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Cavs Rumors: Coaching Search, Irving, Brown

May 13th, 2014 at 10:32am CST by Chuck Myron

New Cavs GM David Griffin spoke about the team’s head coaching vacancy this morning, less than 24 hours after the team fired Mike Brown and removed the interim tag from Griffin’s title. We’ll round up the highlights from Griffin’s press conference and pass along more on the Cavs coaching search here:

Griffin will lead the search, but he says owner Dan Gilbert will have input, as Jodie Valade of the Plain Dealer notes in a live blog of the press conference.
The GM hinted at change, saying that there are pieces that don’t fit on the Cavs roster, as Valade chronicles.
Griffin says he may Interview coaching candidates later this week at the draft combine in Chicago, Valade notes.
Kyrie Irving didn’t have anything to do with Brown’s firing, and the star point guard won’t be involved in any decisions regarding the next coach, Griffin insists. Bob Finnan of The News-Herald and Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio tweet the details.
The Cavs have no timetable for selecting their next coach, Griffin says, as Lloyd tweets.
The Cavs have yet to compile a list of coaching candidates, but it appears that when they do, Mike D’Antoni‘s name won’t be on it, according to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. Lloyd suggests that Clippers assistant Alvin Gentry is in better position than other would-be candidates given Griffin’s fondness for him.
Brown’s firing had nothing to do with his ties to former GM Chris Grant, whom the team fired in February, as Lloyd writes in the same piece.

Central Rumors: LeBron, Kyrie, Bucks

May 12th, 2014 at 8:26pm CST by Zachary Links

The Pacers are the Central Division’s remaining horse in the race but for the rest of the gang, the offseason is underway. Here’s the latest..

The NBA is moving quickly toward approval of Herb Kohl’s sale of the Bucks to Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens, and there’s a chance the league will announce the transfer later this week, a source tells Don Walker of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
LeBron James gave his thoughts on Mike Brown‘s dismissal before the tip-off of Game 4 against the Nets. “It’s a tough business and Mike Brown got the short end of a tough business,” the Heat star said, according to Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). The Cavs made the long-expected decision to oust Brown earlier today.
Meanwhile, Cavs guard Kyrie Irving is “in complete support” of Brown’s dismissal and David Griffin‘s promotion to permanent GM, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio. There have been rumblings that Irving has been unhappy in Cleveland and the Cavs have him under team control through the summer of 2016, so it’s important for them to keep him satisfied in the long term.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Cavs Notes: Griffin, Brown, Irving, Waiters

April 22nd, 2014 at 11:58am CST by Chuck Myron

Reports have linked Cavs interim GM David Griffin to the front offices of the Knicks, and, more recently, the Pistons, but he indicated a strong preference to remain in Cleveland as he spoke today with reporters, including Jodie Valade of The Plain Dealer.

“You’re either all the way in, or you’re all the way out,” Griffin said. “There’s no in-between. This is where I want to be.”

Here’s more on Griffin and the Cavs:

Griffin said he doesn’t know when he’ll hear about his future with the team from owner Dan Gilbert, and while he said he’s confident that he and Gilbert are moving in the same direction, Griffin also said he needs to improve, Valade notes in the same piece. Still, the acting GM gave the impression that his job is safe, as Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio observes (Twitter link).
Coach Mike Brown is on shakier ground, according to Amico, and ownership is looking for honest assessments of Brown from the team’s players and, once in place, its front office staff, Amico writes.
Griffin would like to shift the team’s focus from “asset accumulation mode” to “target acquisition mode,” he says, and he plans to target size, toughness, basketball IQ and shooting, as Valade chronicles. Still, he’s high on his backcourt pairing of Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters. “I’ve seen flashes of them being very, very good together,” Griffin said. “… They’re two ball-dominant, drive-and-kick players. They require spacing and shooters. It’s too easy to look at them and blame one of them. It’s a collective thing.”

And-Ones: Draft, Bucks, Cavs, Pistons

April 18th, 2014 at 9:13pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors weighed in on the Eastern Conference playoffs as a guest on The Baseline podcast at Shaw Sports.

More from around the Association and college ranks:

Kentucky coach John Calipari has no idea if Andrew Harrison and Aaron Harrison will declare for this year’s NBA Draft, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. Calipari said, “They have ‘til the 27th to make a decision. I don’t even know what the NCAA date is because we don’t worry about it. It has nothing to do with us. The only date they have to be concerned about is the 27th, when they have to put their name in or they don’t put their name in.” Draft Express has Andrew ranked as the 39th best prospect and Aaron as the 53rd.
The NBA Draft Experts at ESPN.com examine the scouting report and draft prospects of Kentucky’s James Young, who has announced that he will enter this year’s draft. Young ranks 15th on Chad Ford of ESPN.com‘s Big Board.
Duke’s Rodney Hood also gets profiled by ESPN.com’s draft experts. Hood has declared he’s entering the draft this year, and Ford has him ranked 22nd. You can also check out our prospect profile on Hood.
Adam Silver doesn’t anticipate any issues affecting league approval of Herb Kohl’s sale of the Bucks to Wesley Edens and Marc Lasry, as the commissioner told reporters today, including Don Walker of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Silver informed fellow Journal Sentinel scribe Charles F. Gardner that he expects approval to occur within a month (Twitter link).
Despite the talk that Cavaliers guards Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters don’t get along, Luol Deng has said the two players “love” each other, writes Bob Finnan of The Morning Journal.
Part of the reason the Pistons had such a poor season was due to bad chemistry, writes Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press. Ellis’ article speculates as to what caused this issue.
Larry Coon of the CBA FAQ Blog (via RealGM.com) is reporting that the 2014/15 salary cap is now projected to be $63.2MM and the tax level is projected to be $77MM. The numbers for 2015/16 are now projected to be $66.5MM and $81MM, respectively. This season’s figures are $58.679MM for the salary cap and $71.748MM for the luxury tax level, so the cap projection for next season is a 7.7% increase over this year’s.

Cavaliers Notes: Brown, Irving, Griffin

April 17th, 2014 at 6:28pm CST by Alex Lee

There is no shortage of work to be done in Cleveland this summer. Before the annual personnel decisions come down, the Cavs must figure out who is making them and, ultimately, who will coach the players their general manager has assembled. However, Cavs fans shouldn’t expect any answers this weekend, Bob Finnan of the News-Herald writes, as Dan Gilbert is attending the Board of Governors meeting in New York City on Thursday and Friday.

Here is the latest coming out of Cleveland:

Cavaliers’ players are lining up to advocate the return of head coach Mike Brown, writes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. Point guard Kyrie Irving predicts the coach will stay and is happy about it, tweets Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. Meanwhile, Dion Waiters was perhaps Brown’s most vocal proponent, tweets Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, saying: “I’d like to see coach back. I don’t think we need any more changes. Coach fits the team.”
Speaking of Irving, the point guard came as close as he ever has to indicating that he’d like to remain in Cleveland after Wednesday night’s season finale, writes the Plain Dealer’s Jodie Valade. From Irving: “I’ve been a part of this and I want to continue to be a part of this,” he said. “We’re making strides in the right direction, especially in this organization. I want to be part of something special, and I want to be part of something special in Cleveland.”
In a blog post chock full of Cavs tidbits, Lloyd believes the team should at least kick the tires on trading Irving this summer, reminding us that some within the organization are unsure he is worthy of a max deal. We heard much of the same in February from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. This is the first offseason that Irving is eligible to sign an extension.
Amico writes that the Cavs, who were 17-16 in their final 33 games, should first focus on what went right this season before determining what needs to change, adding that they have a lottery pick, some movable contracts and cap space to play with. That 33-game stretch was under the general management of David Griffin, who is the front runner to retain that position, according to Amico.

Amico’s Latest: Gilbert, Griffin, Brown, Offseason

April 15th, 2014 at 7:05pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Dan Gilbert is reportedly “enraged” that his team missed the playoffs this season, though a source tells Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio that the Cavaliers owner isn’t likely to “overreact and start firing everybody.” He is, however, expected to meticulously determine who is best suited to run the basketball side of things in Cleveland this summer. One option includes offering interim GM David Griffin the full-time position, and sources tell Amico that Gilbert has been impressed with the way the team’s locker room culture has changed since Griffin took over the front office. On the contrary, another source believes that the chances of keeping the team’s current management intact is “shaky.”

Amico has plenty more to share out of the Forest City, and you can find a comprehensive roundup of his notes below:

Mike Brown‘s status with the team is also expected to be determined this summer, and Amico hears that the new GM – whether it’d be Griffin or someone else – will be given the authority to make a decision on Brown’s future. With that being said, Amico opines that Gilbert could still opt to make the call on Brown by himself. The 44-year-old head coach just completed the first of a five-year deal worth $20MM and has a buyout option in the fifth year.
An opposing executive tells Amico that the Cavs GM position – with plenty of assets and options right now – would be an enticing opportunity for potential candidates: “The job is appealing, because (they) are right there…I know a lot of people on our staff who would take it.” The same exec also thinks that Gilbert’s willingness to spend and his desire to win helps make the job that much more appealing.
No player is untouchable in the right deal, and the general feeling is that the team will aggressively pursue a significant trade this summer.
Though the plan is to keep Luol Deng for the long-term, Gilbert is “still steaming” over the fact that former GM Chris Grant surrendered future draft picks to acquire him from Chicago. Deng could leave as an unrestricted free agent in July.
Though often mentioned as a potential trade chip, Dion Waiters has found favor with the front office, coaches, and fellow teammates, and is seen as a key piece to the team’s future. Amico observes that the current priority is to make Waiters and point guard Kyrie Irving the team’s long-term starting backcourt. Waiters has reportedly garnered acclaim and respect from teammates because of his effort and maturation.

And-Ones: Young, Cavs, Pistons, Turner

April 13th, 2014 at 8:18pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Kentucky freshman James Young hasn’t made a decision on if he’s entering the NBA Draft yet, reports The Kentucky Advocate Messenger. Young’s godfather, Sean Mahone said, “I am not even certain what the deadline is for deciding. That shows how we are not fixated on the draft. That is just an innocent admission of where we are and what we have been thinking about. It’s just been chaos the last few weeks during this incredible run with a lot of late night worries and anxiety and then some great, great moments. That was our focus, not next year.”

Central Rumors: Brewer, James, Cavs, Sanders

April 10th, 2014 at 2:58pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Bulls have made four roster moves in the past week, waiving Erik Murphy and signing Ronnie Brewer, Mike James and Louis Amundson. Still, more meaningful changes seem likely to come from elsewhere in the Central Division, where the Pistons and Cavaliers will probably be searching for new top basketball executives in the weeks ahead. Here’s the latest from around the Central:

Chicago’s contracts for Brewer and James extend through next season with non-guaranteed salary, reports K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. Johnson suggests the Bulls structured those deals with offseason trades in mind, though it’s worth noting that neither is eligible to be traded until after the July Moratorium.
Cavs interim GM David Griffin believes in the backcourt pairing of Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters, tweets Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, who thinks it’s unlikely that either will be traded if Griffin is formally named GM.
It was clear that the Bucks had no intention of bringing Larry Sanders back to play this season, writes SB Nation’s Tom Ziller. So, the revelation that the team and the NBA deemed him medically ready, allowing him to begin serving his suspension this year instead of next, shines a light on the league’s tanking problem, Ziller opines.

Central Notes: Cavs, Mirotic, Bucks

April 5th, 2014 at 8:26pm CST by Cray Allred

Cavs star Kyrie Irving explained the motivation behind his venting on Twitter last night to reporters including Jodie Valade of The Plain Dealer. “In terms of all the rumors and accusations of what goes on in our locker room — it’s been going on all season, to a certain extent,” Irving said. “It’s all nonsense to me, now. It’s part of the business, I get it…I don’t go out and put all these reports or all these rumors out. But people feel like it’s a good thing to continue to put my name in headlines just to get reads. That’s your job, but at a certain point, it’s gotta stop.” Here’s more from the Central Division:

Jason Lloyd of The Akron Beacon Journal says that Irving’s displeasure with the media doesn’t change the reality that people close to him have in fact been perpetuating the notion that he won’t stay with the Cavs.
Lloyd adds that all of the speculation will come to a head this summer, when Irving will decide whether to sign a max extension with the Cavs. Lloyd notes that Irving has declined to go on record with him as willing to sign the extension.
A Cavs team official told Lloyd that it’s taken “a village” to soothe the rift between Irving and Dion Waiters.
Bob Finnan of The News-Herald gives Cavs owner Dan Gilbert credit for authorizing the Scotty Hopson signing, saying the owner had no hesitation about paying an abnormally high cost for a late season addition in order to create trade flexibility with Hopson’s contract.
Finnan adds that the rumors that Gilbert would hire a big name executive over Cavs interim GM David Griffin this offseason could include a scenario similar to New York’s, with a powerful executive being installed above Griffin rather than merely replacing him as GM.
Nikola Mirotic told Canal Plus that he hasn’t ruled out staying with his Spanish team rather than joining the Bulls this offseason (translation via HoopsHype). Chicago is expected to prioritize a Mirotic buyout and signing this summer.
Responding to speculation that the Bucks could be sold very soon, Milwaukee’s broker told Don Walker of The Journal Sentinel that a sale is not imminent. “There is an active and ongoing process with respect to the Bucks. But we are not going to comment on speculation,” he said.

Central Notes: Irving, Sanders, Siva

April 5th, 2014 at 10:29am CST by Cray Allred

Larry Sanders apologized to Bucks fans for his recently announced drug suspension, but was defensive about his use of marijuana, telling Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel he disagrees with its status as a banned substance. “It’s a banned substance in my league. But I believe in marijuana and the medical side of it.” said Sanders. “The stigma is that it’s illegal. I hate that. Once this becomes legal, this all will go away. But I understand for my work it’s a banned substance. I will deal with the consequences and I apologize again to my fans for that.” Here’s more from the Central Division:

Sanders added that he’s excited to work this summer, and believes he can put this year’s troubles behind him next season, when the first year of his four-year, $44MM extension kicks in. “I’ll be better from this. I’ve learned a lot already from this year. I’m going to continue to learn. I hate that this is a negative impact on my fans and my family or the organization,” Sanders said.
In a series of tweets, Cavs star Kyrie Irving made it known that he’s upset with with the ongoing rumors about his desire to leave Cleveland (H/T Jodie Valade of The Plain Dealer). Irving says that he’s tired of the negative attention, and denied that any speculation about his thought process attributed to his camp has any merit.
The Pistons have given increased playing time to rookie Peyton Siva, who tells Vincent Ellis of The Detroit Free Press he’s better adjusted to the speed of the game than he was early in the season. “I feel a lot more comfortable out there. I feel more confident in my skills and within myself to go out there and play,” said Siva. “I’m definitely looking forward to playing more and transitioning from what I’ve been showing in practice to the game. I just want to go out there and prove my worth. Continue to play hard and try to help my team win.”