Koby Altman Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Cavaliers Notes: Mitchell, Allen, Goals, Rotation

September 28th, 2024 at 2:37pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to Marc J. Spears of Andscape on Thursday, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell discussed a variety of topics, including why he was comfortable signing an extension this offseason to remain in Cleveland, his thoughts on the team’s decision to replace head coach J.B. Bickerstaff with Kenny Atkinson, and his expectations for the Cavs in 2024/25.

The Cavs won a playoff series this past spring for the first time since 2018, but Mitchell believes the club’s ceiling is much higher than another second-round appearance.

“We’re championship contenders when we’re healthy,” Mitchell said. “I feel like last year we grew in a lot of ways. We played a lot of different ways. Now during that (22-4) stretch we went on (from December to February), obviously D.G. (Darius Garland) and Evan (Mobley) were hurt. But we found something that really can help bring us to the next level. So now the trick is how do we continue to implement that style of play over 82 (games) and then the final 16 (playoff) wins.

“But the development, that’s part of the reasons why I decided to sign was because I believe in our development,” he continued. “I believe in the hunger and the will that we have as a group. And so, for us, I believe we’re cherished contenders when healthy. But at the end of the day, I can tell you this, we got to go out there and continue to prove it on a daily basis. We haven’t done anything.”

Here’s more on the Cavs:

Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link) passes along some of the most notable quotes from the pre-camp press conference that Atkinson and Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman held on Friday morning. Altman referred to the 2024 offseason – which included contract extensions for Mitchell, Mobley, and Jarrett Allen – as “a major success to extend the lifeline of this core” and agreed with Mitchell that a championship is a realistic goal with the current roster.
Altman also offered high praise for Allen when discussing his starting center’s new contract: “Jarrett’s immensely important to us. I think we’re almost like a .500 team when he’s not playing, which is remarkable. He’s the oldest 26-year-old you’ll ever find. It’s incredible that he’s 26 years old somehow, and this is his second extension. The first one was a five-year, $100 million extension that everyone was like, ‘Whoa, that’s a lot.’ It became one of the best contracts in the league. Now to extend him and tack on another three years, it keeps that continuity. He’s the core of our defense, super consistent. … To have him locked up for another five years is incredible. It speaks to what we’re building here.”
After winning a playoff series in 2024, the idea of “taking the next step” in 2025 was a key theme during Friday’s presser, according to Fedor (subscriber link). The team barely underwent any changes during the offseason, but the most notable newcomer – Atkinson – is confident that continuity and improvement from within will allow the Cavs to take another step forward. “I think continuity is a coach’s dream,” Atkinson said. “It’s a team that’s won 99 games in the last two years and I think the other important thing about that, it’s a young team so internal improvement is huge for us.”
Atkinson is open to using a deeper rotation than the Cavs did in 2023/24, per Fedor, who says that approach will please many within the organization who wanted Bickerstaff to deploy more than eight or nine players on a regular basis last season. “This is important just from my point of view, really celebrating our depth,” Atkinson said. “I think right off the bat you’ll see I’m going to play 10 guys. I’d even say 11. That’s very possible. We have great depth. How many rotation players do we have? I think by developing your bench, that prepares you for the playoffs, right? You never know. There’s a Richard Jefferson story. Richard was like a 12th man. All of a sudden Game 3 he comes out and hits three 3s. I embrace that philosophy.”
In a separate subscriber-only story for Cleveland.com, Fedor considers four important questions facing the Cavaliers this season, including how Atkinson will change the offense, whether Garland can recapture his All-Star form, and whether Mobley is ready to take a leap to stardom.

And-Ones: WBD Lawsuit, Top Storylines, G League Trade, More

September 25th, 2024 at 3:53pm CST by Luke Adams

The legal battle between the NBA and Warner Bros. Discovery took another step forward in recent days. Responding to the NBA’s motion to dismiss their lawsuit, TBS and WBD filed a 33-page memorandum last Friday attempting to convince New York Judge Joel M. Cohen to deny that motion, per Michael McCann of Sportico.

The parent company of TNT Sports, filed a lawsuit against the NBA in July, alleging that the league was in breach of contract after it refused to recognize TNT’s right to match Amazon’s new broadcast deal with the NBA.

The latest filing from TBS/WBD insists that the league acted in bad faith to “circumvent” the network’s matching rights by including certain terms in its deal with Amazon that it knew TBS/WBD couldn’t specifically match. For instance, one clause in the NBA/Amazon agreement requires NBA games to be aired on a platform that also broadcasts NFL games. Amazon has a deal with the NFL, whereas TBS/WBD does not.

If the case continues to advance through the legal system, court records suggest a trial would be held sometime in April 2025, according to McCann.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Paul George‘s impact in Philadelphia and the Knicks’ potential hole at center are among the key storylines to monitor in the Eastern Conference this season, in the view of Fred Katz and Sam Amick of The Athletic. Katz and Amick also took a look at the top storylines to watch in the West, including whether Victor Wembanyama is ready to take the leap to superstardom, Ja Morant‘s potential redemption tour, and which second-tier team could move into the top group of contenders.
The South Bay Lakers, College Park Skyhawks (Hawks), and Texas Legends (Mavericks) have completed a three-team trade, with South Bay acquiring the returning rights to forward Chris Silva and center Jake Stephens in the deal, per a press release. The Skyhawks received Joirdon Nicholas‘ rights, while the Legends received multiple G League draft picks from the Lakers’ affiliate.
Responding to a pair of U.S. senators who criticized the NBA for partnering with Rwandan dictator Paul Kagame, deputy commissioner Mark Tatum wrote in a letter that the league has followed “the lead of the U.S. government as to where it’s appropriate to engage in business around the world,” according to Mark Fainaru-Wada of ESPN. “If American policies were to change regarding business activities in and relating to Rwanda or any other BAL (Basketball Africa League) market, our actions would of course change accordingly,” Tatum said, adding that the NBA has promoted multiple social impact initiatives in Rwanda.
Sixers center Joel Embiid, Bucks guard Damian Lillard, and Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman are among the individuals across the NBA who are facing the most pressure entering the 2024/25 season, according to Michael Pina of The Ringer, whose top five is rounded out by Knicks forward Julius Randle and Heat wing Jimmy Butler.

Cavs President Believes Mitchell Will Sign Extension

July 1st, 2024 at 4:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman expressed optimism that the club will reach an extension agreement with star guard Donovan Mitchell this offseason, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Altman and new head coach Kenny Atkinson visited Mitchell this past weekend in Los Angeles when the guard hosted a summer camp.

“We feel good about Donovan,” Altman said. “He’s in a great space mentally. He’s healthy. He was out there with those young high school players, hooping in a really good space. Really enjoyed the fact that him and Kenny could sit down and talk about the future, talk about the team. He is still under contract right now, so I think we can talk about him as a Cavalier. He’s invested. He’s really invested in what we’re doing, and hopefully soon we’ll have more of a decisive answer on [a contract extension] for you. But he’s been great. He’s been super involved and super collaborative and very, very much pro-Cleveland.”

Mitchell is eligible to sign a four-year, $200MM+ extension as early as Saturday (July 6), when the league’s moratorium ends. A new deal would see the see the 27-year-old decline his $37.1MM player option for 2025/26. He’ll make $35.41MM in ’24/25.

Mitchell’s involvement with the franchise this offseason included his input during the Cavs’ coaching search. He had a conversation with Atkinson and at least one other candidate during the search, according to Fedor. Mitchell endorsed the hiring of the former Warriors assistant.

Atkinson said they connected on a personal level. That’s a key, since Mitchell reportedly was unhappy with former coach J.B. Bickerstaff last season over a number of issues.

“We had a great sitdown,” Atkinson said. “We also have a little bit of East Coast, similar backgrounds. We didn’t grow up far from each other really, if you think about it.”

If Mitchell decides not to sign an extension, Cleveland would look into potential trades, Fedor writes. However, he says all the momentum is headed in the other direction.

Cavs Notes: Mitchell, Garland, Morris, Bickerstaff, Nori

May 24th, 2024 at 3:57pm CST by Rory Maher

After previously reporting for The Athletic that people around the league expect Donovan Mitchell to sign an extension with the Cavaliers, Shams Charania reiterated on Thursday that Cleveland is optimistic about that outcome (Twitter video link via FanDuel’s Run It Back Show). That aligns with what president of basketball operations Koby Altman said on Friday about the star guard.

That same report also stated that if Mitchell inks an extension, Darius Garland‘s agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, “would have a conversation with Cavs officials on potentially finding a new home for the one-time All-Star.”

In an interview with Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, Paul didn’t exactly refute that rumor.

“As of now, there’s nothing to discuss on that,” Paul said as part of a larger quote. “My job is to evaluate every situation for every guy that we as a company represent. I’m a representative of players, and I help advise them on business decisions. It’s a lot more to it than just negotiating a contract after four years. Some guys choose to do that and only focus on that. I’m different. I try to look at everything.

“You try to position guys a certain way to continue to have value. … And so these guys have to make sure they understand that having the talent they have, and the production, allows them to maintain value.”

When asked about potentially splitting up the backcourt tandem, Altman said, “I don’t see why we should” (Twitter link via Danny Cunningham of Cleveland Magazine).

Here’s more on the Cavs:

Veteran forward Marcus Morris was only with the Cavaliers for about two months, but he admits he saw signs of disconnect between the team and J.B. Bickerstaff, he said on Run It Back (Twitter video links). Bickerstaff was fired on Thursday after leading the Cavs to the second round of the playoffs. The 34-year-old unrestricted free agent also said he expects Mitchell to stay with the Cavs. “I think Cleveland is a great place for (Mitchell)…I would be highly surprised if he left.”
Jason Lloyd of The Athletic argues that Bickerstaff deserved to stay on the job for another season, writing that the 45-year-old “consistently had his players’ backs, even when they didn’t have his.” Lloyd also contends that Altman didn’t want to fire Bickerstaff but felt forced to due to Mitchell’s contract situation — the five-time All-Star was one of the players who reportedly questioned the coach’s “tactics and strategies.”
Appearing on NBA Today (YouTube link), ESPN’s Brian Windhorst agreed with Lloyd about Altman’s decision, pointing out that there’s an “extreme closeness” between the Bickerstaff family and Altman. J.B.’s father Bernie Bickerstaff has been a longtime advisor to the Cavs and Altman.
According to Windhorst, Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori is a potential name to watch in the Cavaliers’ coaching search. The Cavs’ vacancy may be more attractive than normal due the strength of the Western Conference and perceived weakness of the East — Windhorst has heard player agents are trying to steer their clients to the East too.
In an Insider-only story, ESPN’s Bobby Marks outlines the options Mitchell and the Cavs will have this offseason. Marks also explores hypothetical trades from teams that would have interest in Mitchell if he becomes available.

Cavs’ Altman: “I Don’t See Sweeping Changes” In Offseason

May 24th, 2024 at 1:09pm CST by Rory Maher

Speaking to the media on Friday, Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman discussed the team’s dismissal of J.B. Bickerstaff, the process of hiring a new head coach, and Donovan Mitchell‘s future, among other topics.

While rumors have circulated that the Cavs may explore shaking up their core four of Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, Altman says he doesn’t envision major changes on the horizon, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required).

“I don’t see big major sweeping changes. I just don’t,” Altman said. “Like I said, more data speaks to [how] this works than it doesn’t. You can’t win 99 games over the regular season, make it to a conference semis and be like, ‘This doesn’t work.’ Again, this is just year two of this iteration of this core being together and I have a lot of excitement for the future for this group and belief in this group. The other piece that the outside doesn’t see is you meet with every player and they have a really strong belief in the core of the group and their fellow teammates. They think they can win here. There’s a lot of camaraderie and belief and they like each other and so it’s hard for me to glean anything other than how do we pour more into the group that we have?

“Sure, there’s some moves you can make around the periphery, but what are the levers we can pull? What can we tighten up? Where’s our upside? Where’s the low hanging fruit in-house to elevate this thing? … There’s a lot more in-house than I need to find out outside of this building. There’s a lot of belief in our players and each other in this organization, and so I don’t see the need to make sweeping changes.”

Here’s more from Altman’s media session:

While Atlman praised Bickerstaff and called it a “tremendously difficult decision” to fire him, he said the team needs a new leader to take it where it wants to go. “Someone with a new approach, someone with a different voice, a fresh set of eyes to help us move forward,” Altman said, per Tom Withers of The Associated Press. “We’ve accomplished a lot in the last few years, getting to a conference semifinal, and we don’t want to be complacent. … We feel we’re not far off.”
According to Withers, Altman said he hasn’t compiled a list of coaching candidates yet, and the front office won’t begin that process until next week. However, he did say the new coach would have to meet “very highly specific” criteria. Altman added that the search could last over a month, tweets Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. “We’d love to have a coach in place for the draft,” he said. “I think that’d probably be too aggressive a timeline. It’s when we come up with the right decision…and if it has to drag on a little longer, it does.”
Altman said owner Dan Gilbert could end up having a “big influence” on whichever coach gets hired, but he won’t be involved in the process until the front office has compiled its list of finalists, per Fedor.
Regarding Mitchell, who will be eligible for a four-year extension this summer, Altman said his exit meeting with the star guard left him feeling encouraged, according to Fedor. “I’ll say that my exit interview with him was really good in that he was talking about the future and how excited he was about the team, the organization,” Altman said. “This is a player that has had two of the best years of his career here, has had a lot of success here, understands the infrastructure. I think he has a lot of trust in what we’re doing and understands that our goal is to win a championship. … From his own words, he says he’s happy here. He likes it here. He’s always been very genuine. He’s always been very intentional. He’s been a great teammate. We have to take all that at face value and say, ‘OK, we feel good about where we are with Donovan.’ Obviously, things could change. In terms of his contract future, it’s nothing we can talk about until July.”

Cavaliers Notes: LeVert, Roster Depth, Altman

April 3rd, 2024 at 8:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

Every game is meaningful for Cavaliers swingman Caris LeVert since his recovery from kidney cancer surgery in 2021, writes Marc J. Spears of Andscape. LeVert’s condition was discovered during a physical after he was sent from Brooklyn to Indiana in a four-team trade. An MRI on his lower back revealed a small mass on his left kidney, and after undergoing an operation to treat a renal cell carcinoma, he was able to return before the end of the season.

“Obviously, I’m grateful to still be playing basketball, to be honest with you,” LeVert said. “It was something that was super unexpected. It just gave me perspective as to how lucky I am to be doing this for a living.”

LeVert has been able to continue his career since the cancer scare, but he says hydration is more important than ever. He’s playing a valuable role for Cleveland, where he’s a candidate for Sixth Man honors, averaging 13.8 points, 5.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 63 games.

“He’s been extremely important to us because of his versatility, his willingness to sacrifice and come off the bench because he’s an NBA starter,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “It changes the dynamic of what we’re able to do with our second unit. His minutes versus second-unit guys typically gives us an advantage. He’s bought into being our best one-on-one defensive player. So, he helps us finish games because we can put him in and he can play both defensive and offensive lineups.

There’s more from Cleveland:

The Cavaliers have a much deeper roster this season, which is why they were able to post a 17-1 stretch despite injuries to Evan Mobley and Darius Garland, notes Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. Additions such as Max Strus and Georges Niang provide more options than the team had when it got bounced in the first round last year. “You can never have too much talent, but I will say this: I think it’s a testament to our depth,” general manager Koby Altman said. “We knew last summer we would have to make ourselves deeper, making ourselves more explosive, diversifying our offense.”
The Cavs may reexamine everything if they lose in the first round again, but otherwise there’s no reason to believe Altman’s job is in jeopardy, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com states in a mailbag column (subscription required). Fedor argues that the team has overachieved this season considering that virtually every key player has missed time with injuries. He cites the additions of Strus and Niang, the finding of undrafted rookie Craig Porter Jr. and the recent signing of veteran forward Marcus Morris as positive moves by Altman.
Cleveland has to be ready for opponents blitzing Garland and Donovan Mitchell to force the ball out of their hands, Fedor adds in a separate story. That means other players have to be ready to exploit the advantages created by double teaming the ball-handler. “We try to take the play that is there,” Bickerstaff said. “We have enough talent on this team that if we just make the simple play then defenses are going to have to make tough choices. They came out and they were ‘hotting’ us or ‘trapping’ us in the pick and roll, so the play was to get it to the big and let the big do his thing. Our bigs are elite when they catch the ball in the pocket and are capable of making all the plays.”

Cavs Rumors: Mitchell, Rubio, Allen, Bickerstaff

December 20th, 2023 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

The injuries that will sideline Darius Garland and Evan Mobley well into the new year aren’t expected to significantly impact the Cavaliers‘ plans for this season, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, who says the franchise remains committed to its core of Garland, Mobley, Donovan Mitchell, and Jarrett Allen.

As Fischer writes, there has been “incessant chatter” among rival executives about the possibility of Mitchell leaving Cleveland in 2025, when he can opt out of his current contract, with speculation about his next destination focusing on the New York teams (the Knicks and Nets). However, those whispers haven’t affected the Cavaliers’ resolve to this point, Fischer explains.

In the event that the Cavs begin to struggle and slide down the standings without Garland and Mobley available, it’s possible the front office will have to reconsider its approach to the trade deadline. But Koby Altman and his group seem to have the “sturdy backing” of ownership, per Fischer, so the odds appear slim that a substantial change in direction will occur in the coming weeks.

Here’s more from Fischer on the Cavaliers:

One move Cleveland might make on or before the February 8 deadline would involve Ricky Rubio, according to Fischer, who suggests the team would like to turn Rubio’s salary slot into a player who could contribute this season. The veteran point guard announced in August that he’d be pausing his career to focus on his mental health, and there has been no indication that the “pause” will end anytime soon, so he’d be a buyout candidate if he’s traded to a new team, Fischer adds.
While the Cavs have no plans to trade him, Allen would receive “plenty” of interest from playoff contenders if he were ever made available. League sources tell Fischer that the Pelicans are one team that has long had its eye on Allen and would be interested if Cleveland is willing to listen to offers down the road.
There was some noise early in the season about whether J.B. Bickerstaff‘s hold on his head coaching job might be slipping, but Fischer hears from sources that the Cavs don’t seem to be in any rush to make a change on the sidelines. Injuries to Garland and Mobley may actually reduce the pressure on Bickerstaff, Fischer points out, since expectations for the club will be tempered without those two young stars in the lineup.

Cavaliers Notes: Rubio, Altman, Strus, Mobley

October 2nd, 2023 at 3:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Cavaliers point guard Ricky Rubio, who announced in August that he has decided to pause his basketball career to focus on his mental health, received an excused absence from the team’s media day on Monday, reports Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.

It remains unclear when Rubio might report to the team, but president of basketball operations Koby Altman told reporters, including Fedor (Twitter link), that the subject of retirement hasn’t come up at all during his discussions with the veteran guard. Altman and the Cavs are hopeful that Rubio will be with the club for the 2023/24 season, Fedor adds.

Here’s more on the Cavs:

After being arrested and charged in September for driving under the influence, Altman told reporters on Monday that he has spoken to team owner Dan Gilbert about the situation, though he declined to say whether he expects to face discipline from the organization, per Tom Withers of The Associated Press. “I feel awful about the distraction that this incident has caused our organization and team,” Altman said. “I’ve had several conversations across the building with players, coaches and ownership on down and have expressed that same sentiment to them as well.”
Having joined the Cavaliers on a four-year, $62MM deal in July, Max Strus expects to be the team’s starting small forward, he said on Monday (Twitter link via Fedor). Cleveland’s starting backcourt (Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland) and frontcourt (Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen) is set, but the club rotated through several options at the three last season, so Strus certainly looks like the obvious choice to fill that spot.
Mobley said on Monday that he had a home gym installed and hired a personal chef this offseason, which helped him put on seven pounds of muscle. The big man added that he’s ready to “take off” this season and has made it a goal to make the All-Star team and to win Defensive Player of the Year (Twitter links via Fedor).

Central Notes: Altman, B. Brown, Pacers, Cunningham

September 20th, 2023 at 9:28am CST by Luke Adams

The attorney for Koby Altman submitted a plea of not guilty on his behalf on Tuesday after the Cavaliers president of basketball operations was charged with committing a marked lanes violation and operating a vehicle while impaired, per TMZ Sports.

Police video obtained by TMZ and News 5 Cleveland (YouTube link) showed Altman appearing to struggle to complete a series of field sobriety tests after being pulled over in Cleveland on Friday night. The Cavaliers executive told officers that he was “exhausted” after returning from a trip overseas and was driving home after a long dinner.

The Cavaliers, who initially issued a brief statement announcing that they were gathering information on the incident, have put out a follow-up statement, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter links).

“We hold our team members to a high standard of conduct and expect leaders at every level of our organization to represent the Cavaliers with integrity, professionalism and accountability,” the Cavs said. “We will continue to closely monitor the facts and circumstances of this matter and await resolution of the legal process.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

In a discussion about the best offseason move made by a Central Division team, Josh Robbins and James L. Edwards III of The Athletic both pick the Pacers‘ signing of Bruce Brown, while their colleague Darnell Mayberry chooses the Pistons‘ hiring of Monty Williams as their new head coach.
Within the same story, Edwards, Robbins, and Mayberry identify Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and Pacers forward Obi Toppin and Jarace Walker as some of the top breakout candidates in the Central.
The majority of the Pacers‘ players were in attendance for Summer League in Las Vegas, signaling the team’s growing chemistry and a culture that’s on the right trajectory, contends Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (subscription required).

Cavaliers Executive Koby Altman Charged With OVI

September 16th, 2023 at 11:19am CST by Tristan Tucker

Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman was arrested and charged Friday night for operating a vehicle while impaired, according to a report from FOX 8’s I-Team.

“We are aware of an incident involving Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman,” the team said in a statement, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). “We are currently gathering more information and have no further comment at this time.”

According to the FOX 8 report, Ohio State Highway Patrol says troopers stopped Altman just before 9:00 p.m.

“Troopers initiated a traffic stop and during their interaction with the driver, indicators of impairment were observed,” the patrol said, per FOX 8. “The driver was subsequently placed under arrest for OVI and soon after offered a breath test which he refused.”

Altman was also charged with committing a marked lanes violation, per the report. FOX 8 reports the patrol added that Altman was “respectful and cooperative with troopers.”

Altman joined Cleveland’s front office in 2012, working his way up through the organization before being named general manager in 2017. In 2022, Altman was promoted to president of basketball operations and signed a contract extension through the 2027/28 season.