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Cavs Rumors: Irving, Brown, Grant, Bynum

January 31st, 2014 at 8:58am CST by Chuck Myron

Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com points to Dan Gilbert’s vow that he’d never again let a star hit free agency as a reason why this summer’s extension negotiations with Kyrie Irving will be critical. Windhorst wonders if the Cavs, frustrated with Irving’s lack of on-court and off-court growth, might be hesitant to commit the maximum salary to the former No. 1 overall pick.

If the Cavs don’t see Irving as a max player, they could lose him in restricted free agency to a team that is willing to give him the max in the summer of 2015. That demonstrates the urgency surrounding the Cavs and their All-Star, and we have more from Windhorst’s piece and others here:

  • Irving and coach Mike Brown share a mutual discontent about each other, while Irving’s failure to click with Dion Waiters and the disappointing play of Anthony Bennett have led the point guard to lose confidence in GM Chris Grant, according to Windhorst.
  • The Cavs thought they’d resolved their issues with the departure of Andrew Bynum, but the center was clearly not at fault for all the team’s problems, observes Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer.
  • Odds are Brown and Irving will both be staying in Cleveland for a while longer, writes Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, who believes it’s incumbent on them to work together to lift the team. Bob Finnan of The News-Herald shares similar thoughts, opining that the Cavs should try to smooth out their differences with Irving.
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Kyrie Irving Denies Report He Wants Out

January 30th, 2014 at 10:14pm CST by Chuck Myron

10:14pm: According to Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer, Irving emphatically shot down reports that he wants to leave Cleveland. Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com and Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter links) relayed some of his post game quotes on the matter, but you can read a more complete transcript of Irving’s interview with reporters tonight from Schmitt’s piece:

“There’s been so much so-called reports, ‘I don’t want to be here…That’s what you guys get paid to do.’I’m still in my rookie contract and I’m happy to be here…And I’m pretty sure I’m going to be here for a long time…Yes, I’m in Cleveland. I enjoy myself. I enjoy going out there and competing at the highest level for the Cleveland Cavaliers. That’s what it’s about. It’s not about me and it’s not about this controversy surrounding do I want to privately come out when my contract is up. I’m still in my rookie contract and I’m happy to be here and I’m pretty sure that I’m going to be here for a long time. I’m not saying anything to foretell the future, but I’m pretty sure the relationship I have with Dan Gilbert and management extends off the court and I enjoy being here.”

Irving also curbed a question about signing a max-extension this summer and vouched for Mike Brown:

“It’s still too early to (say anything about an extension). I’m still trying to get through this season…Everybody is trying to antagonize this team and put it on me. I’m here for my teammates, I’m here for Coach Brown.”

1:10pm: Kyrie Irving has been confiding in those close to him that he wants to leave Cleveland, according to Chad Ford of ESPN.com, who reveals the news amid a chat with readers. The pressure’s on Chris Grant, as nearly every other NBA decision-maker believes the Cleveland GM will be out of a job this summer if the team can’t reverse its fortunes this season, Ford writes.

Irving will be up for an extension to his rookie scale contract this summer, and if he doesn’t sign one, he’ll become a restricted free agent in the summer of 2015. The Cavs wield all the leverage if they’re willing to sign him for the maximum, since they’d have the ability to match offers that summer. If Irving is determined to leave Cleveland as soon as possible, he could sign a qualifying offer from the Cavs that summer, and that would make him an unrestricted free agent in 2016. Signing the qualifying offer, worth nearly $9.2MM, would be a drastic step, since he would be sacrificing anywhere from $4-7MM that season if he turned down a maximum salary contract to do so.

Irving and agent Jeff Wechsler could also agitate for a trade, although the decision to deal him away would still rest with the Cavs front office. Ford expects Grant to be heavily involved in talks at the trade deadline in an effort to swing deals for players who can provide Irving with immediate help on the court. Cleveland is in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, three games back of the final playoff spot.

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Eastern Notes: Irving, Rondo, 76ers

January 30th, 2014 at 8:03pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Earlier today, we made note of the rumblings that Kyrie Irving privately wants out of Cleveland. Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown told Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer that Irving has never approached him to complain about the team or wanting out (Twitter link). Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio may not be sure of what Irving has or hasn’t said behind-the-scenes, but he does know that Drederick Irving – Kyrie’s father – has been very vocal about his irritation with how the Cavaliers are utilizing his son this year. As the plot thickens in Ohio, you can read more of what’s going on elsewhere in the Eastern Conference tonight:

  • As recently as Tuesday, Schmitt Boyer writes that Irving came to Brown’s defense when reporters asked if Cavs players were starting to tune out their head coach: “I’m leaving my trust with coach Brown…I’m riding and dying with coach Brown. We’re going through ups and downs together. We’re all in this together, everybody in the locker room. We’re all going through this together. I have my teammates backs and I know they have mine.”
  • Howard Beck and Ric Bucher of the Bleacher Report discuss Rajon Rondo‘s future and tackle the topic of whether the Celtics should trade or build around the four-time All-Star.
  • Marc Narducci and Keith Pompey of the Inquirer talk about Michael Carter-Williams‘ historic rookie season and the mood of the 76ers locker room as the team has gone 3-10 over their last thirteen games. More from Pompey about the roster: “A lot of these (guys) are marginal NBA players and they came here for the opportunity to (showcase themselves) for next year…they know it’s not about wins and losses at the end of the day, it’s about attracting the eye of another GM so you can get another job somewhere else.”
  • The Boston Herald’s Steve Bulpett says to look for Vitor Faverani to have a two-day stint with the Red Claws on Friday and Saturday before being called up again to the Celtics on Sunday (Twitter link).
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Cavs Rumors: James, Deng, Irving, Bennett

January 26th, 2014 at 11:52am CST by Jonathan Nehring

The Cavaliers will take the court this evening against the Suns, but prior to the game, two of Cleveland’s beat writers discussed the current state of the Cavaliers. Here are a few takeaways from their discussions:

  • It is unlikely LeBron James will return to Cleveland, according to Bob Finnan of The News-Herald. Finnan is hearing from many around the league who “now think Heat forward LeBron James will take a pass on returning to the Cavaliers in free agency this summer.” Finnan thinks it becomes “extremely tough” for LeBron to leave Miami if the Heat are able to win a third consecutive NBA title this season.
  • Finnan also dismisses the rumors that the Cavaliers may try to sign Luol Deng and James this offseason. According to him, there isn’t a way for the Cavaliers to do that without “dump[ing] some major contracts this summer.” It is Finnan’s opinion that Cleveland’s best odds of resigning Deng are through an extension this season, but he believes Deng does not seem interested in that option.
  • Kyrie Irving will likely have the chance to sign a max extension this summer with the Cavaliers, but Jason Lloyd of the Beacon Journal wonders if he has earned that contract. Lloyd examines Irving’s value similar to how Jim Souhan of the Star Tribune evaluated Kevin Love last night and points out the Cavaliers are 80-193 since Irving’s arrival. Lloyd places partial blame on Cleveland’s failure to provide Irving much help of late but reiterates the All-Star has to take some of the blame if “he is truly the leader.” Lloyd urges the Cavaliers to begin holding Irving accountable instead of “anoint[ing] him the Big Man on Campus immediately upon [his arrival].” This summer’s negotiations between the Cavs and Irving will be a strong indicator as to what level of accountability the organization will place on the 21-year-old.
  • It seems the Cavaliers are not alone in their surprise as to how Anthony Bennett‘s season has transpired. In a separate piece, Jason Lloyd of the Beacon Journal has heard from teams around the league that they had Bennett as a top 10 draft choice and “no one has [told Lloyd] they saw this coming.” Lloyd also adds that for the current time Bennett is “not going [to the D-League], period.”
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Cavs Rumors: Deng, LeBron, Irving

January 13th, 2014 at 11:08am CST by Chuck Myron

Luol Deng is open to signing an extension with what he calls an “amazing organization” in Cleveland, as he tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Talks between the club and Herb Rudoy, Deng’s agent, have yet to begin and might not start up for a while. Still, Deng is impressed with the way the Cavs treat their players, and he’s excited about the team’s up-and-comers, particularly Kyrie Irving, for whom he believes “the sky is the limit.”

“If we sit down and something comes up in time, I’m more than open to it,” Deng said about the possibility of an extension. “I’m not the type of guy who wants to be chased. I’m going to play hard and work hard and look for what the best situation is for me.”

There’s more on Deng and another small forward who could hit free agency this summer, as we detail:

  • Sam Smith of Bulls.com has spoken with people close to LeBron James who “pretty much laugh at and dismiss” the notion that the four-time MVP would return to Cleveland this summer. James himself has kept quiet this year on the issue of his potential free agency, and as Smith points out, the Heat were a surprise choice in 2010, so it’s hard to gauge the superstar’s thinking.
  • If James does consider the Cavs, it would please Deng, who appears to be recruiting the Heat star in his comments to Spears, even though they play the same position. “I really think for Cleveland that LeBron knows the way he left, and he apologized for it already,” Deng said. “…And at the end of the day, he is a great basketball player and I think for him to come back to Cleveland is not only a great story, but you can’t hold grudges forever.” 
  • Smith hears the Cavs could have a difficult time re-signing Kyrie Irving, who has interest in returning close to New Jersey, where he grew up. Irving could become a restricted free agent in 2015 if he and the Cavs don’t agree to an extension this year, but Cleveland would have the right to match any team’s offer, so as long as the Cavs view the point guard as a maximum-salary player, they wield control.
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Odds & Ends: Irving, Raptors, Trade Talk

January 1st, 2014 at 9:16pm CST by Alex Lee

As the Andrew Bynum rumors continue to pour in, the Cavaliers got some very good news today. Currently sitting only three games out of the East’s eight seed, the Cavs announced that star guard Kyrie Irving‘s left knee sustained no structural damage on Tuesday when he had to be helped off the court after an awkward fall.

Let’s take a look at what else is happening around the NBA on Wednesday:

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Odds & Ends: Asik, Howard, Irving, Jack, Sixers

October 31st, 2013 at 10:50pm CST by Alex Lee

The 11 pm CT deadline for extensions and team options for players still on their rookie contracts should steal most of the headlines tonight, but let’s look at some of the other buzz from around the league:

  • Rockets officials “continue to privately insist” that Omer Asik won’t be available via trade this season if he and Dwight Howard can be productive alongside one another in the Houston frontcourt, reports ESPN.com’s Marc Stein.
  • Speaking of Howard, Mark Cuban says the Houston center made “a mistake in judgement” by joining the Rockets over his Mavericks, writes Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News, who pulls several other interesting quotes from Cuban and Mavs coach Rick Carlisle about how the team is faring with their “Plan B.”
  • Meanwhile, Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram tweets that Cuban believes Howard had already decided on Houston as his destination before he sat down with the Mavericks last summer.
  • While the Cavaliers can’t offer star point guard Kyrie Irving an extension until next summer, the strong relationship between Irving and owner Dan Gilbert should reassure Clevelanders still sore over losing LeBron James, writes Jodie Valade of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
  • Valade also writes that, while the Andrew Bynum addition received most of the headlines, it is Jarrett Jack who will have the biggest impact among the new faces in Cleveland this season.
  • Sixers advanced scout and former assistant Ron Oliver won’t return for a third season with the team, reports Shams Charania of RealGM (via Twitter).
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Central Links: Cavs, Pistons, Bulls, Quinn

October 30th, 2013 at 8:33pm CST by Chuck Myron

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert held court with Cleveland-area reporters before tonight’s opener, touching on a variety of topics, as we noted this evening. Gilbert said he has yet to begin talking about a contract extension for Kyrie Irving, who’ll be eligible for one next summer. Of course, we’re a year and a day away from the deadline for the Cavs and Irving to strike a deal, so Gilbert has plenty of time. Here’s more from another NBA owner as we look around the Central Division:

  • Pistons owner Tom Gores followed up on his comments to Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News with an address today before the media, including MLive’s David Mayo. He expressed support for Joe Dumars but says he doesn’t want to discuss an extension to the GM’s contract, can’t envision selling the Pistons at any point, and isn’t keen on the idea of moving the team downtown.
  • Gores also believes his own recruitment of free agents “has made a difference, in terms of folks coming on board, in knowing that ownership does care and we don’t just use our basketball players as assets.”
  • We heard from Shams Charania of RealGM.com earlier that Patrick Christopher will join the Bulls‘ D-League affiliate after failing to make Chicago’s opening-night roster, and the same is the case for Kalin Lucas, who’ll also play for the Iowa Energy, Charania reports. The Bulls waived both on the second day of training camp, leading Mark Deeks of ShamSports to speculate that the team signed them only to facilitate an out in case its other camp invitees got injured. It seems now that Chicago didn’t entirely view them as pawns, since the team apparently wants to keep an eye on their development.
  • The Cavs waived Chris Quinn this summer after he briefly reappeared in the NBA last season, and it looks like the 30-year-old is transitioning into his post-playing career. He’s joined the coaching staff at Northwestern, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
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Eastern Rumors: Bynum, Irving, LeBron

October 30th, 2013 at 5:58pm CST by Chuck Myron

Andrew Bynum didn’t play in the preseason, but it looks like he might get in the Cavaliers‘ season opener tonight. It would be his first action since the spring of 2012 and his initial step toward convincing the team to fully guarantee his $12.25MM salary. Only $6MM of Bynum’s two-year, $24.79MM contract is guaranteed, so he has much riding on his ability to return to health and productive play this season. Here’s more on the Cavs and a few of their Eastern Conference rivals:

  • Owner Dan Gilbert is confident the Cavs have built an environment conducive to enticing Kyrie Irving to stay with Cleveland for the long term, and Gilbert is encouraged by the youth of the team’s core, observes Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal.
  • LeBron James has become close with Erik Spoelstra, who dared to drive the superstar hard, and Spoelstra’s presence in Miami means James is best advised to remain with the Heat, too, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports argues. Spoelstra’s new extension runs four years, Wojnarowski reveals.
  • Bulls camp cut Patrick Christopher is headed to the team’s D-League affiliate after turning down offers to play overseas, sources tell Shams Charania of RealGM.com (Twitter link).
  • Knicks GM Steve Mills is OK with the expectations that stem from owner James Dolan’s belief that the team has enough talent to win a title this year, tweets Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. “You always feel pressure in an environment like this but it’s a good pressure,” Mills said.
  • Mills also responded to a question about Chris Smith‘s place on the Knicks roster by passing along that Dolan wants the team to carry young players it can develop this year, Begley adds (Twitter link).
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Cavs Pick Up ’14/15 Options On Four Players

October 23rd, 2013 at 2:50pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers have exercised their options for 2014/15 on a pair of third-year players and a pair of second-year players, ensuring that all four Cavs remain under contract for at least the next two seasons. The team announced today in a press release that it has picked up its ’14/15 options on Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, Dion Waiters, and Tyler Zeller.

Irving and Thompson, members of the 2011 draft class, will be eligible for extensions next offseason, and Irving at least seems like a good bet to sign one. Even if they don’t sign extensions though, Irving and Thompson can remain with the Cavs through 2015 before becoming restricted free agents. Irving, the former first overall pick, will earn about $7.07MM in 2014/15, while Thompson will make about $5.14MM.

Meanwhile, Waiters and Zeller are each now locked up for a third NBA season, with Waiters set to earn $4.06MM in ’14/15 and Zeller in line for about $1.7MM. The Cavs hold additional options for 2015/16 on both players.

You can follow all of this month’s rookie contract option decisions right here.

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