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Cavs Notes: Lue, James, Smith

January 24th, 2016 at 9:00am CST by ChrisCrouse

The Cavs lost to the Bulls on Saturday night and Cleveland’s new coach Tyronn Lue had some sharp words for his team, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com writes. “I don’t think we’re in good enough shape,” Lue said. “I think early, we wanted to push it, we wanted to open the floor, and I think we came out and did that, and then I think we just dropped off the map. I think we got tired. I just don’t think we’re in good enough shape right now to play in the style that we want to play.”

The team understands the criticism and the players are embracing the first time head coach. “Got to get used to that pace that coach Lue wants us to play at,” Kyrie Irving said. “It’s exciting, it’s an exciting brand of basketball that is tailor-fitted for the players that we have on our team.”

“Yup, we got to get in better shape,” LeBron James added. “Coach wanted to play faster, so we need to start doing stuff on off days, doing stuff at practice, during shootarounds, getting up and down the floor, getting our heart rate going, because he wants to play faster, play with more pace than we’ve done in the past. Try to get up and down the court before the defense is set on us. So we all need to be in better shape.”

Here’s more out of Cleveland:

J.R. Smith has been cleared of wrongdoing in the alleged choking incident outside of a New York night club back in November, Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group reports. “After a thorough investigation of the circumstances surrounding this case, we have concluded that the evidence does not support criminal charges against Mr. Smith,” Patrick Muncie, a spokesperson for the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said. Haynes notes that the Cavs believed all along that Smith would be exonerated.
James shouldn’t be considered a coach killer, Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal opines. While Ridenour admits that the firings of Paul Silas and Mike Brown were decisions that owner Dan Gilbert likely made to appease James, she argues that the coaches that Gilbert has hired in first place have simply been poor choices for the team.

Eastern Notes: Brown, James, Pistons

January 14th, 2016 at 9:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Nets forward Thaddeus Young pulled no punches when discussing the difference in playing for interim coach Tony Brown versus former coach Lionel Hollins, who was fired on Sunday, Anthony Puccio of NetsDaily relays (via Twitter). When asked his feelings about suiting up for Brown, Young said, “When your coach is not panicking and he’s staying positive and he’s continued to motivate us, it’s huge for us as far as an energy standpoint. It makes us continue to want to go out there and continue to play, and it doesn’t keep us thinking about what happened before as much. But Tony’s mentality is, forget what happened before this and let’s try to push and try to win this game. That’s huge for us as a team. It says a lot that he believes in us, that he wants us to compete.”

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Cavs shooting guard J.R. Smith notes that the team’s excellent work ethic comes from following the example set by LeBron James, whose dedication has rubbed off on his teammates, as Marc Narducci of HoopsHype relays. When asked what it has been like to play alongside James, Smith told Narducci, “For one, he elevates everybody’s game and holds everybody to a higher standard. He makes you hold yourself to a higher standard. This is the first team I have been on where everybody stays after practice to work on their game. Everybody wants to be better every single day and a lot of that has to do with him. He is a credit to that. He holds himself to a high standard. We see how hard he works each and every day. If your best player is working twice as hard as the next person, it gives you enthusiasm and drive to work harder.”
Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy is using the Spurs’ track record of consistency as an organization as a model for how he wants to build Detroit’s roster, John Niyo of The Detroit News writes. “I do think, looking forward, one of things we’ve talked about in trying to build this team is we have a chance for continuity,” Van Gundy said. “And I think you see it when you see a team like San Antonio, that over time it allows you to build on what you’re doing.”

Cavs Notes: Williams, Jefferson, Smith, Shumpert

January 3rd, 2016 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Having a healthy roster for the first time in more than a year is cutting into the playing time of some Cavaliers veterans, writes Jason Lloyd of The Akron Beacon-Journal. It’s a situation that Anderson Varejao has been dealing with all year. Now Mo Williams is joining him and Richard Jefferson could be in the same situation, Lloyd speculates. Williams signed with the Cavs over the summer to handle the point guard duties while Kyrie Irving recovered from a fractured kneecap. Now that Irving is healthy, Williams’ playing time has plummeted. He was held out of a game against the Suns last week, then played just five minutes against the Warriors and 10 against the Blazers. Lloyd writes that it’s obvious Williams has fallen to third on the point guard depth chart behind Irving and Matthew Dellavedova. “Guys gotta understand and I’ve told them this, only so many guys can play,” said coach David Blatt. “That’s just the reality of the limitations of the game. Some guys may find themselves for no other reason other than that not playing many minutes or not playing at all.”

There’s more this morning out of Cleveland:

Some veterans on the team weren’t happy with Blatt’s decision to not play Jefferson in the Christmas Day game against Golden State, Lloyd writes in the same piece. The writer believes Blatt will have to eventually decide between Jefferson and J.R. Smith for a rotation spot. Smith is currently a starter, but Lloyd expects Iman Shumpert to take over his role when Irving’s minutes restriction is lifted.
Williams showed up at the locker room barely an hour before game time Saturday, then seemed to be a reluctant participant in cheering his teammates, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. The writer sees the Cavs as primed for another run at the NBA Finals, but warns a counterproductive influence could help derail that.
Cleveland’s renewed defensive prowess has coincided with Shumpert’s return to the lineup, Lloyd writes in a separate story. Since Shumpert came back from a wrist injury three weeks ago, the Cavs lead the league in defensive field-goal percentage and 3-point percentage and are behind only the Spurs in points allowed per 100 possessions.

Atlantic Notes: Lopez, Landry, Zeller

December 24th, 2015 at 2:14pm CST by Chuck Myron

The emergence of rookie Kristaps Porzingis clouds the future of Knicks offseason signee Robin Lopez, surmises Marc Berman of the New York Post, who earlier reported that the team is thinking about taking Lopez out of the starting five. He’s played 20 minutes or fewer in seven of his last nine games, though he’s shown hints of more efficient play and says he’s beginning to get a handle on the triangle offense, as Berman relays.

“I’m starting to see the opportunities,’’ Lopez said. “I’m starting to see when I’m supposed to look for me — on the block. When I’m supposed look for the pick and roll, where the cuts are going to be. I know it will get better. I’m getting a better idea of what I’m supposed to do offensively.’’

See more on the Knicks and the rest of the Atlantic Division:

The Cavs are in first place in the Eastern Conference with J.R. Smith and a now-healthy Iman Shumpert, but the Knicks have seen strong play from Lance Thomas, and coach Derek Fisher doesn’t regret New York’s participation in last January’s three-way trade with Cleveland and Oklahoma City. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News has the details. “Seems like both for J.R. and Shump it’s worked out well. They seem happy,” Fisher said Tuesday. “We like our team as it is at this point.”
Sixers offseason trade acquisition Carl Landry, the only player on the team older than 25, made his season debut Wednesday after a wrist injury cost him the first two months of the season, and he’s embracing a leadership role, observes Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News. The team has been in the market for additional veteran influences of late.
Tyler Zeller was an extension candidate this past summer, but the Celtics were reportedly interested in a deal only if it would come at a discount to them, and that hesitancy seems wise now that the center is averaging only 8.5 minutes a game. Still, the soon-to-be free agent posted a season-high 14 points Monday, and his lack of complaints about fluctuating minutes reveals a value, coach Brad Stevens contends, as A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNBoston.com notes. The Celtics organization is “even more endeared” to Zeller because of the way he’s handled the situation, Stevens said, according to Blakely.

And-Ones: Howard, Roberts, Jones, Kidd

December 23rd, 2015 at 10:20pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Rockets center Dwight Howard recently turned 30 and hopes he can continue to play in the NBA into his 40s, Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle relays. “That’d be fun if I was to play this game [that long],” Howard told Feigen. “That was always my goal, to play 20 years, 20-something years in this league. I’m extremely happy and blessed to have been able to play this game for as long as I have been so far. I have played a lot of minutes. I’ve been doing a lot since I came into the league. I’m thankful. I’m not going to complain about it. I’m happy that I’ve been able to play 12 years so far. A lot of NBA players never played this long so I am very happy and blessed that I’ve been able to play 12 years in the NBA. Hopefully, I can play another 10, but the time I’ve played, I’ve enjoyed it.”

Here’s more from around the league:

Several NBA teams have expressed interest in Raptors preseason cut Ronald Roberts, Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv relays (via Twitter). In 10 appearances for the Raptors 905 this season Roberts is averaging 17.9 points and 13.0 rebounds on 67% shooting.
Timberwolves rookie point guard Tyus Jones believes his recent stint in the D-League will help him to contribute more at the NBA level, Jace Frederick of The Pioneer Press writes. “That definitely helped me out and definitely prepared me even more than I was, and it’s just helped my process,” Jones said. “I think it did prepare me a little bit better to help this team out.”
The Knicks‘ trade of J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert to the Cavaliers was a move met with displeasure by the team’s fanbase, but it has worked out well for both sides so far, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. “We made the decision,’’ Knicks coach Derek Fisher said. “It seems like it’s worked out well for both. J.R. and Shump, they seem happy. We like our team as it is at this point. I think our team would be OK if they were here or not because of what [habits] we’re doing every day.’’
Bucks front office officials would have liked to have drafted Bobby Portis with the 17th overall pick this year, but coach Jason Kidd went with Rashad Vaughn instead, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (audio link via Twitter at 57-minute mark). Kidd is calling the shots on personnel, as Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times told us in a recent edition of The Beat. People around the league wonder whether Kidd’s leave of absence for hip surgery is the first step toward him dropping the coaching job and moving into a full-time front office role with the team, Wojnarowski hears.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

And-Ones: Durant, Kerr, Walton, J.R. Smith

December 17th, 2015 at 1:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Thunder had some concern when Kevin Durant hired Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Sports agency, but the team and Roc Nation have developed a “positive” and “constructive” working relationship, and those initial concerns have dissipated, writes Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com, citing sources. Oklahoma City will base its pitch to Durant in free agency this summer on the the youth of its roster, its track record of spending this season and last, its ability to keep spending and the presence of coach Billy Donovan, as Windhorst details. The Thunder have learned from the mistakes the Cavs made in 2010 as they unsuccessfully tried to keep LeBron James from departing a team that was aging and largely without financial flexibility, and the Oklahoma City organization doesn’t overreact to incremental developments or discouraging rumors, Windhorst explains. While we wait to find out just what happens when Durant hits free agency in six and a half months, see more from around the Association:

Warriors coach Steve Kerr hopes to return from his leave of absence within two to three weeks, he said Wednesday, according to Janie McCauley of The Associated Press. Kerr attended practice Monday and Tuesday and the team’s shootaround Wednesday, McCauley notes.
Interim coach Luke Walton figured there was no way Kerr would miss opening night and thought his leave, which began October 1st, would last only a couple of weeks, writes Lee Jenkins of SI.com in a piece that delves into Walton’s background to find explanation for why he’s been so successful with the Warriors this season.
The Cavs and Jazz have a general reputation as the teams that players least want to play for, J.R. Smith tells of Devin Friedman of GQ.com, admitting he was “petrified” to go to Cleveland when the Knicks traded him there in January. He’s warmed to what he calls an underestimated city since then, re-signing with the Cavs this summer and falling in line with the team’s all-business, no-party approach, as Friedman details. Smith also told Friedman he endures racial slurs from fans when he plays in Utah, joked about marijuana use, and called China, where he played in 2011/12 the “worst place I’ve ever been in my life.”

Central Notes: Copeland, Blatt, Smith, Vogel

November 23rd, 2015 at 5:29pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Pacers didn’t try to re-sign Chris Copeland this past offseason, but they still gave him access to their training staff after his contract ended on July 1st, writes Candace Buckner of The Indianapolis Star. Copeland, who signed a one-year deal with the Bucks on July 29th, is grateful for the help he needed to recover from the injuries that he suffered when he was stabbed outside a New York City nightclub in April, as Buckner details.

“I was just blessed to have guys like [Pacers president of basketball operations] Larry Bird and the training staff who stuck with me way past when they had to,” Copeland said. “Legally by July 1st they’re not obligated to do anything, but those guys took care of me. They did more than they needed to. That’s why I’m forever in their debt. I appreciate the type of people that I was [around] for the last two years.”

See more on the Pacers amid the latest from the Central Division:

The Cavaliers made it a point to improve their depth in the offseason, in spite of the tax implications, and they’ve benefited from the strategy in the season’s first month, notes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. “I think that we went through a year last year where we put ourselves in a great position and had a tremendous season and a tremendous opportunity, then at the very end we fell prey to the lack of depth,” Cavs coach David Blatt said. “And we addressed it this summer. Obviously up to this point in the season, it’s really paid off for us because the guys that we brought in are major contributors and the guys that stayed obviously are high-level people and high-level basketball players.”
J.R. Smith, who re-signed with the Cavs this summer after a midseason trade, credits the team and Cleveland at large for greeting him with a level of acceptance he hasn’t found elsewhere in the NBA, he tells McMenamin for a separate piece, calling it “first place I’ve been where I’ve started off with a clean sheet.”
Pacers coach Frank Vogel is pleased with the contribution he’s seeing from the back end of his roster, quipping that Bird “gave me too many good players,” notes Mark Montieth of Pacers.com.

Cavaliers Notes: Irving, Blatt, Smith, James

November 22nd, 2015 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Cavaliers aren’t ready to set a date for his return, but injured point guard Kyrie Irving is making significant progress, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. Irving hasn’t played since fracturing his left kneecap in the NBA Finals, but the team is encouraged with his rehab work. “He has advanced to running plays 5-on-0. He’s doing some light 1-on-1 contact drills. He’s certainly taking some steps forward,” coach David Blatt said Saturday. “Again, can I put a number on it in terms of days left until we see him back out there fully? I really can’t. I’m not trying to keep it from you. I just don’t know. But definitely seeing progress in the last few days and that’s encouraging.” A source told McMenamin that Irving won’t join the Cavs on their road trip next week, but he could be with the team when it travels to Orlando and Boston starting December 10th.

There’s more this morning out of Cleveland:

In his second season as coach, Blatt is now comfortable enough to take a public swipe — even if it’s humorous — at LeBron James, writes Jason Lloyd of The Akron Beacon Journal. Angered by an errant pass, James subbed out of Saturday’s game and walked to the bench while play continued. The Cavs were called for a technical foul for having just four players on the court. “He was frustrated, knew we weren’t playing right and thought we were playing hockey. Hockey sub,” Blatt said afterward. “I understand his frustration but obviously you shouldn’t do that.”
The Cavaliers don’t seem concerned about allegations that J.R. Smith choked a man in New York last week, Lloyd writes in the same story. Smith is denying the charge and explained his version of the incident to the team. “Things aren’t being reported the right way,” he said.
Injuries are getting in the way of the plan to reduce James’ regular-season workload, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Starters Timofey Mozgov and Mo Williams are both currently sidelined, joining Irving and Iman Shumpert, who haven’t played yet this season. As a result, James is averaging 36.5 minutes per game, up slightly from last year. “We definitely don’t want to keep putting ourselves in this position but one thing you can’t control is injuries,” James said.

Eastern Notes: Durant, World Peace, Smith

November 19th, 2015 at 6:25pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The early season play of rookie Kristaps Porzingis coupled with Carmelo Anthony‘s return to health has given Knicks fans hope, not just for this season, but beyond. Another benefit the franchise may glean from exceeding expectations is that team president Phil Jackson will have a far more appealing product to sell Kevin Durant when he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer, Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News opines.

One issue I have with the Knicks potentially adding Durant is that both Anthony and Porzingis are frontcourt players, and unless Anthony shifted to power forward full-time and Porzingis to the pivot, one of the trio would need to come off the bench. Shifting Porzingis to center would also serve to displace Robin Lopez, who the team inked to a four-year, $54MM deal this past summer, which is obviously not an ideal move for New York given its financial commitment to the big man.

Here’s the latest out of the Eastern Conference:

Metta World Peace, discussing his relationship with Pacers executive Larry Bird, said that he has tried to rejoin Indiana over the years, but he may have burned too many bridges with his disruptive attitude in his younger days for that to occur, Dave Zarum of Sportsnet.ca relays (Twitter link). World Peace did note that Bird was extremely patient with him during his time with the team, and that Bird would often go out of his way to work with him to improve his game, Zarum adds.
Cavaliers shooting guard J.R. Smith is feeling much more comfortable in the flow of the team’s offense, something he credits to his increased playing time, Jason Lloyd of Ohio.com writes. “It’s hard to just run up and down the court four or five times, then just get one spot shot, then come out of the game, then go back in the game. Getting in a rhythm early is the most important thing,” Smith said. “It’s not even so much to shoot, just to feel the ball, get the motion, get the ‘camaraderie’ within the system. I think that’s big, not only for me but for everybody. It’s not from a selfish aspect, but to feel the ball, feel the flow of the offense a little better.”
The Cavaliers have recalled shooting guard Joe Harris from the Canton Charge, their D-League affiliate, the team announced. You can keep track off all the D-League assignments and recalls made throughout the season here.

Eastern Notes: Rose, Pistons, Heat

November 15th, 2015 at 8:30pm CST by Will Joseph

Bulls point guard Derrick Rose may be dealing with blurred vision for a few more months, Nick Friedell of ESPN.com relays. Rose has struggled shooting so far, averaging only 12.6 points per game, as Friedell points out. Rose suffered a left orbital fracture during the Bulls’ first training camp practice on September 29th.

“[The doctors] said it could be as long as three months,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. “But [the vision] has continued to improve, and that’s obviously a positive.”

The news, however, came as a surprise to Rose.

“This is my first time hearing about it,” Rose told reporters, including K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). “But you kind of have that hope in your mind that it gets well a lot quicker. But for this to be seven or eight [weeks] out and still the same way, I can’t do nothing but live with it. Get the most out of every day, keep putting my deposits in and keep working on my game until my eye gets better.”

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

While former Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith is still upset with comments team president Phil Jackson made during the summer about Smith’s personal life, Marc Berman of the New York Post opines that Smith should be grateful that he was traded to the Cavs. After not fitting into the Knicks’ plans, and despite his current shooting woes, Berman writes that the Cavs still see Smith as a capable scoring threat in a reserve role.
Pistons point guard Brandon Jennings, who is recovering from a torn left Achilles suffered in January, participated in four-on-four and three-on-three games with teammates and is still on track to return around Christmas, David Mayo of MLive.com reports. “As I told him today, what’s not back right now is his quickness,” Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. “It’s going to take some time. Being out and being able to do stuff is one thing, and being able to do it at a speed that you can really do is another.”
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Beno Udrih should have no problem fitting in with Miami, Shandel Richardson of the Sun Sentinel writes. “He’s got veteran savviness about him,” Spoelstra said. “You saw it the other night. He hasn’t been in a practice. He hasn’t been in a shootaround but he’s played for enough different systems that he can just play basketball. You don’t notice things that you might have because he’s a veteran player. You can throw him in any situation. Guys like that are very valuable with veteran teams.” The Heat acquired Udrih from the Grizzlies in exchange for Mario Chalmers. Spoelstra did not identify a clear-cut role for Udrih, Richardson adds.