompson has been criticized for his lack of production, but he is beginning to contribute again after returning from a calf injury, McCormack notes in another story. The former starting center, who has taken over Channing Frye‘s role as the first big man off the bench, is averaging eight rebounds per game over the past three contests. “I think it’s getting back into rhythm,” Thompson said. “Especially, a guy like me. My whole strength is flow of the game. You take that away for six weeks, the first couple of games back was like a training camp.”

Central Notes: Rose, Thomas, LaVine

January 6th, 2018 at 9:22am CST by marksuleymanov

Cavaliers point guard Derrick Rose could return during the team’s current five-game road trip. When he does, the former NBA Most Valuable Player will take away some playing time from veteran Dwyane Wade, head coach Tyronn Lue told reporters, including Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com.

“I think playing D Wade on a lot of back to backs has been tough for him,” Lue said. “Some games where he doesn’t feel great, but we don’t really have the extra ball handler to sit him. So when D Rose gets back, he’ll definitely help with that and help with D Wade getting his rest and being able to feel good on the floor.”

Rose, 29, has not played since he went down with an ankle injury on November 7. Shortly after the injury, Rose took an indefinite leave from the team, leading many to believe he was contemplating retirement. However, Rose has since denied he was looking to leave the NBA and expressed excitement to pursue a championship with Cleveland.

In seven games before the injury, Rose averaged 14.3 PPG, 2.6 RPG, and 1.7 APG in 26.9 minutes per game.

Check out other Central Division news and notes below:

One night after making his season debut, Isaiah Thomas was forced to sit Cleveland’s road contest against his former team, the Celtics, in Boston. The Cavaliers are being cautious with Thomas’ return from a hip injury that sidelined him for over seven months. As Sean Deveney of Sporting News writes, the difference in Cleveland’s performance without Thomas after just one night was noticeable.
Zach LaVine has made progress in his recovery from a torn ACL and the Bulls hope to set an exact return date for the two-time Dunk Contest champion next week, per USA TODAY Sports. LaVine, 22, was the Bulls’ significant acquisition as part of the offseason’s Jimmy Butler trade.

Addition Of Thomas Has Swift Impact On Cavs

January 3rd, 2018 at 6:28pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Isaiah Thomas impacts the Cavaliers in a number of ways, as Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer breaks down. Thomas adds another dimension to the starting lineup, with LeBron James and Thomas sharing playmaking duties.

“It’ll be a good balance,” coach Tyronn Lue told the assembled media. “I just think LeBron has the ball, Isaiah is going to have the ball. They just play off each other. That’s what I like. I like being able to have two ball handlers in that first unit that can create and score the basketball and also playing off Kevin [Love].”

Dwyane Wade, who has played a lot at the point this season, can return to his usual shooting guard spot with Thomas on the floor. Thomas had 17 points and three assists in his season debut Tuesday.

“He’s a scorer, and when he has the ball it allows me to be a scorer and not have to worry about being a playmaker,” Wade said. “I can be a little more aggressive, so it was fun.”

Thomas’ return is also a boon to center Tristan Thompson in pick-and-roll situations, freeing the big man to get garbage baskets. “When [Thomas] raises to shoot, bigs are trying to contest his shot and that gives T-Top a free run at the rim to get those offensive rebounds,” Lue said.

In other Thomas-related news:

Thomas may have been a high-scoring All-Star last season but he felt like he was starting his career all over again on Tuesday, as he told Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports. “I couldn’t sleep (Monday) night,” Thomas said. “This was a crucial moment for me to step foot on the floor. New team, new arena … I’ve felt like I didn’t know what to expect, what it felt like to be on an NBA court. I felt like a rookie.”
Thomas went from the last pick of the 2011 draft to one of the game’s most dynamic players, and James has a deep appreciation for Thomas’ work ethic, as he relayed to Joe Vardon of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and other writers. “What I like most about him is he has a chip on his shoulder for life,” James said. “That’s just who he is. When a guy’s got a chip on his shoulder for life he ain’t going to, he’s never going to not work hard.”

Central Notes: Oladipo, Thomas, Contracts

January 2nd, 2018 at 5:44pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Victor Oladipo will remain out of the lineup for Wednesday’s game against Milwaukee. The Pacers haven’t won a game since the shooting guard injured his knee against the Pistons last week and coach Nate McMillan understands why the team has struggled.

“He was doing a lot for us, as far as scoring and leading transition and bringing a kind of leadership role and energy that our guys feed off of,” McMillan said of Oladipo (via Jim Ayello of the Indianapolis Star. “You know, it’s not only the fans [he engerizes] with his playmaking.”

Oladipo, who’s in the first year of a four-year, $84MM deal, came to Indiana via the Paul George trade and he’s played at an All-Star level, helping the Pacers become playoff contenders. Despite losing the last four games, the franchise remains in the mix, entering the day with sole possession of the eighth seed in the conference with a record of 19-18.

Here’s more from the Central Division:

Isaiah Thomas will be a free agent at the end of the season and a front office executive tells Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer that his potential earnings are hard to predict. Some teams may overlook his hip injury while others will scratch him off their list entirely because of it. O’Connor notes that a Kyle Lowry-level three-year, $100MM deal may be Thomas’ best case scenario while the worst case would be a lucrative one-year, prove it deal.
Another executive tells O’Connor (same piece) that Thomas’ best offer could come from a team looking to use the Washington product as a short-term bridge option at the point. The executive adds that the Bulls and Mavs are franchises that fit the mold.
The Cavaliers are planning on an initial 20-to-22 minute restriction for Thomas and the “flow of his comeback” will determine the amount of court time he will receive going forward, Shams Charania of The Vertical tweets. Thomas will make his debut for Cleveland tonight against Portland.

Cavs Notes: Thomas, Altman, Lue, Irving

January 2nd, 2018 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

After missing nearly half of the 2017/18 season while he recovered from a hip injury, Isaiah Thomas is poised to make his debut for the Cavaliers tonight. The Cavs and their fans probably shouldn’t expect much right away from Thomas, who will be on minutes restriction and has already been ruled out for the second half of the club’s back-to-back on Wednesday. Teammate LeBron James acknowledged that the Cavs don’t yet know what to expect from Thomas, but they’re glad to have him back.

“We really don’t know. We know he’s excited to once again grace an NBA floor and actually play. We’re excited for him as teammates as well,” James said, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. “We expect him to be gassed. We expect him to just be very emotional about the whole, just his journey, just getting back. As far as his performance, that’s the last thing that we’re thinking about.”

Here’s more on Thomas’ Cavs debut, along with some more notes out of Cleveland:

Benjamin Hoffman of The New York Times explores the potential impact of Thomas’ return on the Cavaliers.
According to Thomas, the long process of rehabbing his hip injury has made him a better basketball player and a better person, “mentally and physically.” The former Celtic believes that 2018 holds “something special” for him and the Cavs, as Fedor writes at Cleveland.com.
In an in-depth feature, Dave McMenamin of ESPN takes a closer look at Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman, who ascended to his new role in the summer of 2017. Altman called that offseason “chaotic and difficult, and at times agonizing,” with Kyrie Irving‘s trade request representing the most noteworthy issue the new GM had to address. According to McMenamin, head coach Tyronn Lue initially advocated for keeping Irving despite the trade request, but the team decided it’d be impossible to move forward with the point guard still on the roster.
Altman on Lue, from McMenamin’s story: “He’s a big part of our free agent acquisitions. If I have a player that we think is good, we put him on the phone with T-Lue, and there’s an automatic respect level.”

Isaiah Thomas To Make Season Debut Tuesday

January 1st, 2018 at 1:35pm CST by marksuleymanov

Cavaliers’ head coach Tyronn Lue confirmed to reporters, including ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (via Twitter), that point guard Isaiah Thomas will make his season debut tomorrow night against the Trail Blazers. Thomas will come off the bench and will play on a minutes restriction, per Lue.

Since Thomas will not play in back-to-back games for a while, he will miss Wednesday night’s contest against his former team, the Celtics, in Boston. While the Cavaliers will attempt to ease Thomas into game action, he is ready to play at full speed.

“My hip is better but I have no rhythm … It feels like I lost my powers … but once I get out there it’s going to be too hard to hold me back,” Thomas said, per McMenamin (via Twitter).

Thomas, 28, has been rehabbing from a hip injury he suffered in last year’s postseason while he was still with the Celtics. After he was traded from Boston to Cleveland as part of the Kyrie Irving trade, the Cavaliers expected to be without Thomas for several months. With Thomas back after 36 games, Cleveland will have him for more than half of the remainder of the season.

The two-time All-Star brings a natural scoring ability that the Cavaliers — losers of four of their last five games — have lacked. In 76 games for the Celtics last season, Thomas averaged an Eastern Conference-best 28.9 PPG, finishing fifth in the NBA Most Valuable Player voting. In his absence, the Cavaliers have tried several players at point guard, including Derrick Rose, Iman Shumpert, and most recently, Jose Calderon.

If healthy, Thomas will be another scoring threat for a Cleveland team led by superstar LeBron James.

Central Notes: Thomas, Mirotic, Valentine, Jackson

January 1st, 2018 at 10:11am CST by marksuleymanov

Isaiah Thomas‘ return should happen any day now and it could not come a moment sooner for the Cavaliers, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes. Cleveland has dropped four of its past five games, including back-to-back losses to the sub-.500 Kings and Jazz. Thomas’ ability to score will help a Cavaliers team in need of an offensive punch.

“You always look forward to having a great player back on your team,” head coach Tyronn Lue told reporters, including Fedor. “He’s been going through the process he’s going through. He came out yesterday feeling pretty good so we’ll see what happens after that.”

Thomas completed his first scrimmage with the Cavaliers on Friday and came out of it well. It has been reported that tomorrow’s contest against the Trail Blazers could see Thomas return or the following night against the Celtics in Boston — his former team. Either way, Thomas’ return is close and if he manages anything close to his 28.9 PPG average from last season, Cleveland will be better off.

Check out other Central Division news below:

Nikola Mirotic‘s 2017/18 has been a roller coaster but his outspoken confidence since he returned from a facial injury has been noticed by his Bulls teammates and coaches, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. Head coach Fred Hoiberg said that Mirotic’s confidence is rubbing off on his teammates. However, some teammates may be rubbed the wrong way by a player who was involved in a physical confrontation with a Bulls teammate — which caused the facial injury — and has publicly demanded a trade.
In his second NBA season, Denzel Valentine has expanded his role beyond a simple catch and shoot three-point shooter, NBA.com’s Sam Smith writes. Injuries have given Valentine more playing time and his improvements have been noticed. “I give Denzel credit,” Hoiberg said. “He’s not playing outside himself right now. Earlier in the season, if he wasn’t getting shots he’d take a crazy one. Now he’s letting the game come to him.”
Reggie Jackson‘s grade 3 ankle sprain has changed the Pistons’ plans and it will take time to adjust to life without one of the team’s best players, NBA.com’s Keith Langlois writes. Wins and losses will not be as important as achieving consistency while Jackson is on the shelf. The responsibility of that falls on Ish Smith and Langston Galloway, the two players who will see increased roles in Jackson’s absence.