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Cavaliers Notes: Thompson, LeBron, Leonard, Oladipo

April 18th, 2018 at 3:19pm CST by Arthur Hill

Most of Tristan Thompson‘s recent headlines have been for his off-court behavior, but that isn’t why he has fallen out of the Cavaliers’ playoff rotation, writes Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report. Thompson, who played just two minutes at the end of the Game 1 loss to Indiana, is coming off his worst statistical season since he was a rookie and may still be hampered by a torn calf muscle he suffered in November.

According to Swartz, Thompson’s playing time has declined because of his inability to handle the two priorities of a modern center: protecting the rim and shooting from long distance. He averaged just 0.3 blocks per game this season and hasn’t made a 3-pointer in his seven-year NBA career.

Kevin Love has taken over as the starting center, with Jeff Green at power forward. The back-up minutes in Game 1 went to Larry Nance Jr., who was acquired from the Lakers in a February trade. Thompson is a huge expense to keep on the roster if he doesn’t play, with two seasons and more than $36MM left on his contract.

There’s more today out of Cleveland:

LeBron James believes the Cavaliers’ roster uncertainty throughout the season may have impacted them in the playoff opener, relays Dave McMenamin on ESPN Now. “I think we spent so much time trying to figure out who we were in the regular season and getting the right lineups and guys in and out and things of that nature, we could never build for the playoffs,” James said. “It was kind of like, build for the next game. So the postseason finally hit us and it hit us very well. And I think that can be the best teacher for us to know exactly what we should be ready for tonight.”
If the Spurs decide to trade Kawhi Leonard, that could affect James’ strategy in free agency, suggests Brian Windhorst of ESPN. In a video posted on Twitter, Windhorst says if the Cavaliers fail to reach the NBA Finals, James and Leonard will have about six weeks to discuss their future and plot a way to end up on the same team. Windhorst names the Sixers and Lakers as teams with the assets to acquire both.
With Victor Oladipo shredding the Cavs for 32 points in Game 1, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets that Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert wanted Oladipo instead of Anthony Bennett with the top pick in the 2013 draft, but decided to listen to the front office. Bennett, who is now out of the NBA, played just one season for the Cavaliers before being traded to Minnesota.

Central Notes: Oladipo, Parker, Korver, Bulls

April 17th, 2018 at 6:50pm CST by clarkcrum

Despite Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweeting that Pacers guard Victor Oladipo was not the primary object of Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert’s frustration over the failed trade that sent Paul George to Oklahoma City last summer, Oladipo implied that Gilbert’s comments add some extra motivation for Indiana in its first round series against Cleveland, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“You could say it added fuel to the fire, I guess you could say,” Oladipo said after the Pacers win in Game 1. “But that was so long ago. It came up recently, obviously, because we were playing the Cavs in the series, but I’m aware of what he said. Can’t control his opinion. All I’m focused on is myself and becoming the best Victor Oladipo possible.”

As for the series itself, many observers declared Oladipo to be the best player on the floor during Game 1, even with LeBron James on the other sideline. Oladipo credits his team’s effort – something seemingly often lacking for Cleveland – for his and the Pacers’ success this season.

“We’ve been playing like this all year,” he said of the Pacers. “Been playing hard on both ends all year. It just hasn’t been magnified. So it’s the playoffs now, we’ve been doing this all year. Now everybody sees, so it’s like, it’s kind of shocking to everybody, I guess you could say. But we’ve been playing hard. We’ve been playing our butts off on both ends of the floor all year.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

The Bucks almost pulled out a victory against Boston in Game 1, but forward Jabari Parker wasn’t much of a factor in his first career playoff game, going 1-for-5 with two points in just 15 minutes of action. Per Nick Friedell of ESPN, Milwaukee is confident Parker will bounce back in Game 2.
It’s been a tough last couple of months for Cavaliers sharpshooter Kyle Korver, writes Joe Vardon of The Plain Dealer. Korver tragically lost his younger brother Kirk due to complications from a sudden illness in March, then missed additional games with a right foot injury upon his return to the team. The 37-year-old veteran is ready for Game 2 though, saying “I feel like it’s been a very complicated month in my mind, but I feel like I’m in a good spot right now and I’m ready to play.”
Vincent Goodwill and Mark Strotman of NBC Sports Chicago take a stab at grading the 2017/18 Bulls backcourt and frontcourt in two separate articles. Lauri Markkanen and Bobby Portis, both frontcourt players, received the best grades on the team.

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Embiid, Sixers, Celtics

April 17th, 2018 at 8:45am CST by Luke Adams

Despite a weekend report that the Knicks had reached out to Jeff Van Gundy‘s representatives, the latest word on Monday suggested that the former Knicks head coach isn’t a candidate for the club’s current opening on the bench. As Marc Berman of The New York Post explains, the contact between the two sides was “more along the lines” of Van Gundy’s side inquiring about the position.

As for the Knicks, they had internal discussions about the possibility of bringing back the current ESPN/ABC analyst, but Berman suggests that Van Gundy’s “old-school” approach and his time away from coaching – among other factors – may have worked against him.

While Van Gundy seemingly won’t get an interview for the Knicks’ coaching job, the team is meeting with one of its former coaches in Mike Woodson. According to Berman, that interview will take place on Wednesday, the same day that Mark Jackson‘s meeting with the club will reportedly happen.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

In the wake of the Sixers‘ Game 2 loss to Miami on Monday, Joel Embiid wrote in an Instagram story that he’s “sick and tired of being babied.” As he explained to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Embiid is simply frustrated that health concerns have prevented him from being out there with his teammates so far in the postseason. “I wish more than anything that I was out there. I just want the green light to play,” Embiid said. According to Ian Begley in the same ESPN.com story, there’s internal optimism that Embiid will return during the first round, but it’s unclear if he’ll be ready for Game 3.
As the Sixers battle Miami in the first round of the postseason, rumors about Philadelphia’s top offseason target continue to swirl. Ken Berger of Bleacher Report recently spoke to several executives around the league who acknowledged they don’t know what LeBron James will do this summer, but believe he could give the 76ers a real look. Asked last week by ESPN’s Chris Haynes about the possibility of recruiting James, Ben Simmons admitted that “we wouldn’t mind having LeBron our team,” but said he hasn’t spoken to the four-time MVP about the possibility.
Al Horford and Terry Rozier were among the key contributors in the Celtics‘ Game 1 win over Milwaukee on Sunday. In separate pieces for NBC Sports Boston, A. Sherrod Blakely explores how the franchise is getting its money’s worth out of its investment in Horford, and examines how Rozier has become an integral part of the Celtics’ roster. Rozier will be extension-eligible for the first time this offseason.

Knicks Notes: LeBron, Jack, Hardaway Jr.

April 10th, 2018 at 9:16pm CST by ChrisCrouse

J.R. Smith, who spent three and half seasons with New York, can’t envision LeBron James ever joining the Knicks.

“Nah, don’t think so. Can’t see it [happening],” Smith said of LBJ playing home games in Madison Square Garden (via Peter Botte of The New York Daily News). “But that’s cool, though, man. A lot of cities have tried that already with [a billboard]. But we’ll see what happens.”

James can become a free agent this offseason and he’s seen several billboards recruiting him to cities that Cavs are visiting, including one reading “King of New York? Prove it.” that was put up last week in the Big Apple.

Dwyane Wade was also recently asked about LBJ’s chances of coming to the Knicks, responding simply with “good luck.”

Here’s more from New York:

Jarrett Jack deserves credit for showcasing professionalism with the Knicks and being a mentor to the team’s younger players, Al Iannazzone of Newsday writes. The veteran has been helping the team’s stable of young point guards while trying to refrain from being overbearing. “If somebody kept the training wheels on your bike the whole time you would never know what it’s like when they take them off,” Jack said. “Sometimes you got to let them balance on their own, push them down the hill a little bit and see what happens.”
Tim Hardaway Jr.‘s contract has been a topic of debate since his four-year, $72MM deal last summer. However, he’s had a solid season and one anonymous scout tells Fred Kerber of the New York Post that he doesn’t believe the financials are hindering the Knicks. “Forget the name,” the scout said. “If I said you could sign a young, athletic wing who averaged 15 points on a playoff team [Atlanta], would you?”
As we relayed earlier today, current Knicks point guard Trey Burke finished third in voting for the G League’s 2017/18 MVP award.

Pat Riley Fumed, Then Realized LeBron ‘Did Right Thing’

April 9th, 2018 at 9:59pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Heat president Pat Riley was furious when LeBron James bolted Miami and returned to the Cavaliers in 2014 but now feels James ‘did the right thing.’ That’s one of the revelations by Riley to author Ian Thomsen in his new book “The Soul of Basketball: The Epic Showdown between LeBron, Kobe, Doc and Dirk that Saved the NBA” which was excerpted in a Jackie MacMullen story for ESPN.

Riley came to that conclusion slowly, as he fumed for months over James’ decision to go back to Cleveland. He ultimately understood that James would never be truly accepted in his home state again unless he won a championship there.

“My beautiful plan all of a sudden came crashing down,” Riley told Thomsen. “That team in ten years could have won five or six championships. But I get it. I get the whole chronicle of [LeBron’s] life. While there may have been some carnage always left behind when he made these kinds of moves, in Cleveland and also in Miami, he did the right thing.”

Other notable revelations in the interview included:

James hinted early in his first Heat season during a meeting among Riley and the Big Three of Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and James that he wanted Riley to return to coaching and replace Erik Spoelstra. “I remember LeBron looking at me, and he said, ‘Don’t you ever get the itch?’ I said, ‘The itch for what?’ He said, ‘The itch to coach again?’ I said, ‘No, I don’t have the itch.’ He didn’t ask any more questions, and I didn’t offer any more answers. But I know what it meant, and I always go back and wonder about what he was thinking at that time. “
The public outcry after James’ announcement that he would be “taking my talents to South Beach” shook up James when he headed to Miami. “That night at three in the morning we met him at the airport. … They got off the plane, and I remember walking right up to LeBron. He was worn-out. He was just worn-out. He almost had tears in his eyes.”
Riley had no contact with James until Game 7 the 2016 NBA Finals, when Riley texted him. “As soon as he hit the floor, I sent a text to him. I said, ‘Win this and be free.’ He never got back to me with a response.” Riley and James continue to be at odds, according to MacMullen.

LeBron James To Prioritize Family, Winning In Free Agency

April 9th, 2018 at 10:14am CST by Luke Adams

LeBron James remains cagey when asked about his upcoming free agency, having repeatedly reiterated that he’s focused on the shorter-term future – including the Cavaliers’ upcoming playoff matchups – for now. However, as Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com details, James was willing to state in general terms this weekend that his family and the opportunity to keep contending for titles will be the most important factors for him when he makes his decision this summer.

“My family. That’s all that matters,” James said. “I want to continue to win at the highest level, because I know I can still do it as an individual, and then my family. My family is what’s most important to me, more than anything.”

While James referred to his family as “all that matters” and as “what’s more important to me,” he isn’t about to join a team far away from championship contention simply based on where his family wants to live. While his family’s preferred city will be a key consideration for LeBron, it won’t fully dictate his decision, as he explained to Vardon.

“That’s just a small piece of it,” James said. “We make joint decisions all together, all the time. Once we get to it, my agent and my team we will all tackle it the right way, but my family plays a big part in it. And winning.

Any team with James on its roster has automatically been elevated to contender status for most of his career. Still, it’s worth noting that of the teams he’s believed to be considering – including the Cavs, Lakers, Sixers, and Rockets – some could present a more immediate path to a title than others.

James will be eligible for unrestricted free agency this July if he declines his $35,607,968 player option for 2018/19. While an opt-out is considered the most likely outcome, it’s not necessarily a lock. Chris Paul was in a similar situation last summer and used the threat of an opt-out to leverage a trade to the Rockets, picking up his player option in the process. James could take a similar approach if he decides he wants to join an over-the-cap team, such as CP3’s Rockets.

Sixers Notes: Embiid, McConnell, Redick, LeBron

April 7th, 2018 at 2:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers center Joel Embiid will begin doing light cardio work as the first step toward returning from a fractured orbital bone, relays Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Embiid attended Friday night’s game, making his first appearance since having surgery March 31. Surgeons are examining him each day and are happy with his progress, Pompey adds, with “non-contact cardiovascular exertion steps” being planned to help him get through the league’s concussion protocol.

The Sixers didn’t let Embiid speak to reporters, but he watched his teammates during warmups and sank a few 3-pointers. He has missed five games since colliding with Markelle Fultz on March 28, and his prognosis calls for him to return in another one to three weeks.

There’s more today out of Philadelphia:

T.J. McConnell‘s playing time has nosedived since Fultz returned from his injury, Pompey notes in a separate story. The reserve point guard was on the court for just 5 minutes and 27 seconds Friday against the Cavaliers, the second-shortest stint of his three-year career. The Sixers have a $1.6MM team option on McConnell for next season that must be exercised by June 29.
As one of the few Sixers with playoff experience, J.J. Redick will have an important role once the postseason begins next weekend, Pompey writes in another piece. This will mark the 12th straight playoff appearance for Redick, who has played 88 games with the Magic, Bucks and Clippers. The only other players in Philadelphia’s rotation with a playoff history are Marco Belinelli (48 games), Amir Johnson (42) and Ersan Ilyasova (23).
Sixers fans will be happy to hear that LeBron James paid them a compliment after Friday’s game, according to Marc Narducci of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “They love their team, they love their ball club. They come out and support,” he said. “Obviously riding the winning streak, you know, and also you add in Villanova and you add in the Eagles, obviously that helps as well but it has always been kind of rowdy coming here.” Philadelphia has been rumored as a possible destination for James when he hits free agency this summer.

Central Notes: Bulls, Bullock, Bogdanovic

April 6th, 2018 at 10:01pm CST by Austin Kent

The Bulls will use the last few games of the regular season much as they’ve used the rest of it, auditioning players for long-term roles. As Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times writes, there’s a relatively short list of players who will certainly be back in the picture for the team next season.

While Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen headline the Bulls’ young core, veterans Robin Lopez and Justin Holiday have proven their worth as leaders in the locker room.

Cowley writes that Bobby Portis, David Nwaba and Denzel Valentine have all shown that they can be valuable bench pieces as the team heads forward, leaving five spots to be filled by the likes of incoming 2018 rookies and perhaps current Bulls players who have shown glimpses of promise in 2017/18.

There’s more out of the Central Division tonight:

Now that the Pistons have been eliminated from playoff contention, they’ve shut guard Reggie Bullock down for the remainder of the campaign. Rod Beard of The Detroit News writes about the veteran’s career year.
Make no mistake, LeBron James would have no qualms playing for a female head coach. “I mean, if she knows what she’s doing, we’ll love it,” James told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin when asked about Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon. “I mean, listen, at the end of the day, basketball … it’s not about male or female. You know the game, you know the game.“
Offseason addition Bojan Bogdanovic has thrived for the Pacers this season and is filling the role he expected when he signed with the club over the summer. “I was not looking for the money. I was looking for the opportunity that I was going to be a starter and play a decent amount of minutes,” Bogdanovic, who averages a career high 30.8 minutes per game for the Pacers, told J. Michael Falgoust of The Indianapolis Post. “Talking to the coaching staff during the summer in free agency they told me exactly it was going to be this way I didn’t have any doubts signing with the Pacers.“

Cavaliers Notes: James, Lue, Korver

April 3rd, 2018 at 8:55pm CST by marksuleymanov

LeBron James is in the midst of his best statistical year to date in his 15th NBA season. And, as the regular season comes to an end, James is in prime position to play all 82 games for the first time his career.

Despite James’ outstanding season, he insists that playing in all 82 games is a media-driven narrative and not something he set out to do, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com relays. The Cavaliers’ star said he simply wants to put himself and the team in the best position and if healthy, he feels he can achieve that goal.

“My plan is to play one game at a time and see how I feel after that game . . . I didn’t come into the season, saying, ‘OK, we’re going to play 82 games this season,’ but my plan is to be as healthy as I can, work on my body, train my body every day to be available for my teammates every game and if that allows me to play tonight, as I am, then let’s go,” James said.

James, 32, is averaging 27.4 PPG, 9.1 APG, and 8.7 RPG through 77 games with five games left.

Check out more Cavaliers notes below:

A lot has been made of how James’ strong presence in Cleveland makes him a coach-type figure. Ken Berger of Bleacher Report delves into James’ basketball IQ and how in tune the superstar is with his team and coaching staff. While James is a vocal leader, he is not trying to undermine his coaches when he’s on the court. “That’s just who I am,” James said. “I feel like I’m an extension of our coaching staff. I take their commands and try to give them to our players out there on the floor. Just trying to see the game in multiple ways.”
Head coach Tyronn Lue has been away from the Cavs for health reasons, but has recently returned to the team. Dave McMenamin of ESPN tweets that Lue, who is expected to resume his head coaching duties soon, was at Cleveland’s shootaround on Tuesday.
Sharpshooter Kyle Korver, who hadn’t played since March 19 due to injuries and the death of his brother, returned to the team for Tuesday’s win against the Raptors, tweets Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com.

Central Notes: Booker, Green, Kilpatrick, Hoiberg, LeBron

March 28th, 2018 at 9:52pm CST by clarkcrum

Despite playing a limited role – only 16.0 minutes per game – the Pacers believe that recently-acquired forward Trevor Booker is an important piece of Indiana’s chances come playoff time, reports Mark Montieth of Pacers.com, especially with big man Domantas Sabonis missing six of the team’s last seven games with an ankle injury.

Booker was brought in to back-up Thaddeus Young at power forward, but has filled in admirably for the Pacers while Sabonis has been out.

“He brings a physicality to the floor,” Pacers head coach Nate McMillan said. “With these injuries and teams playing smaller fives, we’ve had to play him there some, and he’s done a good job for us. It allows us to make adjustments. He’s a power forward, but he plays bigger than that.”

“He’s a hard-nosed guy who’s going to go out and rebound the basketball,” says Young, the Pacers’ starting power forward who Booker backs up. “He has the ability to score on the block. To make a few jumpers here and there — not consistently, but he gives us the energy and the poise and the passion that we need. When he’s stepping out there with that second unit he does a really good job of carving out space and putting guys in the right place.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Jeff Green has been starting for the Cavaliers lately while the team has been dealing with injuries to Kevin Love, Larry Nance Jr., and Tristan Thompson, but Joe Vardon of The Plain Dealer wonders whether he has a place in the lineup once playoff time comes and the bench shortens.
Despite recently receiving a three-year, $6.2MM contract from the Bulls, guard Sean Kilpatrick still views every game in the NBA as an audition, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “That’s how I looked at things, and that’s how I viewed things since I got into this league, and that’s why I think I’ve had some type of success in that area.” Kilpatrick said.
It appears as though the Bulls plan on keeping head coach Fred Hoiberg around for a fourth season, Cowley opines in another piece. “I’ve gotten unbelievable support from everybody throughout the year, going back to what I thought was a great offseason and training camp,” Hoiberg said.
The Rockets’ James Harden is far and away the favorite to win MVP this season, but he wouldn’t get a vote from Cavaliers‘ superstar LeBron James, reports Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. Asked who he’d vote for, James unabashedly said himself. “I would vote for me. The body of work, how I’m doing it, what’s been happening with our team all year long, how we’ve got so many injuries and things of that nature, guys in and out, to be able to still keep this thing afloat, I definitely would vote me.”