The former lottery pick scored nine points and grabbed three rebounds during the 10 minutes he played off the bench to help the Cavaliers beat the Trail Blazers 119-113. He also won the junkyard dog chain for his efforts in his first game since suffering a season-ending torn ACL in December 2021.

“It felt good,” Rubio said of his first game, per ESPN. “It felt weird in the beginning, especially the first time, but after that, it felt back to normal. Of course, rhythm and all that stuff will come, but today was a lot of emotions out there. Working hard all year just to be healthy and grateful to be out there playing basketball again.”

Ricky Rubio with his first bucket of the season!

Welcome back, @rickyrubio9 pic.twitter.com/95Zx4AIGWO

— NBA (@NBA) January 13, 2023

The 32-year-old point guard was a critical part of Cleveland’s success last season. After he suffered his knee injury, he was traded to Indiana for Caris LeVert, but come back via free agency because of the chemistry and camaraderie he saw in Cleveland. Donovan Mitchell, who played with Rubio in Utah, was excited to see his teammate back on the court.

“I couldn’t stop smiling,” Mitchell said. “It felt like my rookie year. For me, it’s just a full-circle moment, but it’s great to see him out there after the ACL. And also, hitting two big 3s for us, leading the offense.”

Never too high, never too low.@ThatsJared | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/TnDCLMMgpp

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) January 13, 2023

Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters during a pre-game scrum that he wanted to play Rubio in two stints in the first half. However, Rubio played six minutes, so Bickerstaff played Rubio for a third stretch in the third quarter. After the game, Rubio said he felt good physically because the cardio workouts he did in rehab were more challenging than game action.

The Cavs admitted Rubio has been ready to play “for a long time,” but Rubio understood why they held him out. Regardless, Rubio said the process of coming back was “frustrating” but he’s happy to be “playing the game I love,” after 380 days.

“I didn’t work just to come back today,” Rubio said. “I worked hard to come back stronger than ever. It’s not just about today. I’m looking forward to having a strong season, not just a comeback season.”

Cleveland (27-16) is set to play the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road on Saturday.

The post Ricky Rubio Feels ‘Back to Normal’ After Comeback Game appeared first on SLAM.

ESPN Sources: After a full year of rehabilitating an ACL tear in his left knee, Cavaliers guard Ricky Rubio is targeting a return against the Trail Blazers on Thursday. Rubio will practice today, and if all goes well, play in Portland tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/wB5RzNhRdy

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 11, 2023

If all goes well when Rubio practices with the team on Wednesday, then he will play against Portland, per Woj. The Cavs (26-16) will welcome Rubio’s vaunted playmaking abilities and veteran presence on a team looking to lock in their playoff spot after All-Star weekend. Before he tore his ACL, Rubio helped lead Cleveland to a 20-14 start.

When he was last healthy, Rubio averaged 13.1 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game. Rubio is known as one of the most popular teammates in the NBA and was a close friend of Donovan Mitchell while they played on the Utah Jazz.

The post REPORT: Ricky Rubio Set to Return to Action on Thursday appeared first on SLAM.

He’s become a premier playoff performer during his six postseason tours; however, the Jazz only won two playoff series; Mitchell was a standout and did everything he could to help lead Utah over the hump before they traded him to Cleveland last summer.

Now that trajectory is skyrocketing again after he dropped a Cavaliers franchise record 71 points, career-high tying 11 assists, and eight rebounds in 50 minutes on 22-34 shooting from the field and 7-15 shooting from beyond the arc to lead the Cavaliers to a 145-134 overtime win over the Chicago Bulls. He also hit a career-high 20-25 free throws.

71 PTS
8 REB
11 AST
W

Donovan Mitchell sets a new scoring record for the Cleveland Cavaliers and becomes only the 7th player in NBA history to score 70+ points in a game. pic.twitter.com/qbOwr3sqyH

— NBA (@NBA) January 3, 2023

Mitchell has scored the most points in a game by any player since Hall-of-Famer Kobe Bryant put up 81 points against the Toronto Raptors on Jan. 22, 2006. Then-76ers center and eventual Hall-of-Famer Wilt Chamberlain holds the single-game record for most points scored after he scored 100 against the Knicks on March 2, 1962.

“To be there in the record book with guys like Wilt is truly humbling,” said Mitchell, per ESPN. “I always believed I could be one of the best players in the league. I’m speechless and blessed to be in the company of that greatness.”

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Mitchell’s coup-de-grace happened during overtime, as he scored 13 points. He forced overtime after rebounding his intentionally missed free throw and hit a circus shot layup with 3.0 seconds left to tie the game up at 130-all. The clutch bucket broke the Cavaliers’ previous single-game scoring record of 58 points.

Spida is the seventh player in League history to join the 70-point club. Chamberlain did it six times, while Bryant, David Thompson, Elgin Baylor, David Robinson, and Booker each scored at least 70 points once.

“We were treated tonight to one of the greatest performances in the history of the game,” Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Every single play that he made was a play that was necessary.

“Donovan has never put himself above the team, so how can you not root for a guy like that? I told everyone else to get out of the way.”

The three-time All-Star scored or assisted on 99 points, the second most in a game in NBA history and the most since Chamberlain’s legendary 100-point outing. His 55 second-half points are tied with Bryant for the most by any player over the past 25 seasons.

The post Donovan Mitchell On His ‘Humbling’ Franchise Record 71-Point Outing appeared first on SLAM.

“I would expect him, if things go the right way, sometime early next month,” Bickerstaff said. “So we’re definitely progressing in the right direction.”

#Cavs J.B. Bickerstaff on Ricky Rubio’s progression: “I would expect him, if things go the right way, sometime early next month. So we're definitely progressing in the right direction.”

— Kelsey Russo (@kelseyyrusso) December 27, 2022

Rubio was averaging a career-best 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game on 36.3 percent shooting from the field and 33.9 percent from beyond the arc when he suffered the injury on Dec. 28. At the time, Rubio played a significant role in Cleveland’s massive turnaround to becoming a play-in tournament participant.

As a veteran point guard, Rubio helped Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen become All-Stars. The positive impact he had was so palpable that after he got traded to Indiana for Caris LeVert, Cleveland re-signed him over the summer to a three-year pact despite Rubio missing a chunk of time rehabbing his knee.

The post J.B. Bickerstaff: Ricky Rubio’s Torn ACL Rehab ‘Progressing in the Right Direction’ appeared first on SLAM.

“He’s Mitchell,” LeBron James said, per ESPN. “He’s a special kid.” 

pic.twitter.com/0lHc7ZjOtw

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) December 7, 2022

Last season, Cleveland rose to playoff contention thanks to their top-10 defense and All-Star play of Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen, but mid-season injuries led to Cleveland collapsing and finishing the season looking to win the play-in tournament to make the postseason. However, the Cavs lost to the Nets in the first play-in game, and then their season was ended by Atlanta Hawks shortly after.

The Cavs went into the offseason knowing they had a recipe for success with their stifling defense and All-Star play, as well as the emerging talent of second-year big man Evan Mobley. When the rebuilding Utah Jazz made Mitchell available via trade, Cleveland swooped in as a partner and has greatly benefitted from the transaction.

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Mitchell has embraced becoming a key leader on this young team and his role as THE featured scorer on a team looking to take the next step. This season, he’s averaging 29.0 points. 4.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game on 49.6 percent shooting from the field and 42.4 percent from beyond the arc. The Cavs rank in the top 10 in offense (113.2 offensive rating) and are the No. 1 defensive team in the League (106.6 defensive rating).

“I think I fit in because I filled a void,” Mitchell said last week after Cleveland played Orlando, per The Athletic. “It’s what was needed. Darius in the backcourt did a lot last year, I’ve been saying that, and did it phenomenally well, but just kind of being in the game on the other side of the backcourt, making life easy for him and vice versa.

“It’s a comfortability thing coming into that situation, and then (coach) J.B. (Bickerstaff) going out and saying, ‘Be yourself.’ When you have the full support of your teammates and your coaches, it goes a long way. When a team trades for you, that means they see value in you and what you can possibly do. Just doing that on a nightly basis.”

The Cavs also embrace their “Let ’em Know” team motto and Junkyard Dog chain confidence, giving the three-time All-Star the chain after he dropped 43 points to help the Cavs beat the Lakers on Tuesday.

“It’s a guy that you can depend on in the thick of it, which isn’t always easy, and not everybody wants it, but he gives confidence to everybody on the floor because they believe in him, and they know that he’s capable of it, but he doesn’t do it in a way that takes away from other people,” Bickerstaff said, per The Athletic. “He empowers his teammates around him. He shares the ball. He’s not coming down just every possession and it’s just about him. He comes down, and the possession is about what’s the best shot available. If that’s a pass because they double-team him, he makes the pass; if it’s his shot, he takes his shot; if it’s attack and drop off to the big, he makes that play. To be honest with you, it’s unique in that, in his ability to take and make big shots, but to empower his teammates at the same time.”

pic.twitter.com/ENydzrIjnr

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) December 7, 2022

Mitchell is becoming an MVP candidate with the third-best record in the East while leading this young and fun Cleveland team to prominence. Spida seems to be enjoying the vibes his Cavs teammates have bought, and his resulting play is all the proof they need to know they’re doing something right.

It remains to be seen how far Mitchell can lead Cleveland after all, he’s only won a playoff series three times in his career, and he’s gone one-and-done in the playoffs just as many times. Not to mention that Mitchell is a proven playoff killer, averaging 28.3 points per game on 43.1 percent shooting during his postseason career.

The post ‘GO THE F HOME’: Donovan Mitchell’s Dominance Sends a Message to the Lakers (and the NBA) appeared first on SLAM.

A key piece for this Cavs team’s production, however, has come from second-year player Evan Mobley. The team wanted to get Mobley more involved this season, and the coaching staff has even said they see Hall-of-Fame potential within Mobley.

When Mobley was asked about his offensive growth per The Athletic, he said;

“You definitely want to get better every single time and get more uses for sure. So I was expecting that.”

So far this season, Mobley has a total of seven double-doubles and has taken his offensive game up a notch shooting a career-high 54.5 percent from the field. With each game, Mobley continues to improve from the previous one, and his teammates are all for it.

When asked about how it has been to play with Mobley, Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland stated;

“It’s crazy ’cause he’s 21 like he hasn’t really just got all his tools together. I mean, sometimes it still looks like he’s trying to get used to his seven-foot size out there. I mean, he’s really a unicorn, like there’s not a lot of people like him on this planet, and it’s cool to just have him as a teammate for sure.”

Mitchell also spoke on Mobley’s noticeable improvement this season, saying;

“I’ve never seen a young guy on a nightly basis, not knowing if it’s going to be offense or defense or show up on the stat sheet, but understanding it and not complain, that’s huge,” Mitchell continued, “that’s not typical for a second-year player who should have been the Rookie of the Year last year. Like, typically, you come into your second year expecting to be that guy, and he’s understanding that the role is going to change night to night — damn near triple-double with blocks some nights, holding down the defensive end when Jarrett Allen is out, when J.A. is in, being able to be there for us on the offensive end. I’ve never seen that out of a young guy. That’s a huge credit to him. And him as a person as well.”

Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff praised Mobley for stepping out on the court and focusing on the one thing that matters, winning instead of hunting for shots and being a player that “tried to get his stats as a rookie.”

Mobley is definitely a future star in this League, and it seems like he’s made a true home within the Cavaliers organization. SLAM can’t wait to see what the rest of this season has in store for Mobley and the resurged Cavs.

The post Evan Mobley’s Teammates Are Impressed With His Development in Year Two appeared first on SLAM.

pic.twitter.com/hHYM8Q7vx0

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) November 14, 2022

Garland’s career-best outing was briefly the season-high across the League before Joel Embiid erupted and dropped a career-high 59 points against the Utah Jazz. Garland is the fourth player in Cavs history to score at least 50 points, joining LeBron James (nine times), Kyrie Irving (twice), and Walt Wesley (once) on the exclusive list. Cleveland’s single-game scoring record is 57 points, shared by James and Irving.

Garland was four points shy of tying the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse mark held by Irving and James Harden.

“I didn’t even know I had 50 until I went to the bench,” Garland said, per ESPN. “No one told me, and I wasn’t paying attention to anything except trying to win the game. That’s the great thing about this group of guys. No one cares about individual numbers. It’s all about the team.”

Garland played a significant role in Cleveland even being competitive. The Cavs were down 99-75 late in the third quarter before DG had a fourth quarter for the ages.

The fourth-year guard scored 27 points in the final frame, routinely slicing and dicing offense (4/6 from the free-throw line) and stretching (six made triples) Minnesota’s defense to its utter limit.

“Incredible performance, master class by Darius, and we’re hoping for many more of those out of him,” teammate Kevin Love said. “That was just beautiful. He got to his spots, kept us right there, and gave us a chance at the end, and that’s all you can ask.”

27 points in the final 12 minutes.@dariusgarland22 scored the most points in a 4th quarter by a single player in franchise history. #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/QsdBgw9qaC

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) November 14, 2022

Cleveland ultimately lost its fourth game in a row, but it comes with the caveat of missing Donovan Mitchell (sore ankle) and Jarrett Allen (sprained ankle) from their lineup. The Cavs will look to break their losing streak on Wednesday when they take on the Bucks at Milwaukee.

The post Kevin Love Calls Darius Garland ‘Incredible’ After 51-Point “Masterclass’ appeared first on SLAM.

Garland didn’tmissed a beat despite doing no live work since he suffered a laceration on the inside of his eyelid in Cleveland’s season opener against the Raptors. He stepped on the court ready to go and recorded the highest-scoring opening quarter of his career with 14 points on 3-3 shooting from three. 

Garland admitted he was “super scared,” per The Athletic when his injury first happened. 

“I rolled over; I felt blood coming out of my eye. So that’s when I got really nervous. And I was ready for surgery in Toronto. I was expecting that. I was expecting stitches and being out a couple of months. But by the grace of God, I’m here with two eyes now, and I’m back, and I’m healthy.”

The guard “tried to stay high” during his two weeks on the sideline, but he had his struggles.

“Just sitting over there and just have to wait and just seeing everybody get loose warming up and going through full practice and stuff, it was just kinda aggravating. I just tried to stay high. My teammates, they were winning. They was doing well, so I was happy about that. But I just wanted to be on the floor with them. I wanted to feel that energy. But I’m happy to be back now.”

Garland’s backcourt partner Donovan Mitchell doubled down on Garland’s excitement to be back.

He looked “like a little kid” during shootaround, Mitchell said.

“You could tell he was excited, just running around the gym, kinda just happy, a little bit of a different step to him. When you’re out for that long, and I’ve been there, it can kind of take a toll on you.”

Coach J.B Bickerstaff echoed Mitchell. “I mean, like you could feel it. [Garland] was excited this morning at shootaround. He was ready to contribute in a big way. And I mean, like, there was not any shyness to him. It was, I’m going out here, and I’m gonna assert myself on this game, and his teammates followed him.”

The Vanderbilt product led the Cavs to a 114-112 OT win against the Boston Celtics, finishing with 29 points, 12 assists, five rebounds, and three steals. And, of course, the Junkyard Dog Chain.

“Boy, did I,” Mitchell said about missing Garland. “He really set the tone tonight. I can’t speak for everybody else; I just didn’t know what his rhythm was going to be like after being out (two weeks). I think that’s the biggest thing. When you have your legs, when you have your energy, you’re excited, and he came out like he’s been playing with us down this whole stretch. He’s going to score the ball, and his passing, man, he’s creating, finding guys, making the game look easy, and really kind of sparked us, especially in that first half. Always under control. It’s great to have him out there.”

Now that the Cavs have Garland back, the Cleveland quartet of Mitchell, Garland, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley can continue to build their chemistry and solidify their spot atop the Eastern Conference. The Cavs look to extend their record to 7-1 with a win against the Pistons tomorrow night.

The post Darius Garland ‘Happy as Hell’ To Rejoin Cavs After Eye Laceration appeared first on SLAM.

Through the first six games of the young season, Cleveland ranks first in three-point accuracy and fourth in made triples per game. Nearly 40 percent of Cleveland’s total points have come from beyond the arc, ranking them around other analytically driven teams like Boston, Utah, and Indiana. The Cavs are also the fifth-most accurate team from the corner and second-best at hitting threes from above-the-break

While Cleveland continues to thrive from beyond the arc, they’ve nearly erased mid-range jumpers from their shot profile. As of Tuesday, Cleveland is shooting mid-range shoots five percent of the time, tied for 25th in the NBA.

“It’s all about our spacing,” Dean Wade told cleveland.com. “Our spacing is unbelievable. There are so many open shots, and it’s obviously a lot easier to hit shots when you’re open. We just let the ballhandler make plays and find open windows. Our confidence is super high. Everyone put in a lot of work this summer. The coaches believe in us. That raises our confidence too.”

*sound on*

let’s go cavs pic.twitter.com/sWZTkhIqCK

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) October 31, 2022

The surge in three-point shooting came after the Cavs added the dynamic scoring Donovan Mitchell over the summer. The three-time All-Star has averaged 7.7 long-range attempts over his career. Last season, he shot a career-high 9.8 three-point shots (654) per game while making them (232) 35.5 percent of the time. Spida is shooting 9.2 threes per game this season on a career-best 45.5 percent clip.

Last season, Kevin Love led Cleveland in both categories, taking 477 and drilling 187.

Mitchell’s sharpshooting has unlocked another level that has transformed Cleveland’s offense into a dynamic, spaced-out, drive-and-kick-heavy offense.

“Watch the way the game is being played and how teams are defending and what you can do to attack it. If you’ve got the right people who can get in the paint, then you can find those shots,” Coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “I knew we’d be able to get open ones. Then it’s just a trust in the guys who have put in the time to make them. At the end of the day, that’s what it comes down to.”

Cleveland is thriving despite the absence of Darius Garland, who’s missed the last six games due to an eye injury. Because of Mitchell’s flamethrowing, Caris LeVert’s drive-and-kick game, and Garland’s shifty, probing dribble-drive attacks, multiple Cavs have had career-best starts to the season. Their backcourt has also created a lot of “wide-open” shots for Cleveland to cash in.

Dean Wade is shooting an insane 62.5 percent from beyond the arc, hitting 80 percent of the “wide-open” looks he gets. Love is lighting up the rim at a 47.2 percent rate from deep; he’s already got four games where he’s hit multiple triples in one night, including eight in Sunday’s win against New York. Out of the 36 threes Love has attempted, only four have come with a defender within four feet.

Cedi Osman is shooting 36.7 percent from deep, with 29 of his 30 being open or “wide-open,” and LeVert is hitting triples at 48.5 percent. He’s had just two of his 31 attempts get contested. Mitchell is Cleveland’s most heavily guarded shooter, but only 20 of his 55 attempts were contested.

“It’s just what the defense gives us and the type of 3s that we get,” Bickerstaff explained. “Can you create the open look and make the right pass? The way our guys have been shooting the 3, it’s hard to tell them not to take open shots, no matter the number of them.”

pic.twitter.com/Fa4snPIaJu

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) October 31, 2022

It doesn’t matter if the Cavs get harder closely from outside; they are knocking down 41 percent of their heavily contested three-pointers, the third-best in the NBA.

From the beginning of training camp until now, Cleveland has been confident they could be more than capable of adopting a new identity as a three-point shooting team. Evan Mobley said he “didn’t know how good it could have been.” Wade remembered how during Cleveland’s third practice, the Cavs “didn’t miss a shot in like four days.” He went on to remark that “the amount of shooters we have on this team is crazy. So many different teams.”

“We’re creating open shots, and we’ve got the right guys taking those shots,” Bickerstaff said. “I hope we took lessons from last year. You go back and look at the numbers; we created open shots at a high level. We didn’t make them.”

Cleveland will continue their long-distance revolution when they host Boston on Wednesday.

The post How Cleveland Transformed Into A Record-Setting Three-Point Shooting Team appeared first on SLAM.

The USC product suffered an ankle injury and was forced to sit out at the end of training camp and Cleveland’s first three preseason games. Because of that untimely injury, Mobley lost the valuable opportunity to play alongside the combination of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and Caris LeVert.

Without sizable time to find a rhythm post-injury and to build chemistry with the Cavs’ new backcourt in Garland and Mitchell, Mobley feels like he has “gotten off to kind of a slow start,” per The Athletic. 

Following Sunday’s OT win against the Washington Wizards, the 21-year-old hadn’t taken double-digit shot attempts this season. On Sunday, Mobley shot 28.6 percent from the field and finished with two field goals. 

After Tuesday’s practice, Bickerstaff said, “we’ve gotta get him more involved.” 

“Again, it’s a mix of time together and where he was in the preseason and then him coming back and then Darius being gone. There are some things that we’re still working through. He’s so skilled and so talented, and we want him involved in our offense in a bunch of different ways.”

pic.twitter.com/9PmVr6NJaY

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) October 27, 2022

Bickerstaff likes the shots Mobley is taking but wants him to take more. The Cavs believe Mobley is “the guy who can help take [them] to the next level.” In his rookie season, the center averaged 15 points on 50.8 percent from the field, 25 percent from three, and 66.2 percent from the free-throw line. For Cleveland to rise to a championship-level team, they need Mobley to continue to improve his strength and consistency. 

“Evan’s basketball IQ is what we teach every single day,” Bickerstaff said during training camp. “We were talking about teaching guys how to play basketball; that’s what Evan excels at naturally. He just understands the game at a higher level than most second-year players do, and even as a rookie.”

Mobley is looking to play with more freedom and ease on offense, becoming a simultaneous creator and attacker. 

At Wednesday morning’s shootaround, he said he is “going to stay consistent with it.” 

“I know shots are going to start falling,” Mobley said “And I’m going to be in a better position to take those shots as well.”

On Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic, Mobley seemed to have regained some of his flow. The second-year center finished with 22 points on 9-15 shooting, including 17 points in the second half. 

“He was determined to help us win this game,” Bickerstaff said. “We know what he’s capable of. We believe in him a lot. And he was attack-minded, and he went out to prove a point. I think he did that.”

Step back 2⃣ #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/24Vi3YypFd

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) October 27, 2022

Teammate Dean Wade added: “every time he touched a ball, he’s looking to be aggressive. That’s always good to see, especially out of him. Sometimes he goes to make a play but doesn’t look to score, and I think tonight he was always looking to score, and that’s what we needed him to do. So wh n he plays like that, we’re a hard team to beat because he’s going to take at least two guys to stop him. And he’s obviously a great passer, so he can make those passes out. Tonight was exciting to see him just attack every time he touched it. It was fun.”

Mobley’s bounce-back game helped the Cavs seal a 103-92 win over the Magic and earned him the infamous Junkyard Dog Chain award for the night.

While he may have gotten off to a slower start to the season, Mobley looks to build on his 22-point performance against the Boston Celtics tomorrow night.

The post J.B. Bickerstaff On Getting Evan Mobley ‘More Involved’ Offensively appeared first on SLAM.

The Heat seemed like the clear landing spot for Mitchell as NBA fans believed they had enough assets to send the Utah Jazz in exchange for the shooting guard. A deal like that would have pushed the Heat toward favorited championship odds, especially considering Mitchell and Adebayo’s chemistry at the Miami Pro League over the summer. Mitchell and Adebayo were also seen working out with one another throughout the offseason

“I said this to somebody, I was like, ‘Man, I’m working out with Bam [Adebayo] and others, and I’m thinking like, ‘This is just preparing. This is what it’s going to look like.'” Mitchell said on J.J Redick’s “Old Man and the Three Podcast.”

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A post shared by 13am Adebayo (@bam1of1)

Adebayo wasn’t the only player in the Heat roster that would spark rumors of Mitchell joining the Heat. Jimmy Butler had spent the second week of his off-season with Mitchell at a restaurant in Miami for basketball media influencer Chris Brickley’s birthday

In that same late June period, rival Kevin Durant had requested a trade from his team and the NBA world believed Heat President Pat Riley would pull the trigger for the future Hall of Famer.

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The Heat ended up standing pat during the off-season, but they extended Tyler Herro to a four-year deal worth $130 million. Though securing the young star bodes well for the Heat, the East has gotten much more competitive, especially with Mitchell making the Cavs a potential top-five seed in the conference.

Cleaveland’s future success rides on the play of Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley in order to consider the Cavs the winners of the trade. As for Miami, the team’s lack of trades and signings puts pressure on them to succeed at the same rate they did last season. If this season goes any worse, the question arises of why the Heat didn’t make the effort of making the Butler, Adebayo, and Mitchell big three.

The post Donovan Mitchell Touches On Working Out With Bam Adebayo Over the Summer appeared first on SLAM.

The rebuilding Jazz decided to move Mitchell to the Cavs over the summer, but it seems like Spida may have found an ideal fit in Cleveland. Mitchell has been labeled an All-Star piece that can help push Cleveland over the top as a playoff contender. The Lousiville product grew into that while in Utah; as a Cav, Mitchell has a better idea of how to mesh well with his new teammates and seems to be at ease.  

“He’s comfortable,” Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff said per ESPN. “I think it’s that easy. This isn’t something he hasn’t done before. He’s carried teams on his back, so he understands the moment, and he’s capable of it. It’s not new, and it’s what we expected from him.”

Mitchell allowed the game to come to him on Wednesday, starting slowly with just four points in the first quarter. However, when his All-Star teammate Darius Garland exited the game with a left eye laceration, Mitchell ramped it up and carried a more significant offense load on his shoulders.

“That’s the big thing playing with a bunch of good guys, trying to find your spots, especially against a team like Toronto,” Mitchell said. “You don’t want to come in full bore; that’s how they want to turn you over. And then [Garland] goes down, so I’m on the ball more, directing traffic.”

“He’s an elite basketball player. There’s not many guys in this league that are better than Donovan or are capable of doing the things he can do. He puts so much pressure on the defense,” Coach Bickerstaff added. “He has the ability to make all the passes, so again that’s, he’s hard to deal with, but he makes defenses have to make tough decisions over and over again.”

Despite a few miscommunications with his new teammate and fellow All-Star Jarrett Allen, Spida had a strong debut. Natural growing pains will come with learning each other’s games, and the vibes remain positive after they opened the season with a 108-105 loss to the Raptors.

“It’s part of the game, part of the growing as teammates. It’s our first game playing together, our first official game playing together. We still have a lot of things to iron out, a lot of things to communicate about off the court after it happens,” said Jarrett Allen.

For the Cavs, Mitchell’s record night signals a high ceiling for the marriage between the All-Star and the rest of the team. As the guard put it, the Cavs “did a good job. But [they] can do an even better job.” Cleveland looks onwards and upwards as they seek to grab their first win of the season against the Chicago Bulls this Saturday.

The post ‘Comfortable’ Donovan Mitchell Drops 31 in His Cleveland Cavaliers Debut appeared first on SLAM.

At age 21, the Cavaliers coaching staff has noticed the improvement each time around in practice for Mobley, which is what led assistant coach Greg Buckner to expect his young star center’s jersey to be hung up in the rafters when it’s said and done.

“He has the skill level to be a Hall of Famer,” Buckner told cleveland.com. “I tell him, ‘I want to remind you every day that when you get finished with this game, you are going to be a Hall of Famer and if you’re not, you let your body down, you didn’t reach your full potential.”

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In his rookie season, Mobley, along with All-Star Darius Garland, led the Cavs to a 44-38 record, a winning mark they hadn’t been done since LeBron James was in Cleveland in 2018. The 7 footer was scoring effectively last season, averaging 15 points and shooting over 50 percent from the field. Still, head coach J.B Bickerstaff sees Mobley reliability on other areas of the floor.

“He has the ability to be a superstar without being the leading scorer,” said Bickerstaff. “…Very few superstars, which he’s going to work his way to be, can be that type of player without dominating the ball on the offensive end of the floor. We believe he has the ability, and we’ll get there.”

Mobley, who was All-Rookie First Team last season, even had the chance to train with Kevin Durant this summer.

“This offseason when I got in the gym, I was really focused on what I needed to work on for the upcoming season,” Mobley said. “Every single rep was very intentional…He [Durant] would go at me, and I would go at him. We were just working on our games. He told me that he liked my game. It challenges you.”

With superstar Donovan Mitchell coming over to the Land, high expectations ride the shoes of Mobley and Garland to keep the same level of play they had last season. If Mobley is any better than he was last season, they’ll likely be the team to beat in the East.

Photo via Getty Images.

The post Cavaliers Coaching Staff See Hall of Fame Potential in Evan Mobley appeared first on SLAM.

Heading into training camp, Mitchell has challenged himself to be a leader defensively, acknowledging that his biggest weakness has been on the less glamorous side of the court, and the only way this team reaches its destiny is with him committing to be an elite two-way backcourt.

“I can play defense. I know that for a fact,” Mitchell said confidently, per Cavaliers Nation. “I haven’t shown that, and that is what I’m looking forward to doing here.”

The three-time All-Star will be holding down the backcourt with rising young talent, Darius Garland. His play last year with the Cavs earned him his first All-Star selection, and it came by way of his elite playmaking and scoring and his swiper instincts defensively, averaging 1.3 steals a game during the regular season. Though the Cavs didn’t make the playoffs, this upcoming season’s hopes are much higher than simply making the playoffs.

Mitchell may have averaged 1.5 steals a game in his final season with the Utah Jazz, but it didn’t mitigate any narrative that Mitchell will commit to playing defense.

If the Louisville product does decide to play hard on the defensive side, it could elevate him into the top 10 player conversation around the League. Defense wins championships, and the Cavaliers roster knows that Evan Mobley can defend well in the paint; it’s just up to Mitchell to provide that spark against an East packed with dangerous guards.

He’ll start with the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 19 in Scotiabank Arena.

The post Donovan Mitchell Knows ‘for A Fact’ He Can ‘Play Defense’ appeared first on SLAM.

Mitchell says in his introductory to the Cavs that his deal to the New York Knicks looked done, and maybe, it should have, considering the team’s packages. One of New York’s best offers at Utah’s CEO Danny Ainge was a deal centered around Mitchell for RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, Mitchell Robinson, and three unprotected first-round picks, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

At the start of trade talks in July, New York offered Utah a Donovan Mitchell package including RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, Mitchell Robinson and three unprotected first-round picks, sources tell ESPN. Jazz turned down that offer and Robinson signed a $60M extension to stay w/ NY. https://t.co/3eDg2Mf7f1

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 2, 2022

The NBA world was shocked to see the Knicks add RJ Barrett to the deal, considering he’s one of their bright young talents, by giving them a 20-piece a night at 22-years-old. The talent Mitchell can be at his peak is off the charts, and the homecoming would’ve seemed fitting to embark on that journey.

“I thought for sure I was going back home; I’m not gonna lie about that,” Mitchell told reporters on Wednesday in his introductory Cavs press conference, per the New York Post. “Who doesn’t want to be home next to their mom?” 

The all-star guard is from Elmsford, NY, a town located in Westchester County. He lived there until his high school days, when he would end up in Canterbury School in Connecticut and Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. He left his mark at Louisville, where his play earned him the 13th selection in the 2017 NBA draft.

Mitchell did all he could in Utah, but the pieces to a title just seemed like lost hope. Though he never spoke about where he wanted to play next, it did seem like the Mecca was one of his more intriguing options. Ultimately, Mitchell ends up in Cleveland and will look to team-up with All-Star Darius Garland and promising center Evan Mobley. The three look to form a dangerous Big 3 in the East.

While the homecoming party in New York will have to wait, fans can get a proper show with Mitchell in the Land before he hits free agency in 2025.

The post Donovan Mitchell ‘Thought for Sure’ Jazz Would Trade Him to Knicks appeared first on SLAM.

Utah required the three players after trading Mitchell to Cleveland for restricted free agent Sexton, Markkanen, and Agbaji eight days ago. Sexton reportedly agreed to a sign-and-trade deal to help the Cavs finish the trade negotiations; Sexton is locked in with Utah on a four-year deal worth $72 million.

“It was clear that in order to optimize our opportunity to create a team that could truly contend and establish sustained success, we needed to transition our roster,” Jazz CEO Danny Ainge said in a statement. “In trading Rudy (Gobert) and now Donovan, it was a rare opportunity to maximize our ability to get quality talent and picks to best position us moving forward. We have a plan in place to help us assemble the championship team our fans deserve. It will take time to craft our roster. We all understand the work ahead and are committed to our vision.”

GM Justin Zanik believes Sexton, Markkanen, and Agbaji are three “exciting young players.” The endorsement from Zanik could be a sign of good fortune for the three young stars that’ll play a pivotal role in Utah’s rebuilding effort.

Sexton averaged 16.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game on 45.0 percent shooting from the field in the 11 games he played last season before undergoing season-ending surgery to repair the torn meniscus he suffered in November. Markkanen averaged 14.8 points. 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 44.5 percent from the field goal.

“We believe that they fit the Jazz culture and hard-nosed, competitive brand of basketball we’ve built here in Utah,” Zanik said. “They give us versatility and athleticism on both ends of the floor as we grow toward the future. We look forward to our fans getting to know them.”

The Utah Jazz opens the 2022-23 season against the Denver Nuggets on Oct. 19.

The post Jazz CEO Danny Ainge on Offseason Moves: ‘We Needed to Transition Our Roster’ appeared first on SLAM.

The pivot from being a professional hopper to a college student came after his former teammate, Ray Allen, a fellow avid golfer who Smith called a “great motivational speaker,” inspired Smith to challenge himself to get an education while the two were on a trip in the Dominican Republic.

“I was working like I was literally trying to make the league all over again,” Smith said per Complex. “It was fun as hell. When I got my first A in class, it was like me dunking on somebody or hitting a game-winner.”

Smith’s pivot gained more significance after his oldest daughter told him she was proud of him for going back to school, a moment that made Smith emotional.

The proud moment fulfilled a part of Smith’s purpose in pursuing a college degree. The former Sixth Man of the Year wanted to set an example for his daughters to “know they’re worth” that they can get a higher education no matter where they are in life.

“She looked at me and told me, ‘Daddy, I’m really happy you went back to school,’ I had to get up and walk away,” Smith said. “My oldest has seen it all. She’s seen the good and the bad. She’s been in the thick of it. So when she told me that, it really had me choked up.”

“It was for me but more importantly, what I’ve done was for them to understand you can… For one, you can always get your education no matter how old you are. It was also to understand your self-worth, especially for young Black women in this country.”

As J.R. Smith continues to evolve away from the game where he’s had great moments (two titles, 2013 Sixth Man of the Year) and massive blunders (Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals), Smith can move on knowing that he’s defying what people mischaracterize him as. No matter what anyone may think about the “100 percent fact” that the NBA has moved on from him, Smith has found his purpose.

The post J.R. Smith Talks Infamous Game 1 Moment and Relationship With Ray Allen appeared first on SLAM.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired Donovan Mitchell in a trade, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 1, 2022

Utah received Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, Collin Sexton, three unprotected first-round picks, and two picks, according to Woj. Restricted free agent Sexton reportedly agreed to a sign-and-trade deal so the Cavs could move him to Utah.

Sexton has agreed to a sign-and-trade deal to join Utah, sources said.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 1, 2022

According to Woj, Cavs GM Koby Altman “circled back” with Utah GM Justin Zanik on Tuesday. The two teams negotiated a deal they had discussed previously. The Knicks declined to do a trade deal on Monday night after re-signing RJ Barrett, opening the door for Cleveland to secure a deal.

https://t.co/5lqkyvBvSP

— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) September 1, 2022

The epic trade makes Cleveland a more significant threat in the East as they form a Big 3 around Mitchell, their All-Star duo of Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen, and their future All-Star building block in Evan Mobley.

The post REPORT: Cavaliers Acquire Donovan Mitchell in a Blockbuster Trade appeared first on SLAM.

Patrick McCaw and Norris Cole hope that leading Team USA to their eighth gold medal at the AmeriCup tournament will help them return to the NBA. The two veterans have a combined five championships and plenty of wisdom and championship experience to pass down to any team looking to make that leap.

“I think it’s more about representing the USA for me right now,” McCaw said. “I want to make it back to the NBA. I know that’s a process. And I know one day, whenever, next week, next month, next year, when it’s supposed to happen, it’ll happen. But right now, I’m just focusing on this USA, wearing these three letters, giving my all to this team, and representing the United States of America.

For @pg30_Cole and Patrick McCaw, the priority for the next two weeks is getting @usabasketball an AmeriCup title.

After that, they hope the NBA gives them a call.

The AP story on two champions who believe they have a lot more to offer:https://t.co/7eME1z7jgB

— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) August 31, 2022

McCaw last played four games for the Toronto Raptors during the 2020-21 season. The UNLV products career has primarily slowed down due to a slew of injuries he says are no longer concerns. Cole last played for the OKC Thunder in April 2017. Since then, he’s spent the last five seasons playing in Israel, China, Montenegro, Italy, France, and Puerto Rico.

“I still have the ability,” Cole said. “God has still blessed me with the ability. I still have the fire, the hunger, and I still feel like I have something to prove, things that I would like to accomplish as a player. That feeling of winning a championship, the mission, the goal, the work to try to get to that point again, that’s what drives me as a competitor. And I want that feeling again.”

McCaw is 27-years-old, while Cole will be 34 by the time the season starts. Although they are at different points in their professional basketball careers, they both have the tangible of being around winning that makes any veteran attractive to a front office looking to surround their young players with vets that can help push them and a franchise to the next level.

McCaw is a threepeat champion, winning back-to-back titles with Golden State and his most recent championship in 2019 with the Raptors. Cole was a part of the legendary Miami Heatles teams led by LeBron James. Cole was a speedy three-and-D threat who won back-to-back rings with the Heat against the Thunder and Spurs.

“We’ve been around winning,” Cole said. “Patrick has that working for him. He knows what winning looks like, and anytime you’re around winning, it rubs off on you. He has that, he has a fun personality, and I think he definitely deserves another shot. I definitely believe that he deserves to be on an NBA roster.”

Three NBA champs headline Team USA in Cole, McCaw, and Jodie Meeks. They are joined by Zylan Cheatham, Gary Clark Jr., Will Davis II, Anthony Lamb, Frank Mason III, Jeremy Pargo, Elijah Pemberton, Craig Sword, and Stephen Zimmerman.

In training camp, Cole reportedly won every sprint he was in and established himself as the point guard of Team USA. McCaw’s talent shined through amongst a group of highly skilled players who played in the NBA or the G League. The most important thing for McCaw is that his confidence is coming back after battling knee and spine issues that left him off an NBA roster last season.

“I’ve been off the radar,” McCaw said. “I think this is a huge step because people are going to be able to watch these games and see where I’m at now. That’ll help, for sure. It was injuries that set me back. It wasn’t anything else in the way, or life, or me changing the type of person I am. It was injuries. And it was tough dealing with them. But this trip to Brazil, I definitely think it’ll open up some doors again.”

When it’s all said and done, Coel and McCaw will be focused on gold, but they have a glimmer in their eye that the tournament will be the ideal springboard to getting back to the NBA.

The post Patrick McCaw and Norris Cole Hope to Parlay FIBA Play into NBA Return appeared first on SLAM.

TSA reportedly stopped Shumpert at a checkpoint around 2:40 p.m., and authorities were then asked to investigate a potential drug violation. After police had searched his belongings, they found a ‘green leafy substance’ which was later confirmed to be marijuana after tests, and Shumpert himself admitted it was marijuana.

Shumpert surrendered to authorities without incident. Shumpert was allegedly carrying 6.12 ounces of marijuana. The former Dancing With the Stars winner faces up to two years in jail and $10,000 in fines if he is found on “state jail felony” charges.

Shumpert, a 2016 NBA Champion with the Cleveland Cavaliers, also had stints with the Knicks, Nets, Kings, and Rockets. Shumpert made the all-rookie team in 2012 with the Knicks, holding career averages of 7.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.1 steals in 10 NBA seasons.

The post REPORT: Iman Shumpert Arrested on Charges of Possession of Cannabis appeared first on SLAM.

Former Cleveland teammate Jordan McRae recalled the story of when he, Irving, and Iman Shumpert would play 1s after every practice and even sometimes before games.

At one point, they were playing ones four hours before games and every day after practices. In response to these long-winded battles, McRae said that the Cleveland front office had to tell them to stop playing.

“Me, (Kyrie), and Shump played 1s after practice every single day. People in the front office came to us like, ‘Y’all just stay away from Ky. You know if Ky see y’all, he gon’ play.”

The constant games of individual battles testify to their love of basketball and are a creative way of entertainment and fun amongst teammates. We can only imagine how many wins Irving took during those epic battles. But it was a way of forming a bond with his teammates and a fun way for iron to sharpen iron.

The post Jordan McRae Recalls Playing ‘1s After Every Practice’ With Kyrie Irving appeared first on SLAM.

Where the Cavs front office and Sexton may disagree is the amount of money Young Bull will make. According to NBA insider Michael Scott of the Hoopshype podcast, the Cavs want to retain Sexton, and Sexton will be demanding “starting guard money.”

“The Cavaliers want to retain Collin Sexton,” NBA insider Michael Scotto said on the HoopsHype podcast. “He’s going to demand starting guard money, I’m told.

“There are some teams who will be in the market for a point guard this summer, including the New York Knicks and Washington Wizards, who would have to acquire Sexton in a sign-and-trade if they want to get him. Last season, no restricted free agent signed an offer sheet, and players such as Cavaliers forward Lauri Markkanen switched teams via sign-and-trade.”

Sexton led the Cavs in scoring in 2020-21 (24.1 points per game) and 2021-22 (16.0 points per game) before he suffered a season-ending torn meniscus in his left knee 11 games into the season.

Should Cleveland decide to extend Sexton, he will be joining a team with a new pecking order after Darius Garland, and Jarrett Allen broke out and earned All-Star nominations. With Allen, Garland, and Evan Mobley as their franchise cornerstones, the Cavs (44-38) earned a spot in the Play-In Tournament thanks to their identity as a top-five ranked defense.

The Cavs also acquired Caris LeVert at the trade deadline. Both Sexton and LeVert play the same position. If Sexton returns, the Cavs will be facing a question of who starts and who comes off the bench. Both guards have experience playing a reduced role, with Sexton embracing the Cavs and asking him to take fewer shots for the team’s benefit. LeVert went from key weapon to coming off the bench to playing second-fiddle in his short time in Indiana.

The experience the two have in different roles will help make whatever transition Coach J.B. Bickerstaff will make. The main question will be if Cleveland wants to pay Sexton when they have a logjam at guard and will also need to prepare for extension talks when Garland becomes eligible in 2023. The other question will be does Cleveland believe they will repeat their success with Sexton next to Garland, LeVert, Allen, and Mobley.

Regardless, Cleveland has a bright future with Bickerstaff and GM Koby Altman at the top of the helm and Garland’s rise as the team’s face combined with the rapid development of All-Rookie center Mobley.

The post REPORT: Collin Sexton Wants ‘Starting Guard Money’ in New Cavs Deal appeared first on SLAM.

The sudden rise could certainly be attributed to the All-Star campaigns of Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen and the outstanding play of rookie big man Evan Mobley and a top-5 defense, but the longest-tenured vet Kevin Love, who finished the season as a finalist for the Sixth Man of the Year award, noted that team therapy played a significant role in the team gelling well and helping them to focus.

According to Insider, Love told his teammates that they should work with the therapist in question, Mayur Pandya. Love also credits Pandya with helping improve his and his teammates’ game overall, at least from a mental standpoint.

“Boosting mental performance and resilience is the reason we are here today,” Love said, “We’re all much better for it and having these conversations, and having Dr. Pandya taking the time, and for the organization understanding that it’s important.”

Pandya has been with the Cavs since the 2018-19 season, but his services weren’t highly sought after according to Love, at least not until this year.

Love said his teammates grew more comfortable with going to a therapist after DeMar DeRozan opened up about his battles with mental health last June, with his Instagram post serving as the catalyst for mental-health treatment becoming normal for NBA players.

Pandya worked with the Cavs individually and in group sessions per Love, with groups being split up into two groups featuring vets and younger players in both groups. The two groups used meditation and therapy to help players sharpen their mental focus, resilience, and chemistry.

“Everybody has their own journey and mental-health journey, but we’re not meant to go through this alone,” Love said. “Having diversity within our group, how we grew up, where we were born, socioeconomic status, wherever we may be, I think there’s a lot of problem-solving there.”

Love said meditation and therapy helped the players sharpen their mental focus, resilience, and chemistry. Love said he discovered meditation in 2017 when the James-led Cavaliers were in the middle of four straight seasons in which they made it to the NBA Finals.

The post Kevin Love Credits Cavs Therapist With Cavs Resurgent Season appeared first on SLAM.

#LetEmKnow, K Love pic.twitter.com/YPIvJSnf3P

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 5, 2022

Instead, the idea of a rise to playoffs was catapulted to Finals contenders status when LeBron James decided to sign with Cleveland as a free agent. The Big 3 guided the Cavs to a historic championship in 2016, bringing the Cavs back from a daunting 3-1 deficit to beat the 73-9 Warriors.

The Cavs would meet the Dubs two more times in the Finals, losing both, and the last without Irving, who requested a trade out of Cleveland and landed in Boston. Since then, Love has gone through some injury-plagued seasons, and at the same time, the Cavs struggled to remain relevant after James left Cleveland for a second time, missing the playoffs for three straight seasons.

The 2021-22 season offered some hope and reprieve for Love and the Cavs. Cleveland finished the regular season at 44-38, finishing eighth in the East thanks to a top 5 defensive team and the breakout seasons of Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, and the excellent play of rookie big man Evan Mobley. Love also finished as the runner-up for the Sixth Man of the Year award after averaging 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds.

However, the Cavs could not win either of their play-in games, losing to the Nets and then the Hawks, leaving them with a 10th place finish.

In his latest Instagram post, Love revealed just how gratifying the productive season was after the five-time All-Star prioritized making his body durable and buying into improving the culture around a young Cavs team that’s not close to their ceiling. The change in Love’s perspective allowed him to accept a new role as the first player off the bench so that Mobley and Allen could thrive like they did as well.

Love captioned his reflective post stating he wanted to ‘help lead a young team in taking the next step’ in their evolution while also striving to ‘be the vet I never had early in my career.’ He also emphasized just how necessary sacrifice was in order to help the team make a leap in their development. He went on to thank J.B. Bickerstaff for trusting him and being honest so that he could ‘be the best version of myself.’

The 2011 Most Improved Player then listed off his accomplishments of the season, leading bench players in double-doubles, breaking a franchise record for made three’s off the bench, leading the team in made triples, and tying the League leader in charges taken. Love also made sure to brag on his availability and leading the Cavs in games played, reiterating that he played every game this season except for eight after he tested positive for COVID-19.

Love also stated that he felt like a runner-up finish for 6Moty ‘meant something to me to earn my respect back in a League and game that I’ve dedicated my life to.’ He concluded his post by saying, ‘keep showing up. Remain hungry.
And fuck what THEY think.”

The post Kevin Love Reflects on ‘Helping Lead a Young Team in Taking the Next Step’ appeared first on SLAM.

After a slow start, much like his previous game against the Charlotte Hornets, he put together another epic performance in the second half, scoring 32 of his 38 points in a 107-101 Atlanta win. Young spearheaded the Hawks in the scoring column erasing a Cleveland halftime double-digit lead by the end of the third quarter.

Trae Young and the Hawks come storming back in the third quarter.

This season, the Cavaliers lost 17 games after leading by 10+ points, most in the NBA pic.twitter.com/0viGPDRyFr

— ESPN (@espn) April 16, 2022

Ice Trae highlighted this by knocking down a pair of three-pointers on his way to scoring Atlanta’s final 12 points. Young sparked a 17-8 Hawks run over the final 3:48 to go into the 4th quarter with an 84-all tie.

Young scored or assisted on 43 points in the second half, personally outpacing the Cavs for the final 24 minutes (40 points). The Oklahoma products performance not only punched Atlanta’s ticket to the playoffs, but he also made a little history along the way.

After dropping 32 in the second half, Trae Young became the 1st Hawks player in the last 25 seasons with 30+ points in a half of a playoff/play-in game, per @ESPNStatsInfo. https://t.co/94YIJNBhsD

— SLAM Newswire (@SLAMnewswire) April 16, 2022

“Trae has a great deal of confidence in his game, his ability, and he continued to believe,” Hawks Coach Nate McMillan said about his superstar guard, per ESPN. “I didn’t see any panic in his play. He came out in the second half, remained aggressive. Those shots started to fall, the same shots that he was taking the first half; they started to fall in the second half.”

Young talked about his mindset going into the second half after the game.

“I felt like I was letting my team down in the first half.”

Trae Young scored 32 points in the second half to send the Hawks to the playoffs pic.twitter.com/ybFpsjJRfs

— ESPN (@espn) April 16, 2022

Trae Young and the Hawks get to test their luck starting on Sunday when they take on the Heat in the first round of the playoffs.

The post Trae Young Bails out Atlanta Hawks With Huge Second Half Scoring Binge appeared first on SLAM.

The Hawks big man had to be helped off the floor after fouling Evan Mobley and forcing him to the floor. When Capela grabbed Mobley by the shoulders, the momentum caused a collision by the sidelines.

Clint Capela went to the locker room with an apparent leg injury after this foul on Evan Mobley. pic.twitter.com/hGv3O9KvSd

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 16, 2022

According to the Hawks, Capela would not return to the game after suffering what was diagnosed as a hyperextended right knee. ESPN’s NBA insider, Adrian Wojnarowski, reported that Capela would undergo an MRI on Saturday to determine the extent of the damage. The timetable of his return is unknown.

There’s initial optimism that Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela hasn’t suffered significant right knee damage, but an MRI on Saturday will determine extent of possible injury, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 16, 2022

Before the injury, Clint Capela had seven points and eight rebounds in 13 minutes of action. 

The injury is a significant loss for the Atlanta Hawks. Capelaposted a strong performance in the first play-in game against Charlotte with 15 points, 17 rebounds, three blocks, and two steals. Without Capela, Coach Nate McMillan and his staff have to find other production options to replace the Swizz product, who averages a double-double with 11.1 points and 11.9 rebounds in the regular season.

SLAM will follow this injury situation as it develops.

The post Clint Capela Suffers Knee Injury in Atlanta Hawks Victory Over the Cavs appeared first on SLAM.

ESPN Sources: Cleveland’s All-Star center Jarrett Allen (finger) is a go vs. Atlanta in the Play-In Tournament game (7:30 PM ET, ESPN). Allen completed his pregame routine and will play for the first time since March 6.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 15, 2022

The Cavaliers will get to play their Triple Towers lineup after it was reported that Jarrett Allen would play against the Hawks, barring a setback, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Jarrett Allen will play tonight vs. Atlanta in elimination Play-In Tournament game, barring setback in warmups, per @ShamsCharania. pic.twitter.com/exIpyYBiQl

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 15, 2022

Allen suffered a fractured finger on his left hand on March 6. The injury forced him to miss 19 games, including the Cavs’ Play-In tournament loss to the Brooklyn Nets.

The Cavs went 7-11 after Allen went down. The late-season slide forced the Cavs to fall from sixth in the East standings to eighth and play in the Play-In Tournament for the first of two chances to clinch a playoff appearance. The winner of the Cavs-Hawks matchup will take on the No. 1 seed Miami Heat on Sunday

Allen finished the regular-season averaging 16.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game in 56 appearances.

The post REPORT: Jarrett Allen to Play Friday Play-In Game Against Atlanta appeared first on SLAM.

After the game, Irving was asked about fasting for Ramadan and playing at the highest level possible. During the entire month of April, Irving and millions of Muslims worldwide do not eat and drink from dawn to sunset.

“Well, it’s a journey with God. I’m not alone in this. I have brothers and sisters all around the world that are fasting with me,” Irving said. “We hold our prayers and meditation very sacred, and when you come out here, God is inside me, and he’s inside of all of us. I’m walking with faith, and that’s all that matters; when I get to showcase my talents granted to me strictly from God in this arena, I’m humbled.”

In a rematch of last year’s first-round playoff matchup, the Nets will go up against the second-seed Boston Celtics to start the post-season on April 17. Brooklyn bested the Celtics in five games last year when they met in the playoffs.

The Celtics won the regular-season series against the Nets 3-1. However, neither Kevin Durant nor Irving played two out of the four matchups. With both superstars in the lineup, this Eastern Conference matchup will be one to watch this year.

The post Kyrie Irving On Playing While Fasting For Ramadan: ‘It’s a Journey With God — I’m Walking With Faith’ appeared first on SLAM.

As Love has gotten older, he has become more of a role player for Cleveland, but it’s a role he is learning to embrace.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, Love spoke about the positives that his role as a bench contributor has had on his career.

“Coming off the bench, I think it can add a lot of time to my career,” says Love. “I feel great. My body feels great. Mentally I feel great. In this league, if you can rebound and you can shoot, you can basically play for as long as you want. I have no [plans on] slowing down or stepping away anytime soon.”

This season, Love has played in 71 games for the Cavs but has started only four of them, the fewest total of any season in his NBA career by a large margin. The second-lowest total came from Love’s 2012-13 season, where he only played 18 games, starting all 18 of them.

Coming off the bench hasn’t hindered Love’s production thought, as he is currently averaging a respectable 13.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game.

Now 33-years-old, Love is in the latter stages of an NBA career that produced five All-Star appearances, two All-NBA mentions, and was the 2010-11 NBA Most Improved Player.

While Love may not be an All-Star anymore, he has still played a prominent role in the Cavs’ most successful season in years. Cleveland is currently seventh in the Eastern Conference with a record of 43-37 and is on pace to clinch a postseason appearance for the first time since 2018.

Cleveland has just two games remaining this season, closing out the regular season on Sunday, April 10, against the Brooklyn nets.

The post Kevin Love on Bench Role With Cavs: ‘I Think it Can Add a lot of Time to My Career’ appeared first on SLAM.

San Antonio Spurs icon Manu Ginobili will be a first-ballot induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame @Hoophall Class of 2022, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 31, 2022

WNBA legend Swin Cash – a four-time All-Star and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist – will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame @Hoophall Class of 2022, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Cash is currently part of the New Orleans Pelicans front office.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 31, 2022

On the NBA and WNBA side, Spurs legend Manu Ginóbili will be inducted into HOF for his first time on the ballot. Heat and Warriors legend Tim Hardaway will also be inducted. Swin Cash, a four-time All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist who is currently working in the front office of the Pelicans, will be inducted too.

Two longtime coaches in the NCAA and NBA will be enshrined as well. Bob Huggins, head coach of the West Virginia men’s basketball program and two-time Coach of the Year winner, and George Karl, the sixth-winningest head coach in League history, will be entering the HOF.

Finalists must receive 18-24 votes from the HOF committee to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The class of 2022 will be announced on Saturday during the men’s Final Four in New Orleans, with the ceremony taking place on Sept. 10.

The post REPORT: Manu Ginobli, Swin Cash Elected to 2022 Hall of Fame Class appeared first on SLAM.

Cleveland’s Evan Mobley will be out the next three games rehabbing his sprained left ankle, Cavs say.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 30, 2022

The Cavs’ next three contests will be against the Mavericks, Hawks, and Knicks. Mobley will not be traveling with the team when they travel to Atlanta and New York. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, when the former USC center first suffered the injury, Mobley’s MRI confirmed the injury, but the results came back negative for anything more extensive.

Mobley averaged 14.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game for the seventh-place Cavs (42-33).

The post Cavs Announce Evan Mobley Will Miss Next Three Games appeared first on SLAM.

First winning season secured since 2017-18 #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/nE2FXoPDcI

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) March 29, 2022

The Cavs’ turnaround to seventh place in the Eastern Conference was created by GM Koby Altman, who has built this franchise around a mix of youth in All-Stars Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley, who have been guided by the leadership of veterans like Kevin Love, Rajon Rondo, two former NBA champs, and Caris LeVert who arrived in Cleveland at the trade deadline.

Keys to the City. : @CGatewood_ pic.twitter.com/CKnUHz6COk

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 29, 2022

Garland has posted career-high numbers across the board at 21.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 8.6 assists per game. He’s also shooting a career-best 46.3 percent from the field. Allen has also averaged a career-high 16.1 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.

Mobley is averaging 14.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in his first season out of USC.

The Cavs are ranked fourth in the League in defensive rating (108.0) but 20th in offensive rating (110.4) with a net rating of 2.5, which sits them at 11th.

Cleveland (42-33) return to the hardwood on Tuesday when they host the Mavericks.

The post Cavs Achieve First Winning Season Since 2017-2018 Campaign appeared first on SLAM.

The second-year guard ran roughshod over the Cavaliers’ defense in the second half, scoring 14 points in the third quarter to erase Cleveland’s early 21-point lead late.

Hope you’re awake now if you weren’t already. Tyrese Maxey is HIM.

33 PTS
5 AST
4 REB
5-6 3PM

(via @sixers) pic.twitter.com/YnxW4CzEQh

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 5, 2022

Maxey officially took over the game in the final quarter, hitting a huge three-pointer to give the Sixers a one-point lead followed by a second to extend the lead to 110-106 that had Sixers Nation blowing the roof off the arena.

The Kentucky product finished the night with 33 points on 10-15 shooting while hitting 5-6 shots from beyond the arc. Despite the new “Big 3” talk in Philadelphia, Maxey doesn’t see it that way.

“I don’t think we look at it as Big 3, Big 2,” Maxey said per ESPN. “I think we look at it as one unit.”

His huge game was not lost on The Beard, who was in foul trouble early in the first half. Afterward, he sent out a tweet shining the light on his young teammate.

when your lil bro finally beat you in 21 pic.twitter.com/iF8MjcWUao

— James Harden (@JHarden13) March 5, 2022

Maxey, Harden, and the Sixers do not have long to celebrate their win due to an impending showdown Saturday night against the Eastern Conference-leading Miami Heat in South Beach.

The post Tyrese Maxey Lifts 76ers To 125-119 Win Over Cleveland appeared first on SLAM.

Cleveland guard Rajon Rondo will be out two weeks with a toe sprain, team says.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 25, 2022

Rondo has put up 7.5 points and 5.0 assists per game in 14 appearances. The two-time champ has brought a veteran presence to a young Cavs team that has shot up the Eastern Conference playoff standings. His injury further depletes a Cavs backcourt that is missing Collin Sexton and Caris LeVert due to injury. Darius Garland is also day-to-day with a back injury.

The Cavs (35-24) have 23 games remaining on their schedule, including a matchup with the Wizards coming on Saturday.

The post Rajon Rondo Out Two Weeks With Toe Sprain Per Cavs appeared first on SLAM.

On Thursday, Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes reported that Cavs guard Caris LeVert would be out up to two weeks with a right foot sprain.

LeVert is a very recent acquisition for the Cavaliers, making his way to Cleveland at the NBA trade deadline two weeks ago from the Indiana Pacers. To acquire LeVert, the Cavs had to send the injured Ricky Rubio, a 2022 first-round pick and two second-round draft picks.

Since coming to Cleveland, LeVert has played just four games but has an average of 13.3 points and 3.8 assists per game. LeVert is capable of much more, and with more time, Cavs fans may soon watch the LeVert, who was averaging 18.7 points and 4.4 assists per game with the Pacers, emerge.

The Cavaliers (35-24) are fifth in the East and are 3.5 games back of the first-place Chicago Bulls.

If LeVert is out for two weeks, he could miss up to seven games for the Cavaliers, including matchups against teams at the top of the East in the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat, and a rematch with his former team, the Pacers.

The post REPORT: Caris LeVert Out Up to Two Weeks With Foot Injury appeared first on SLAM.

ESPN Sources: The Cleveland Cavaliers are promoting assistant general manager Mike Gansey to GM, an ascension in the wake of Koby Altman's elevation to President of Basketball Operations: https://t.co/zLQlc54bGO

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 23, 2022

The Cavs elevated Gansey to GM in the wake of the Cavs rewarding Koby Altman with an extension and ascension to president of basketball operations. Altman served as the principal architect of the Cavs’ rise up the Eastern Conference playoff standings.

Ganey previously served as assistant general manager after a remarkable rise from becoming GM of the Canton Charge, where he won G League Executive of the Year in 2017. He worked in the front office of the Canton franchise for the last decade after starting as an intern in basketball operations in 2011.

The 39-year-old previously played college basketball for St. Bonaventure and West Virginia before playing professionally in the then-NBA D League for the Erie Bayhawks and Idaho Stampede. He also played professionally in China and Germany.

The post REPORT: Cavs to Promote Mike Gansey to General Manager appeared first on SLAM.

Three players from the Cleveland Cavaliers teamed up to participate in the All-Star Skills Challenge. First-time All-Stars, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen teamed up with rookie Evan Mobley, whose star shined brightly in the NBA Rising Stars tournament, took on the Antetokounmpo brothers (Giannis, Thanasis, and Alex) and a team of rookies that consisted of Cade Cunningham, Josh Giddey and Scottie Barnes.

The Skills Challenge received a new look as the NBA revamped All-Star Weekend. The format featured the three teams participating in a competition broken down into three rounds of shooting, passing, and dribbling ability.

Round One (Shooting):

Team Cavs should thank their lucky stars they dominated this part of the competition because the next two rounds were not as kind. The Cavaliers trio played strategically, placing Jarrett Allen first and downsizing to Evan Mobley then Darius Garland. Garland dropped 24 points, outscoring the Antetokounmpos brothers by himself, followed by Mobley with 18.

Evan Mobley and Darius Garland close out the first round of #TacoBellSkills with a show for the Cleveland crowd!

Team @cavs in the lead on TNT pic.twitter.com/5vMS172BPh

— NBA (@NBA) February 20, 2022

Round Two (Passing):

At this point of the competition, it looked like it was a two-team race between Team Cavs and Team Antetokounmpo despite the smooth execution of the weave to pile up the points by Team Cavs.

“This is poetry right here”

Cavs were in sync during the #TacoBellSkills challenge pic.twitter.com/pGugDBdLCw

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 20, 2022

The Greek Freak turned on the competitive drive that captured him two MVP awards, and his brothers tied Team Rooks at the end of round two. However, Team Antetokounmpo won the tiebreaker to collect 100 points from the passing competition for a tie leading into the skills competition that counted 200 points.

Round Three (Skills competition) and tiebreaker:

The idea of giving 200 points to the winner of the third round made this competition much more exciting. At this point, Team Rooks looked dead in the water when they put up a time of 1:18.5. That time presumably wasn’t fast enough to win the round.

In the end, poor shooting by Team Giannis and slow times by Team Cavs bailed the rookies out, and they took the 200 points to go to the final round. That left Team Giannis and Team Cavs with one shot for a chance to take on the rookies in the final round.

Darius Garland knocks out Team Antetokounmpo

Cavs move on to the final of the #TacoBellSkills pic.twitter.com/mfmkFOftPt

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 20, 2022

In a surprise to some, Giannis did not take the shot, and Thanasis missed to the right. On the other hand, Garland hit his attempt to win the tiebreaker and a trip to the finals.

Final Round (Half-court shot):

The rules were simple, whichever team could make a half-court shot the fastest would be declared the winner of the Skills Challenge. Cade Cunningham knocked down the half-court shot for the rookies to set the bar at 9.9 seconds.

It didn’t take long for Evan Mobley to close the deal for the hometown Cavaliers. The moment became a classic after legendary sharpshooter Reggie Miller screamed, “Cleveland, this is for you!” over the airwaves as the competition concluded.

“CLEVELAND THIS IS FOR YOU!”

Evan Mobley wins the #TacoBellSkills Challenge for Team Cavs pic.twitter.com/hORIPbs6mS

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 20, 2022

The post Cleveland Cavaliers Represents By Taking the NBA All-Star Skills Challenge appeared first on SLAM.

“The door’s not closed on that,” James told The Athletic. “I’m not saying I’m coming back and playing, I don’t know. I don’t know what my future holds. I don’t even know when I’m free.”

During his last tenure with the Cavaliers, The Chosen One finally delivered on his promise to lead the Cavs to a championship after leading the franchise to a title in 2016, famously climbing back from a 3-1 hole to upset the 73-9 Golden State Warriors in seven games, the first such comeback in League history.

If he were to return for the third time, he’d be joining a young team that, barring an epic collapse, would be making their first playoff appearance since he left Cleveland to join the Lakers in 2018. Playing with an exciting core of Darius Garland, Caris LeVert, and Evan Mobley Bron will be a free agent after the conclusion of the 2022-2023 season.

“I think Koby and those guys have done an unbelievable job drafting and making trades,” James said. “I think big fella (Allen), that acquisition was amazing for them to make that trade. Obviously, Darius Garland is a big-time player. And I think the role that Kevin (Love) is playing right now has kind of uplifted those young guys, seeing a veteran that could sacrifice, a champion that’s won a championship, all the things that he’s done, to come off the bench and play this role. I am not surprised by anything that they’re doing right now.”

The King has averaged 29.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game in his third season with the Lakers (27-31) and 19th overall season. As a Cavalier, James won two MVPs, won a scoring title, made six All-Star teams with three All-Star Game MVPs, was named to 10 All-NBA teams, and made two All-Defensive teams.

The post LeBron James On Return to Cleveland: ‘The Door’s Not Closed On That’ appeared first on SLAM.

Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen has replaced James Harden in the NBA All-Star Game.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 14, 2022

Darius Garland is the other player that will be representing the Cavaliers at the All-Star game. Both Garland and Allen will be on Team LeBron this year.

Cleveland officially has TWO All-Stars this season.

Darius Garland AND Jarrett Allen (replacement for James Harden) are going to the All-Star Game #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/0VdRU2sSy8

— Whistle (@WhistleSports) February 14, 2022

As of Monday, Allen has averaged a career-high 16.2 points and 11.2 rebounds, along with 1.4 blocks per game as a vital piece of the Cavs’ three-headed monster of seven-footers that Coach J.B. Bickerstaff has utilized throughout the season.

The Cavs have been the darling of the NBA as they’ve seemingly taken a considerable step forward as playoff contenders, sitting at third in the Eastern Conference at 35-22.

The post Jarrett Allen Named to First All-Star Game appeared first on SLAM.

Full trade: Indiana sends Caris LeVert and a 2022 second-round pick via Miami to Cleveland for Ricky Rubio, lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick, 2022 second-round pick via Houston and a 2027 second-round pick via Utah, per sources.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 6, 2022

LeVert scored 22 points, including some huge baskets down the stretch to help his new team rally against his old team for a 120-113 comeback victory on Friday night. LeVert received a standing ovation from the Pacers fans during pregame introductions. The Pacers also honored the 27-year-old guard with a special highlight package during the first timeout.

Pacers President Kevin Pritchard spoke with ESPN about Caris LeVert before the game how he struggled with his decision to trade LeVert about one week prior.

“He was one of the hardest people I’ve ever had to trade,” Pritchard said. “He is a special person, and I want to thank Caris. He’s probably going to go score 50 tonight.”

Caris LeVert (22 PTS) with a HUGE clutch bucket for the @cavs late in the 4th!

Watch Now on NBA League Pass: https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa pic.twitter.com/TTs3NXTxum

— NBA (@NBA) February 12, 2022

With the win, Cleveland notched their fifth straight (35-21) to stay in contention for the Eastern Conference’s top seed behind the Miami Heat. After the game, LeVert couldn’t hide his excitement after playing with his new teammates.

It didn’t take @CarisLeVert long to realize that this is a special, resilient, fun @cavs team, and he can’t wait for what lies ahead.#LetEmKnow | @SerenaWinters pic.twitter.com/JmKq1klZaA

— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) February 12, 2022

The post Caris LeVert Helps Cleveland Cavaliers Burn His Old Indy Team After Trade appeared first on SLAM.

“We are very excited to add a dynamic young player of this caliber and experience,” Cavs GM Koby Altman said in a statement on Monday. “Caris LeVert fits uniquely into our culture, and his Ohio roots brings an immediate connection to our community. We look forward to seeing what type of impact he can make on this roster. We also want to send our best wishes to Ricky Rubio and his family. Ricky has been the consummate professional, and his leadership both on and off the court was invaluable, and we respect everything he brought to this franchise.”

OFFICIAL: #Cavs acquire F Caris LeVert.

DETAILS: https://t.co/AvCpnTb3av pic.twitter.com/28cLLHjmvl

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) February 7, 2022

LeVert will reportedly take on the off-guard spot opposite All-Star point guard Darius Garland who has been hampered by a sore lower back as of late. The acquisition of LeVert adds scoring punch to a lineup that is missing Collin Sexton since he went down for the season with a knee injury in February.

“He and Garland in the backcourt is really dynamic,” Carlisle said. “These guys have improved a great deal today.”

LeVert has been in trade rumors since December when the Pacers were rumored to be looking to trade former All-Star Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner, and LeVert to help speed up their rebuilding process. When the Cavs and Pacers agreed to the exchange, it was about 90 minutes before tipoff of their game against each other on Sunday. Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle confirmed the news pregame with assembled media.

News of the trade was delayed so Carlisle could notify LeVert was headed down the hall.

With the Cavs (33-21) squarely in the driver’s seat as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, LeVert can help raise the ceiling of a team that has blasted away any preseason expectations many around the League had for them. Cleveland still has time to make one more move as well. The NBA’s trade deadline isn’t until Thursday.

LeVert signed a three-year, $52 million contract with Brooklyn in 2020. Since re-signing with Brooklyn, he’s been moved to Indiana and now Cleveland. The 27-year-old guard averaged 18.7 points and 4.4 assists for the disappointing Pacers (19-36). The Cavaliers will return to action on Wednesday when they play the Spurs at home.

The post Cleveland Cavaliers Trade Ricky Rubio For Caris LeVert appeared first on SLAM.

According to Camryn Justice from News 5 Cleveland, Antetokounmpo praised the young Cavs team on their surge up the NBA standings following the game.

“This is not the Cleveland that we knew in the past years…they’re a playoff team, they’re out there fighting for the title themselves,” Antetokounmpo said.

That change in mentality from the Cavs is clear to see on the court and is reflected in their current position in the standings. The Cavaliers are currently third in the Eastern Conference with a record of 30-19, and only 1.5 games back of the first-place Miami Heat.

Cleveland had already surpassed its win total from last season when the Cavs finished 13th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 22-50. The Cavaliers haven’t even made the playoffs since the departure of LeBron James following the 2017-18 season.

The last time the Cavaliers made the playoffs without James on the roster was in 1998.

The Bucks dropped to sixth in the Eastern Conference after the loss with a 30-20 record.

The revamped Cavs are led by their homegrown Big 3 of Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley. This season, that trio of players has combined to average 50.8 points, 12.7 assists, and 22.4 rebounds per game, with Garland and Allen getting All-Star considerations and Mobley being a front-runner for Rookie of the Year.

The Cavs will go again this Sunday when they head to Detroit to take on the Pistons (11-36) at 6:00 p.m. EST.

The post Giannis Antetokounmpo on Cavaliers: ‘They’re a Playoff Team’ appeared first on SLAM.

Markannen suffered the injury to his right ankle in the first half and never returned to the game.

Lauri Markkanen went down on the court with an apparent ankle injury.

He was carried off the court by his teammates and is headed straight back to the locker room. Hope nothing’s serious.

Prayers up for Lauri. pic.twitter.com/MmoLU4wUG2

— NBA Analysis Network (@HoopAnalysisNet) January 23, 2022

The early injury report came from Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor. He also reported that the injury is not linked to his knee or Achilles, with more information after more tests are conducted. On Monday, Fedor reported that Markannen will miss the Cavs’ game against the Knicks.

#Cavs Lauri Markkanen is OUT tomorrow with a right ankle sprain.

— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) January 23, 2022

Markkanen hurt himself landing on his right leg trying to challenge Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s driving layup. Up until that point, the 24-year-old seven-footer had a solid game scoring 9 points to go with two rebounds and one block before exiting the game.

Markannen has been one of several surprises during the Cavaliers’ resurgent 2021-2022 campaign. The Cavs are 28-17, good for fifth in the Eastern Conference playoff race as of Monday. Before suffering his ankle injury, Markkanen hit his scoring stride in the last 10 games scoring 14.3 points per game on 52.0 percent shooting from the field.

The post REPORT: Lauri Markannen Out Against the Knicks With Serious Ankle Sprain appeared first on SLAM.

On Tuesday night, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Cavs GM Koby Altman received an extension through the 2027-28 season and promotion to President of Basketball Operations for the franchise.

Altman was first hired by the Cavs’ front office in 2012 but didn’t get the General Manager role until 2017, before the 2017-18 NBA season.

Altman oversaw the Cavaliers’ massive rebuild following the departure of LeBron James in 2018, but this season the Cavs have been a huge surprise. Halfway through the season, Cleveland is tied for fifth in the Eastern Conference with the Philadelphia 76ers with a 23-16 record.

A lot of the success this season is due to Altman’s management, as he was responsible for bringing in the entirety of the Cavs starting lineup, drafting Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and the injured Collin Sexton, and trading for Jarrett Allen and Lauri Markkanen. As of Wednesday, the Cavaliers rank 14th in offensive rating (109.9) and have transformed their bottom-five defense into the third-best in the League with a 105.0 defensive rating.

Garland leads the team in scoring and assists with 19.5 points and 7.3 dimes per game too. The 21-year-old guard out Vanderbilt holds a 111.7 offensive rating and 102.4 defensive rating. Even as a rookie, Mobley has been a revelation at the center position, averaging 14.8 points and 8.1 boards, and 1.8 blocks per game, good for seventh place amongst block leaders.

The Cavaliers play against the Jazz (28-13) on Wednesday.

The post REPORT: Cavaliers Extend General Manager Koby Altman appeared first on SLAM.

One of the best shooters to ever touch a basketball made his way back on the court on Sunday against the Cavaliers following 941 days away from the game.

“There’s a few games that you just always remember,” said Warriors Coach Steve Kerr on Saturday. “Certain moments you always remember. I have no doubt that when Klay walks onto the floor for the first time, I will never forget that particular game. It will stand out as one of the highlights of my entire basketball existence.”

Thompson went down with an ACL injury in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. He finished the contest with a game-high 30 points on just 12 shots despite leaving the game early.  

Since he last played, so much has changed. The world had shut down due to COVID-19, while the Warriors went through two down seasons where they drafted near the top of the lottery. 

Regardless, Golden State is back on track and has looked like the best team in the NBA to this point in the 2021-22 season. The Warriors (30-9) are once again a legitimate contender and are getting Thompson back at the midway point of the season on Sunday night. 

Known for being a great player on the court, Thompson is also one of the most well-respected players off the court too. As such, past and current players all around the league were excited for his return to action.

Thompson is like brother to his teammates, making it even more emotional for the Warriors entering Sunday’s contest against the Cleveland Cavaliers when he would make his debut. His fellow Splash Brother and close friend Stephen Curry gave his thoughts on the highly anticipated return of Thompson in form of a video tribute.

Draymond Green was on the court for the opening tip against the Cavaliers to honor Thompson but did not participate in the remainder of the game after dealing with some left calf tightness he experienced during pregame warmups.

“He’s a warrior,” Green said in the lead up to Thompson’s return. “No pun intended with that. There’s no other way to describe him. He’s going to give everything he got every time on the floor. What’s why we love him.”

The first points of the game for Golden State came from Thompson. Unexpectedly, it wasn’t a three-pointer that began the next chapter of Thompson’s career. 

Thompson’s first bucket of the season was on a drive to the rim, where he scored in the paint. From there, he would look to get his game going from beyond the arc but went 0-3 from deep before his opening stint of minutes in the first quarter came to an end. 

Thompson wouldn’t made it back to the court until late in the second quarter. However, that’s when he started to show that he was officially back. Despite building a reputation as a shooter, the veteran rose up and threw down a monumental dunk towards the end of the half. 

“To know that I can still do that [dunk] and being able to just get to my spots and rise up and shoot?” Thompson said per ESPN. “It’s only up from here.”

The Warriors had a 51-46 lead when halftime came, with Thompson notching seven points in just eight minutes. Although his shots weren’t falling as often as he would have liked, but he was still making an impact.

Thompson was huge in the third quarter when his quick scoring burst extended the Warriors’ lead into double-digits. From there, they never looked back in the big win.

When it was all said and done, Thompson finished with 17 points on 7-for-18 shooting from the field (3-8 from three-poiIt’serritory) to go along with three rebounds, one assist, and one block. He was the Warriors’ second-leading scorer on the night. 

“I will never forget the reception that Warriors fans gave us, especially myself,” Thompson said on his long awaited return. “Gosh it was fun and it was worth every single day of being away and in that squat rack or on that shuttle board and all the conditioning days. It was worth every single moment.

As he gets acquainted with the team, the game will only start to slow down and feel more natural for Thompson. It’s unclear how much production to expect from him, but when he last played during thee 2018-19 season, he was an NBA All-Star that averaged 21.5 points per game while knocking down over 40.2 percent of his ise-point attempts. 

Thompson was also one of the premier perimeter defenders in the entire NBA, often matching up with an opponents best player. Regardless of what he looks like for the remainder of the season, what is clear is that one of the greatest shooters in the history of the League is officially back. 

“This is only the beginning,” said Thompson as he walked to the locker room after the game.

“Tonight may be the most difficult game he plays in,” said Kerr postgame. “It’s so different from a playoff game. 941 days, with all that frustration and all that disappointment built-in over time, it’s going to be incredibly emotional for the rest of us, so I imagine what it would be like for Klay.”

The Warriors will take on the Grizzlies (28-14) Tuesday night as Thomson continues his return to NBA action. The emotional return couldn’t have gone better for the five-time All-Star and three-time NBA champion. 

The post Klay Thompson Shines in Highly Anticipated Return appeared first on SLAM.

There’s optimism Golden Warriors guard Klay Thompson will make his return vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, sources tell ESPN. A final decision is expected once the Warriors return from a two-game trip on Friday.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 3, 2022

The Warriors will reportedly be making their final decision on Friday after returning from their two-game trip. Per Sam Quinn of CBS Sports, when Thompson returns, Coach Steve Kerr will insert the sharpshooter into the starting lineup. As of December, Thompson’s main focus was conditioning so that he could be a high-minute starter with a “smaller role than he is used to.”

Thompson recently went viral after knocking down 24 straight three-pointers in practice on Sunday. The Warriors’ (28-7) next contest is against the Heat (23-14).

24 consecutive 3-pointers for Klay Thompson pic.twitter.com/VvhFubPkfq

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) January 2, 2022

The post REPORT: Optimism That Klay Thompson Will Return on Sunday appeared first on SLAM.

ESPN Sources: The Cavaliers have agreed to trade Denzel Valentine to the Lakers to acquire Rajon Rondo. The Lakers are expected to waive Valentine’s partially-guaranteed deal and create an open roster spot.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 31, 2021

The Cavs made the trade, hoping Rondo can replace the lost production of Ricky Rubio, who is out for the remainder of the season after suffering a torn ACL on Tuesday against the Pelicans. Rondo is reportedly eager for a chance to play a more significant role on the resurgent Cavaliers in the absence of Rubio. The two-time champion has reportedly been positive on the deal since the Lakers notified him of the option Thursday.

This is Rondo’s 16th season, and he’s currently averaging 3.1 points and 3.7 assists per game for the Lakers during his 16th season in the League. Since Sunday, he has been in health and safety protocols and will need to clear protocols before he joins the Cavs (20-14). The Cavs are currently fifth in the Eastern Conference.

The Lakers are expected to waive Valentine and create an open roster spot. Valentine has averaged 2.9 points over just 9.3 minutes per game for the Cavs this season after signing a two-year deal in September.

The post REPORT: Lakers Trade Rajon Rondo To Cavaliers appeared first on SLAM.

Cavaliers guard Ricky Rubio has suffered a season-ending ACL tear to his left knee, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 29, 2021

Rubio suffered the injury late in the fourth quarter against the Pelicans when he slipped and fell attempting to drive into the teeth of the New Orleans defense. Rubio walked off the floor with assistance after logging 27 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists in 37 minutes. Rubio tore the same knee ligament in his left knee as a rookie in the 2011-2012 season.

The Spanish guard has been a revelation in Cleveland, teaming up with Darius Garland to lead the Cavs to a 20-14 record. According to Matt Williams of ESPN, the Cavs have a +16.1 net efficiency when Rubio and Garland play together. This leads all two-man lineups that have played at least 500 minutes together.

Rubio averaged 13.1 points, 4.1 boards, and 6.6 dimes this season, tied for the most points he’s averaged in a season since the 2017-2018 season he played with the Utah Jazz.

The Cavs return to action on Thursday against the Wizards (17-17).

The post Ricky Rubio Out For the Remainder of the Season With a Torn ACL appeared first on SLAM.

Kevin Love has been the subject of trade rumors for years on the Cavs, but the recent winning culture has seen him happy with his situation.

When speaking with Evan Dammarell of Meta, Love said he was “having a lot of fun” with the young and improving Cavs team.

“I’m having a lot of fun. Really, it’s been a lot of fun watching this team grow. It’s so fun I’m losing track of games, I don’t even know what game we’re at now. I think sacrifice gives back more than the cost. … It’s joyous.”

The Cavs young squad has been rolling to start the year, sitting fourth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 17-12, just 3.5 games back of the 19-8, first-place Brooklyn Nets.

The surging Cavs are led by third-year guard Darius Garland, fourth-year big Jarrett Allen, and rookie center Evan Mobley, but Love’s contributions have also been significant. Love is coming off the bench this year, and in 21 games, he is averaging 11.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

Love is in his 14th season in the NBA and his eighth with the Cavs, playing in 759 career games, and has is a five-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection.

The post Kevin Love Says He’s ‘Having A Lot of Fun’ With Young Cavaliers Team appeared first on SLAM.

Two-time All-Star Isaiah Thomas has signed in the NBA G League and will play in the G League Showcase (Dec. 19-22) in Las Vegas, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Thomas is on the NBA comeback trail.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 11, 2021

While Thomas played for Team USA, he wanted to show that he could still play in the League via NBA.com.

“My ultimate goal is to play in the NBA as soon as possible,” Thomas, 32, told The Associated Press. “This allows me to compete against other professionals, represent my country at the same time — which is an honor and a privilege — and ultimately show NBA teams that I’m back to myself and I’m 100% healthy. That’s why I chose to come here. When Team USA brought it to me, it was a no-brainer.”

LET IT FLY, ISAIAH!!

IT with the clutch shot during the @FIBAWC qualifiers. (via @USABasketball) pic.twitter.com/zsjsI6ooAI

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 29, 2021

The G League Showcase invites eight teams to play in a single-elimination tournament. The NBA usually sends scouts and executives to evaluate the players. Several players have used the tournament to get back in the NBA, which Isaiah hopes will happen to him.

The past four seasons have been tough for Isaiah Thomas since his Boston Celtics tenure that nabbed him two All-Star appearances. Since being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017, he has played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards, and New Orleans Pelicans. He had two workouts with the Dallas Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors this past offseason with no luck.

The post REPORT: Isaiah Thomas to Play in G League Showcase to Spur Comeback appeared first on SLAM.

Shumpert and his partner Daniella Karagach performed a freestyle set to Missy Elliot’s “Lose Control” and “Bounce” by DJ Cent. The duo killed it wowing the judges which resulted in a perfect score of 40 and a shoutout from Julianna Hough who said it was her favorite freestyle she’s seen.

Winning isn’t new for Shumpert who won an NBA Championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers back in 2016 in seven games against the Golden State Warrior. The Oak Park native recently played a stint for the Brooklyn Nets back in January.

After receiving the Mirror Ball trophy, Shumpert spoke to Entertainment Tonight about the work that was put in to receive to secure the price:

“Hats off to the work that we put in,” Shumpert says per Entertainment Tonight. “I think me and Dani set our mind to that when we got that 40, that we don’t want to just to drop off now and just steam out of the competition. I think we just put in a lot of hours and when it was time to perform, it got easy.”

After the electric performance congratulations were in order and even Missy Elliot herself took to Twitter to praise the dynamic duo after their big win:

Earlier in the season of DWTS Shumpert foreshadowed the big win putting an emphasis on being a champion:

“I’m a very competitive person. I want the Mirror Ball. I’m a champion, man. That’s what I do.”

The post Iman Shumpert Becomes First NBA Player to Win Dancing With The Stars appeared first on SLAM.

Sexton has been a major contributor for the Cavs to this point in the season, helping them earn a record of 9-8. However, his season will now be cut short. 

As first reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Sexton will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery on left meniscus tear.

This is a huge blow to Cleveland, who will be losing a dynamic scorer in the final year of his current contract. Through 11 games this season, Sexton averaged 16.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists. 

This summer will be interesting for the 22-year-old, as he’ll ink a new contract, whether with the Cavaliers or another team. 

The post REPORT: Cavs Guard Collin Sexton to Miss Remainder of Season appeared first on SLAM.

pic.twitter.com/fg6dOfJZBI

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) November 16, 2021

Mobley injured himself in the third quarter trying to make a play on the ball while inadvertently being hit in the elbow by Enes Kanter. The incident ended a one-point, 0-11 shooting performance in Cleveland’s 98-92 loss to the Boston Celtics.

In his emergence, Evan Mobley has surprised some as possibly the top rookie in the League for a much improved Cleveland Cavaliers (9-6) team. He ranks second amongst all rookies in scoring and rebounding, averaging 14.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.6 blocked shots, and 2.5 assists while leading rookies in blocks and double-doubles.

Your NBA Rookie of the Year through 14 games, Evan Mobley. Over his last 5 games: 19.6 PTS, 7.4 REBS, 2.2 AST, 1.8 BLK, 1.0 STL, 62% from 2, 43% from 3 and wins over the Celtics, Knicks, Raptors and Pistons. 20 years old yet impacting winning all over the court already. pic.twitter.com/7Zze7IlB21

— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) November 14, 2021

Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff clarified what he expected of his team after Mobley’s injury announcement via Yahoo! Sports. 

” Everybody’s got to do their part,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said per Yahoo! Sports, Tuesday, shortly after news of Mobley’s injury was released. “We’re obviously down him, but we’re down other bodies, and that’s the NBA. In 82 games, at some point in time, everybody’s going to get an opportunity, and everybody’s just got to step up and do a little bit more. We can’t expect one person to replace Evan or Collin or Kevin or Lauri or any of these guys who have been out. It’s got to be a group where everybody does a little bit more to fill that gap.”

The first game that Evan Mobley will miss will be against the Brooklyn Nets (10-5).

The post Cavaliers Lottery Pick Evan Mobley Out 2-4 weeks Due To Elbow Sprain appeared first on SLAM.

The improved record compared to the teams 3-8 start at this same point last season is primarily due to first-year head coach Wes Unseld Jr. bringing out the best of the Wiz on defense—they rank fourth in the League in defensive rating—and a balanced supporting cast and bench mob that looks to have made life easier for Bradley Beal.

One other significant factor in the Wizards’ fast start is the play of Kyle Kuzma, who is averaging 14.1 points and 9.1 boards on 43.4 percent shooting from the field. 

During Wednesday’s 97-94 win over the Cavaliers (7-5), Kuzma played a significant role in the victory, scoring 22 points and grabbing five rebounds. Kuzma made his biggest contributions in the fourth quarter, knocking down four three-pointers, including a wide-open bucket from the corner to cement the Wizards dub.

Kyle Kuzma’s 4th three of the 4th quarter WINS IT for the @WashWizards! pic.twitter.com/T4MhNm71se

— NBA (@NBA) November 11, 2021

Not only did the Wizards forward have a memorable performance, but he also made time to clap back at a Cavs fan who held up a sign that read: ‘LeBron Won Kuzma His RIng.” The trolling sign was apparently enough to poke the proverbial bear and seemed to have provided some motivation for Kuzma who was the subject of the Cavs fans jaw jacking.

“There was some hecklers during the game talking to me,” Kuzma said via CBS Sports. “… They had a sign that said ‘LeBron won Kuzma his ring.’ I said ‘without LeBron, Cleveland wouldn’t be sh–.’ They choose violence, I just kept going. They were talking too much. Unnecessary.” 

pic.twitter.com/p26dEu3nTT

— TO (@Tommy_Olesky) November 11, 2021

The Wizards and Kuzma are thriving beyond the expectations of many with a stellar record, and return to the court Saturday on the road against the Magic (3-9).

The post Kyle Kuzma Claps Back at Troll After Lifting Wizards to Win Over the Cavs appeared first on SLAM.

Yet in a matchup with the now 6-4 New York Knicks that saw star guard Collin Sexton go down in the first half with a left knee injury, backup point guard Ricky Rubio took over the reins.

Rubio returned in kind, dropping a career-high 37 points off the pine, shooting a scintillating 8-9 from three and 13-19 shooting from the field, casually slicing and dicing the Knicks defense for 10 dimes.

Rubio’s 26 second-half points propelled the Cavaliers to their fourth straight win, positioning themselves in 6th in the Eastern Conference standings. According to StatMuse, Rubio became the first player in NBA history to record at least 30 points and 10 assists while making eight threes off the bench.

RICKY RUBIO HAS A CAREER-HIGH 37 POINTS! #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/Ma6XebWYXX

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) November 8, 2021

Rubio’s memorable night may have also overshadowed a highlight for Cavaliers fans, Evan Mobley posting possibly his best game to date. In 36 minutes of action, Mobley recorded 26 points, 9 rebounds, and five assists while shooting 11-15 from the field.

With star guard Collin Sexton being sidelined for the near future with a meniscus tear in his left knee, Rubio will have plenty more chances to lift the hearts of Cavalier fans across the nation with a Wednesday matchup against the Wizards.

The post Ricky Rubio Drops Career-High 37 in Cavaliers 126-109 Win Over the Knicks appeared first on SLAM.

Sexton went down with the knee injury during the second quarter and didn’t return. League insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported that there is no immediate timetable for the Young Bull to return.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton suffered a torn meniscus to his left knee, team says. No immediate timetable on a return, more testing to come, but expect Sexton to have an extended absence from 7-4 Cavs.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 8, 2021

The 22-year-old guard has been durable in his first three seasons, missing just 12 games last season after playing every game during his first two years with the Cavs. Sexton is averaging 16.0 points, 2.1 dimes, and 3.3 boards on 45.3 percent shooting. The numbers are his lowest nearly across the board since his rookie year.

The injury comes during a contract year for Sexton, who was unable to negotiate a contract extension with the Cavs front office. However, because Sexton will be a restricted free agent, the franchise still has the right to match any offer sheet he signs during the free agency period. He was also reportedly involved in trade rumors just before the season started.

Just texted with a former #NBA executive. He had some intriguing things to say. First a note on Collin Sexton and #Cavs.

“Cleveland had multiple good offers on the table for Sexton. I don’t think we’ve heard the last of that. Around the trade deadline, I think it picks back up.” pic.twitter.com/iC7eGaMIx5

— Evan Massey (@massey_evan) October 5, 2021

On Wednesday, the Cavs return to the court, playing against the Wizards (7-3) at home.

The post Collin Sexton Out Indefinitely With a Torn Meniscus appeared first on SLAM.

Cleveland’s Lauri Markkanen has entered Health and Safety Protocols, team says.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 3, 2021

This marks the second player on Cleveland’s roster to enter health and safety protocols in the past week after Kevin Love entered the same protocols on Monday. Both forwards will be out indefinitely and not be allowed to be around the team per Chris Fedor. Markkanen’s quarantine will be the fourth the League has seen this week after Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday and Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris underwent protocols earlier this week as well.

Per Wojnarowski, players who test positive have two avenues toward being reinstated; waiting 10 days post the first positive test or passing consecutive negative PCR tests 24 hours apart. Players who exhibit symptoms must also pass cardiac testing upon their return to the court and respective organizations.

Markkanen is currently averaging 12.9 points and 5.9 rebounds in just eight games so far this season.

The Cavs (4-4) will take on the Portland Trail Blazers (3-4) on Wednesday.

The post Lauri Markkanen Enters Health and Safety Protocols appeared first on SLAM.

Cavaliers’ Kevin Love has entered health and safety protocols and is expected to miss several games, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Love is averaging 9.9 points and 7.3 rebounds this season.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 1, 2021

This latest bout with adversity couldn’t have come at a stranger time for Love, who reportedly has no interest in a buyout despite the youth movement taking over the franchise. The Cavs are off to a 3-4 start since deciding to emphasize the development of their younger players.

That includes the decision to start seven-footer Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen next to Lauri Markkanen over Love. While coming off the bench for the first time since his second year with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Love has put up 9.9 points and 7.3 boards per game.

With Love set to make roughly $60 million over the next two seasons, the Cavs have yet to find a suitable partner to facilitate a trade for the five-time All-Star. It’s unclear what Cavs GM Koby Altman is asking for but the latest trade rumor came from the Hoops Wire’s Sam Amico, who reported that the Denver Nuggets have “displayed trade interest” in him.

By the time Love will hit free agency in 2023, he will be turning 35 by the time and entering the 15th season of his career.

The post REPORT: Kevin Love ‘Expected to Miss Several Games’ After Entering Health and Safety Protocols appeared first on SLAM.

Mobley tallied an impressive stat line of a career-high 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting along with 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.

Another nice night for @evanmobley in LA

23 PTS (10-16 FG)
6 REB
3 AST
2 STL pic.twitter.com/56fXJZrHj4

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) October 30, 2021

Mobley’s competitiveness from both ends of the floor has impressed former Cavaliers superstar LeBron James, who had some strong words on how good Mobley can be via NBA.com.

“He’s going to be a damn good basketball player in this League, Cleveland has a good one,” James said. “They’ve done a good job over the years in the draft, I’ll say.”

Mobley entered Friday’s matchup against the Lakers with averages of 13.8 points and 8.6 rebounds with a solid shooting percentage of 50 percent. His play continues to win over the Cavaliers with strong work habits with two double-doubles and strong rim protection. He’s currently ranked 14th in the NBA in blocks.

Mobley stressed that even though he is progressing well, he still has work to do.

“I feel like I’m getting adjusted to the NBA pretty fast,” Mobley said. “I’m catching on to a lot of things. I feel like as I play more and more games, I’m going to get better and more acclimated. I feel like I’m ahead of schedule so far.”

Mobley and the Cavaliers play the Charlotte Hornets on the road on Monday November 1st.

The post LeBron James Says Evan Mobley is Going to Be ‘Damn Good’ in the NBA appeared first on SLAM.

According to Cavaliers reporter Evan Dammarell, the Oklahoma City Thunder organization have said that the team is “intrigued” by the possibility of a backcourt featuring Sexton and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Negotiations for an extension reportedly fell through with Sexton and the Cavs, but Sexton has shown to be an exciting young guard in the League.

In just three seasons, plus one game this year, Sexton has accumulated a career average of 20.2 points and 3.4 assists per game while knocking down 38.5 percent of his career three-pointers. Sexton picked up where he left off to start this season, dropping 17 points in the Cavs season-opening loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Pairing Sexton alongside Gilgeous-Alexander is an intriguing combo. Gilgeous-Alexander’s ability to attack the basket and create shots for his teammates could open up Sexton for more opportunities to do what he does best, shoot.

The post REPORT: Oklahoma City Thunder ‘Intrigued’ With Adding Collin Sexton appeared first on SLAM.

Sexton, whose name was swirling heavily in the rumor mill earlier this offseason with reports that the Cavs were looking to trade him, has had a roller coaster ride in his time in Cleveland. As a rookie, his teammates were reportedly frustrated with his play and, though some of the criticism was indeed valid, Sexton has steadily improved while becoming the team’s most consistent volume scorer since being drafted.

In fact, Sexton’s career scoring average (20.2) ranks third in his draft class (2018), only behind star guards Luka Doncic and Trae Young. His career 3-point percentage (38.5) ranks fifth in his draft class.

That being said, Sexton’s problem areas (passing and defense) have been a thorn in the side of Cleveland, a franchise already lacking consistent playmaking and perimeter defense.

Though Sexton’s work ethic and improvement to this point could make nearly anyone believe in him, from purely a business perspective, finding the exact amount that Sexton should be paid could come down to what they see from him during their 2021-22 campaign.

Fortunately for Sexton, players like Michael Porter Jr.—another player valued for his offensive contributions with work to put forth in other areas of the game—have received max contracts that should give him a reasonable case to expect the same.

If Sexton has improved as a ball-mover and savvy defender, chances are that he’ll command top dollar regardless.

The post REPORT: Collin Sexton Fails to Reach Extension with Cavs, Will Become RFA in 2022 appeared first on SLAM.

A league source said the Timberwolves, Pacers, Cavaliers, Pistons, Raptors and Spurs are still inquiring about Ben Simmons’ availability.

Simmons vs. Sixers: An inside look at a messy NBA divorce https://t.co/pF1YNcWHBK via @phillyinquirer

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) October 2, 2021

The Minnesota Timberwolves, who are reportedly unwilling to give up Karl Anthony-Towns or Anthony Edwards in any deal for Simmons, as well as Indiana Pacers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors and the San Antonio Spurs have all reached out to the Sixers in hopes for a potential deal. There were earlier rumors about a deal with Golden State but Warriors owner Joe Lacob questioned Simmons’ fit on the team.

The next chapter of this ongoing story comes Monday, when the 76ers open up their preseason with a matchup against the Raptors. The team already has held $8.25 million of Simmons’ salary on October 1st. If Simmons misses Monday’s game, he faces a fine of roughly $227,000 and will continue for every game he is not present going forward.

Simmons averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game for the Sixers last year. His second place finish in the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year voting showcased the two way talents that helped him make his third-straight All-Star appearance.

The post REPORT: Six Teams Have Inquired About the Availability of Ben Simmons appeared first on SLAM.

Guy becomes one of four training camp invites, along with center Tacko Fall and guards RJ Nembhard and Mitch Ballock.

#Cavs have signed Kyle Guy to a training camp deal, sources tell @clevelanddotcom. He will compete for a two-way spot.

— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) September 27, 2021

Guy was a 2019 second-round pick who last played for the Sacramento appearing in 31 games last season, averaging 2.8 points in 7.6 minutes per contest. Despite playing limited games with the Kings, Guy was successful in the early part of his professional career with the Stockton Kings of the G League, where he averaged 21.5 points and shot 40 percent from behind the three-point line.

The Cavs held their Media Day on Monday and started training camp Tuesday.

The post REPORT: Cavaliers Ink Guard Kyle Guy to Training Camp Deal appeared first on SLAM.

In a subsequent move, the Cavs are waiving guard Damyean Dotson, per The Athletic’s Kelsey Russo.

Valentine, selected by the Chicago Bulls with the 14th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, has had an up-and-down career filled with highs like a 34-point outing (against the Cavaliers) and lows like major surgeries to his left knee and left ankle.

Perhaps Valentine trying to get back into rhythm following surgeries and in pandemic-shortened seasons (as well as offseasons) is what’s led to his regression as a perimeter shooter since the 2017-18 season, when he shot a career-high 38.6 percent from 3-point range. He’s only shot 33.2 percent from 3-point range since then.

However, playing beside savvy playmakers like Darius Garland, Ricky Rubio, Evan Mobley and Kevin Love could provide Valentine with the type of clean looks he needs while players like Mobley, Isaac Okoro and Lamar Stevens have the potential to take the pressure off of him defensively.

He’ll also reunite with sharpshooting power forward Lauri Markkanen, who the Cavs recently acquired in a sign-and-trade.

Meanwhile, Dotson’s release will come as a surprise to many.

Although he shot a career-low 28.9 percent from 3-point range in 2020-21 (while shooting a combined 36.6 percent from deep in the two previous seasons), he was miscast in a combo guard role.

Just 27-years-old himself, Dotson’s playing career is far from over.

The post REPORT: Cavs Sign Denzel Valentine to Two-Year Deal, Waive Damyean Dotson appeared first on SLAM.

According to Bobby Marks of ESPN, Cleveland is signing veteran guard Kevin Pangos to a two-year contract worth $3.5 million total. The first year is reportedly fully guaranteed for $1.67 million through a portion of their Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception.

After entering the 2015 NBA Draft, Pangos went undrafted out of Gonzaga. He’s made quite a few appearances with NBA teams in summer league, but has never actually touched the floor in a regular season game. 

For the first time in his basketball career, Pangos will now have that opportunity on his first full-time NBA deal. 

Just 28 years old, he’s spent the past half decade in Europe. Most recently, Pangos averaged 13.5 points and 6.6 assists for Zenit Saint Petersburg, earning All-EuroLeague honors. 

The post Cleveland Cavaliers Sign Guard Kevin Pangos To Two-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, free agents Garrison Mathews and Denzel Valentine both have interest in joining the Cavs before the start of the season.

Mathews is a 24-year-old sharp-shooter coming off his second season in the NBA. Mathews has played in 82 NBA games, 64 last year, with an average of 5.5 points per game and a 38.9 field goal percentage from three-point range.

Valentine is a former first-round draft pick out of Michigan State, coming off four seasons in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls. Valentine has played in 223 career games and has career averages of 7.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.

The Cavs have already made quite a few moves this offseason, drafting Evan Mobley in the NBA Draft, trading away Larry Nance Jr. in a sign-and-trade to acquire Lauri Markkanen and trading for Ricky Rubio and giving center Jarrett Allen a five-year $100 million contract extension.

The Cavs are coming off another tough season, finishing 13th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 22-50.

The post REPORT: Cleveland Cavaliers Eyeing Garrison Mathews, Denzel Valentine appeared first on SLAM.

According to Marc Stein, the Cavaliers are continuing to keep their hat in the ring to try to pry Simmons from Philadelphia. 

It’s unclear exactly what Cleveland would offer, but you’d have to assume Collin Sexton would be part of the package. Either way, the Sixers have had an extremely high asking price for Simmons to this point. 

Last season, Simmons averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game. With a ton of young talent, the Cavaliers would only raise their ceiling if they were able to acquire the three-time NBA All-Star. 

While there’s a chance the Sixers carry Simmons into the start of next season, it’s likely that they’ll continue to shop him even more aggressively over the next few weeks. 

The post Cavaliers Continue To Monitor Ben Simmons Situation With Sixers appeared first on SLAM.

The hesitance behind offering Fall, who is 7’5″ and 311 pounds, anything outside of a training camp deal at this point is understandable given his relative lack of NBA experience.

Over the past two seasons, Fall has only logged 169 total minutes in the regular season, spending the majority of his time developing with the Boston Celtics’ G League affiliate (the Maine Red Claws).

With the Red Claws, who opted out of the 2020-21 G League season, Fall has played a grand total of 677 minutes in 29 games (including 11 starts). In that time, the Senegal native averaged 12.9 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in just 23.3 minutes per game, a testament to his dominance.

Not the most lithe or explosive athlete, Fall nonetheless knows how to use his physical advantages on both ends to make his impact felt. Fall, whose size obviously makes him an easy target for inside passes, also possesses decent footwork and touch on the outside. As determined a rebounder as he is a shot-blocker, Fall may be quite useful for the Cavs.

Although Cleveland already has Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley ready to play minutes at center, and players like Kevin Love and Lauri Markkanen capable of playing the position, Allen is the team’s only true center; while Mobley and Markkanen lack the strength, Love lacks the length at 6’8.”

That’s Fall’s in, along with his intangibles, as he quickly endeared himself to the Celtics fan base with his relatability and innocent demeanor. On a young team sure to have it’s share of growing pains in a tough season, having players who aren’t just beneficial to the team on the court but in the locker room as well is important.

The post REPORT: Cavs Sign Center Tacko Fall to 1-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Over the weekend, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Love has no interest in a buyout, taking that option out of the picture as well. 

With that in mind, Cleveland might have to get creative on how they part ways with Love. To make things worse, Sam Amico of HoopsWire reported that Love wishes he had been traded to Portland in the recent three-team deal that brought Lauri Markkanen to the Cavaliers. 

At age 32, Love could still contribute to a contender if he found his way to a team ready to make a deep playoff push. He hasn’t played 60 games in a season since 2016, but could be a key piece if he’s able to stay healthy. 

The post Kevin Love Has No Interest In Buyout With Cavaliers appeared first on SLAM.

OFFICIAL: #Cavs hire Sidney Lowe as Assistant Coach.

DETAILS: https://t.co/lDVRq5rHMT pic.twitter.com/b7cJvtbfT4

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) August 26, 2021

Lowe has been an assistant with the Detroit Pistons for the last three seasons. J.B. Bickerstaff talked about the assets that Lowe brings to his staff via NBA.com.

“Sidney brings a wealth of coaching experience and familiarity to our staff. He is a great teacher of the game and his ability to build lasting relationships across the board is integral to the growth of our overall culture here in Cleveland. Sidney also brings all of the character traits we value as a human being – loyalty, trust and integrity. I look forward to working with him and building something special together with our young and talented roster.”

Lowe’s is most well known for being the starting point guard on North Carolina State’s ’83 NCAA title team led by the late Jimmy Valvano that pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Final Four history.

Sidney then played four seasons in the League, where he averaged 2.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.

He began his coaching career with the Minnesota Timberwolves in ’92 as an assistant coach under then-head coach Jimmy Rodgers. After Rodgers was fired, he was promoted to head coach midway through the ’92-93 season and stayed through the end of the 1993-94 season. After serving as an assistant coach in Cleveland and Minnesota, Lowe was the head coach for the then-Vancouver Grizzlies for three years.

Lowe also coached at his alma mater for before returning to the NBA with the the Utah Jazz.

The post Sidney Lowe Returns To the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Coaching Staff appeared first on SLAM.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Cleveland will send prized forward Larry Nance Jr. to the Blazers in return, while the Portland Trail Blazers will send forward Derrick Jones Jr., a protected first-round pick and a protected 2023 second-round pick (via the Denver Nuggets) to Chicago.

With the Cavs the stars of the show in this deal, it makes sense to focus on what the trade means for them, particularly with Markkanen’s contract indicating a significant role in Cleveland’s rotation.

Nance provided the Cavs with a defensive-minded forward who could wreak havoc in passing lanes with his length but found himself at a physical disadvantage against larger players at 6’7.”

Despite this, Nance was also developing on the offensive end. Already a sound decision-maker as a passer and an excellent leaper who routinely made above-the-rim highlight plays, Nance was making strides as an outside shooter (36.0 percent from 3-point range last season) and ball-handler, often playing a quasi-point-forward role with Cleveland.

He’ll now bring those skills to the Blazers, who finished 29th in defensive rating last season (116.0).

Jones will join the Bulls as a defensive-minded forward, although his shooting development is behind the latter’s (31.6 percent from 3-point range last season). The Bulls, who traded versatile veteran forward Thaddeus Young to the San Antonio Spurs this offseason and will need to a player with a similar skillset to help compensate for Nikola Vucevic and DeMar DeRozan’s defensive limitations.

To that point, Markannen’s defensive reputation isn’t stellar. That matters less so on the Cavs, who have an above-average defensive frontcourt with Isaac Okoro, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen starting, and second-year forward Lamar Stevens likely to receive minutes with the second unit as well.

However, what will make all the difference for the Cavs is Markkanen’s combination of height (7’0″), shooting ability (36.6 percent from three for his career) and guard skill, as he compliments a frontcourt lacking dependable shooting outside of Dean Wade and Kevin Love (a buyout candidate).

The post Cavs Complete Sign-and-Trade for Lauri Markkanen with Bulls, Blazers appeared first on SLAM.

The start to the Las Vegas Summer League has been everything Houston fans have been waiting for, and more. The No. 2 overall pick in this years draft, Jalen Green, just showed out in his Summer League debut, dropping 23 points and five boards while shooting a clean 9-for-18 from the field and 44.4 percent from beyond the arc.

certified bucket. but we already knew that.@JalenGreen x #GLeagueAlum pic.twitter.com/6lEgDcp8fV

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) August 9, 2021

If you’ve been a fan of Green’s game as long as we have, you already know about his lethal step-back game. Cleveland Cavaliers forward Lamar Stevens was not as familiar with his bag, however, as Green connected a flurry of size-ups into a corner step-back that sent Rockets Twitter into a frenzy.

that Jalen Green stepback you heard about pic.twitter.com/wvgNGgnJxc

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) August 8, 2021

In the end, the Rockets snagged an 84-76 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in their first matchup in Vegas and Houston’s 2021 Draft class of Green, Josh Christopher and Alperen Sengun shined in Vegas. Christopher dropped 13 while Sengun poured in 15 points and pulled down 15 boards. Second-year forward Kenyon Martin Jr. dropped 17 on 7-for-15 shooting from the field.

The post Jalen Green Drops 23 in His Summer League Debut appeared first on SLAM.

Turning 33 years old next week, he also can’t stay healthy, appearing in just 103 games combined over the past three NBA seasons.

According to Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, buyout discussions haven’t occurred to this point in the offseason. Rather, Cleveland has already spoken to Kevin Love about his role and minutes moving forward, which could include coming off of the bench considering the young core the team has built out. 

Love hasn’t made an All-Star team since the 2017-18 season and is coming off of the worst year of his career. Last season, he averaged just 12.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. 

As the offseason continues, the Love situation could change, but for now it appears he will be part of the team’s plans for the 2021-22 season. 

The post Cavaliers Haven’t Yet Discussed Kevin Love Buyout appeared first on SLAM.

Allen, 23-years-old, was acquired by the Cavs in January as part of a four-team trade headlined by the Houston Rockets and All-NBA guard James Harden.

In the deal, Cleveland only had to surrender guard Dante Exum, a 2022 first-round pick (to the Rockets) and a 2024 second-round pick (to the Brooklyn Nets) while acquiring Allen and forward Taurean Prince (since traded in a package for veteran playmaker Ricky Rubio).

Last season, Allen continued to emerge as one of the league’s better shot-blockers after posting at least three blocks in 10 games and at least one block in 51 contests. By the end of his 2020-21 campaign, Allen amassed career-highs of 12.8 points and 10.0 rebounds per game (while averaging 1.0 block per game as well).

Allen’s chemistry with Cavs fan favorite Darius Garland is also likely another reason for his return, as the duo managed to establish a consistent and impressive connection in their short time together.

The post REPORT: Jarrett Allen Agrees to Five-Year, $100 Contract with Cavs appeared first on SLAM.

Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer reported on Thursday that both the Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors have expressed ‘significant trade interest’ in the No. 3 overall pick owned by the Cavaliers.

The Magic are slated to select at No. 5 and No. 8 within the lottery while the Raptors are slotted at No. 4 overall. Each of these teams certainly have the assets to move up a spot or two to get the prospect they really want, but it will come down to what Cleveland’s asking price is to do so.

With the third overall pick, the teams moving up would likely be looking to take Jalen Green or Evan Mobley, depending on who doesn’t get taken second overall. While there likely will be many draft picks traded next week, most of these transactions won’t happen until the night of the actual event.

The post Magic, Raptors Among Teams Looking To Acquire Third Pick From Cavaliers appeared first on SLAM.

According to Sam Amico of Hoops Wire, the Cavaliers will try to move Kevin Love in a trade this summer. He reported that potential Love suitors include the Pelicans, 76ers, Heat, Clippers and Trail Blazers.

Last season Love had the worst year of his career, averaging 12.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while shooting 36.5 percent from deep. 

Love will spend part of the offseason with Team USA in the Tokyo Olympics as they look to win the gold medal. 

The post Cavaliers Could Have Several Suitors For Kevin Love appeared first on SLAM.

The roster, which features some of the most young and promising players in professional basketball, will be coached by Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, Gonzaga University head coach Mark Few and Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Jamahl Mosley.

A roster of 13 young @nba standouts & 4 veteran players with international experience make up the 2021 USA Men’s Select Team that will train with #USABMNT July 6-9.

— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) July 1, 2021

The roster features seven rookies from the 2020 NBA Draft class in Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Saddiq Bey (Detroit Pistons), Tyrese Haliburton (Sacramento Kings), Immanuel Quickley (New York Knicks), Isaiah Stewart (Detroit Pistons), Patrick Williams (Chicago Bulls) and Obi Toppin (New York Knicks).

Sophomores and three-year pros Miles Bridges (Charlotte Hornets), Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers), Tyler Herro (Miami Heat), Keldon Johnson (San Antonio Spurs), Naz Reid (Minnesota Timberwolves), P.J. Washington , (Charlotte Hornets) enter the mix as well, giving the US Select Team an intriguing stable of talent.

Four players on the roster—John Jenkins (Bilbao Basket, Italy), Cam Reynolds, Josh Magette (Darüşşafaka Tekfen, Turkey) and Dakota Mathias— all have NBA experience, and currently either play overseas or are unsigned.

Managing Director of Team USA Basketball Jerry Colangelo noted he felt confident in the program’s selection of the aforementioned players.

“This USA Select Team continues the legacy established by previous Select teams of helping prepare our USA National Team for the Tokyo Olympic Games,” said Colangelo, USA Basketball Men’s National Team managing director.

“With all the uncertainty of how many of our Olympic Team members will be available for the USA training camp because of the overlap with the NBA Finals, we chose a USA Select Team consisting of many of the top young NBA players and four players who not only own international experience, but who played recently for USA Basketball in important national team qualifying competitions.

If we need to add players to fill out our roster for any of our exhibition games, we feel this USA Select Team has an excellent variety of skilled players to choose from.”

Since the USA Basketball Men’s National Team program was developed in 2006, there have been six Select Teams fostered to help with preparation for events (2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2021.)

The inaugural roster featured then up-and-coming players such as Andre Iguodala, Al Jefferson, David Lee and J.J. Redick.

Team USA’s Select Team begins their Olympic journey on July 25, where they will be competing in the Group A bracket.

The post Team USA Select Team Roster Announced for Tokyo Olympics appeared first on SLAM.

While the future of Sexton has been a hot topic of conversation around the league recently with the idea that he could be traded, he believes his future still lies in Cleveland. 

According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, sources close to Sexton “have the impression” that he “is part of the long-term plans” of the Cavaliers.

Theoretically, the Cavaliers don’t have to make the Sexton decision immediately and could wait until he enters restricted free agency in 2022. 

Last season, the former No. 8 overall pick averaged 24.3 points, 4.4 assists and 3.1 rebounds per contest. 

The post Collin Sexton Under Impression He’s Part Of Cleveland’s Long-Term Plans appeared first on SLAM.

People think like, y’all gotta understand, it was five of us like 20 and under. So everybody is literally—we all at the starting point. We all right here. We at the starting point for the race of our careers. So everybody tryna get out the blocks, you feel me?“

In 2000, the Los Angeles Clippers made a landmark decision by drafting East St. Louis High School forward Darius Miles with the third overall pick in the draft. In a trend that had become increasingly popular after the success of players like Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady, Miles became the highest-drafted high school player in NBA history.

Fifteen picks later, the Clippers would take DePaul wing Quentin Richardson, setting themselves up with a young and dynamic roster that also featured Lamar Odom (the fourth overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft) and former 13th overall pick Corey Maggette.

Once Elton Brand entered the fold, the Clippers looked to be a team on the rise, built for sustainable success.

Unfortunately for the Clippers, Los Angeles and the NBA, a front office led by the late Elgin Baylor opted to trade Miles and Odom before the young team could dig in and reach their full potential, prompting Richardson’s own early exit.

While the eventual addition of players like Sam Cassell and Chris Kaman allowed the Clippers to briefly regain their footing, it wouldn’t be until nearly 10 years after they lost the promising Miles and Richardson that they regained their footing.

Cognizant of the reputation that follows the franchise and the duo’s short-lived era with them, Q-Rich and D-Miles got up with us to look back. In an interview with SLAM, the lifelong friends discuss their time with the Clippers, the current NBA landscape, and how their time in the NBA transformed them off-the-court.

SLAM: What do you think about the less high-profile teams showing out—guys like Trae Young getting to show what they got on the national stage?

DM: I think it’s the generation change. It’s time for a new generation, you got a new generation of superstars. Like, people forget LeBron James is 36. He just went to the Finals for a decade! You gotta, you know—he got bout two-to-three more years left—so now we gotta see some more faces in those positions and that’s what we’re seeing in Trae Young and Devin Booker and all these other teams that’s in it.

I think it’s just the generation change. We’re in a new era.

SLAM: I just read something where Q-Rich was talking when y’all guys came into the league with the Clippers, y’all felt like y’all had to represent for the youth, to be that new generation. So do you see anything in any of these young guys that reminds you of yourselves in any way?

DM: Kinda all of ’em ’cause all of ’em are young. All of ’em young like us. We was the only ones; we were sort of the only ones. We was the only team that had five-to-six guys that’s under 21-years-old. You know what I’m saying? Like, this has never been done before. So we were the first of the era. But looking at the era now, you got guys that’s 23 and under and they All-Stars.

QR: Everywhere!

DM: [Laughing] They the top scorers in the league. They the top rebounders. Like these guys are young and it’s looking like us. So everybody look like they kiddish, you know? They celebrating. They play a lot. Like, everybody kinds look like us ’cause they a bunch of young guys.

QR: The two—the teams—I would agree with what D is sayin’ as far as across the league, it’s so many young players is just doing it big and killin’ and, like he said, being All-Stars and borderline superstars and superstars. But the team that I looked at and when I look at them and say man they kind of remind me of us as a young team—even though they had more success than us—I kind of look at the Memphis Grizzlies.

They got a real young core. It’s not like—even though there’s young guys sprinkled across—it’s not really a team. Maybe them and Sacramento. Sacramento a little bit too with their youth and the way they got a bunch of young guys that’s like—even though they haven’t yielded the total success—they have really exciting players and they play hard and they go out there and do their thing as young guys.

SLAM: Speaking of the Clippers still—y’all had [Corey] Maggette, [Elton] Brand—y’all had, you know, talented guys. What do you think contributed to you guys not being able to be a playoff team like the Hawks or the Grizzlies?

QR: Just us not staying together. Like, we didn’t keep the core together. We succeeded. What people don’t realize—they be like man, we got killed—that really ain’t the story. Like, when we got there they won 17 out of 82 before we got there. So our first year we won 31 games. Then our next year we won 39 games. We was two games out the playoffs our second year. Then our third year, I left. Lamar [Odom] left. They kind of blew up the whole team.

So we had success. It was on our way to success but we ain’t get a chance to really kind of stick together and get a good three—like a good four years—of it. I don’t think people realize really how that was. People think like, y’all gotta understand, it was five of us like 20 and under. So everybody is literally at the—we all at the starting point—we all right here. We at the starting point for the race of our careers. So everybody tryna get out the blocks, you feel me?

So it wasn’t like—as much as we was homies, all friends, all bros, and we grown and we still got those relationships—man those first 1-2 years were some of the most competitive years you would have ever saw because we didn’t all get to play. That’s why people used to see us get in in garbage time—whenever, it didn’t matter—it was time to do yo’ shit. You know what I’m sayin’? That was it, point blank because we didn’t know. We was all at the starting point, so we looking at—maybe D-Miles getting all the success right now—we all looking like, “man we want to play, we want to play.”

So we totally support him—you see it in the clips, any time he do anything, all us jumping up and down and vice versa. If any of us do anything, they all—we all—cheer for each other. But it was like, at that time, [Alvin] Gentry wasn’t playing us and I talked to Coach about this like once I played for him in the future and all of that and I know him. It was like, he wasn’t playing all of us.

He had made a decision that, “well, okay, if Q plays, Corey can’t play.”

“If Corey play, Q can’t play.”

You know what I’m saying? D-Miles is playing just because he was in that Sixth Man role and he can play damn near any position. But then Keyon [Dooling] might not play because J-Mac (Jeff McInnis) playing.

DM: Yeah, Earl Boykins played sometimes.

QR: So it was like when we got out there it didn’t matter how much time was left, it didn’t matter what was going on. We had to show our worth. So that’s why you saw what you saw.

You saw boys going out there going crazy hard, trying to dunk on people, D-Miles crossin’ people, Keyon “Smitty”-ing people, you seeing everybody’s specialty moves because that’s what you say:

“Aye when you get out there, do your special move.”

DM: Do your special move. Do what you do.

Like I said, people at it and look back on it and you gotta really dialogue it and see, we had success… We just got on a team that was at the bottom of the barrel. Like, you know what I’m saying? We won 15 extra games than what they did when they had veterans.

Because they had [Maurice] Traylor on this team. They had Lamar on this team. They had all these guys—these veteran guys on this team—and they came in brought basically a high school and college kids on this team and we win 15 more games than what they won last year. We add another eight games we won the previous [year] and we was two games out the playoffs.

So the next year, it was etched in stone that we were finna do it. Like the second year we put Elton in the All-Star Game, you know what I’m saying? We was comin’!

QR: Everybody got paid from that court too.

DM: Yeah. We was comin’ but we only played two years together but everybody thinks we played a whole decade or half a decade or something like that.

SLAM: Was there a feeling beforehand, like some of these guys aren’t gonna be here three or four years down the line?

QR and DM: Noo!

DM: It was a blindside because I was the first to leave. Like, during the summertime, I got traded. And that was a culture shock to everyone because they were looking like, “Oh, he’s the one on commercials, [that] they puttin’ on the billboard.”

The last person that’s probably going to get traded is D-Miles or Lamar. And D-Miles and Lamar was the two that was out of there that summer. You know what I’m saying? It was a culture shock for everybody. It threw us off. It showed us the business. Because once I got to Cleveland, I realized how good I actually had it.

‘Cause when I got to Cleveland it was like starting over all over again. They was a young team, they bringing these high school cats in, they doin’ all this stuff, but it wasn’t the same. We wasn’t a team environment. We used to be together every single day [with the Clippers]. Like six, seven of us. Like we together.

QR: Foreal.

DM: I’m talking Thanksgivings. Christmases. My mama cookin’ at the crib. Like we together all the time. On the road we eatin’ together: “What we finna do?” Go to the movies and eat.

SLAM: So you feel like it was a different vibe in Cleveland, like with the teammates?

DM: Yeah, it was ’cause I didn’t know them as well. Like I knew the guys. I knew DeSagana Diop. I knew Dajuan Wagner. I knew Ricky Davis. I knew a few of these guys but we wasn’t as close as I am with Q and Keyon and Corey. You know what I’m saying? Me and Q and Corey, we from the same state. We grew up, basically, with each other.

QR: AAU.

DM: Then addin’ Keyon onto it. Then, you know, we used to play against Elton and Lamar during AAU. Corey played with Elton. It was like a whole connection. We was already connected already.

But when I got to Cleveland, it was just, a different environment. It wasn’t the same. It wasn’t team-oriented. I was still team-oriented because I made sure every team I went to I took time out the year to go and go over all my teammates houses, or create an environment like that, because the best environment for teams is when you bond together.

You know what I’m saying? You build some type of trust. And I tried that with every other team but it wasn’t the same as I had with the Clippers.

SLAM: They say the relationships you build inside the facility are different than the ones you build outside of it.

D-Miles: And sometimes it be just one year. One year everybody the best of friends. We together this whole year, it’s like a whole bonding journey and then the next year we might not even talk to each other. You need that bond or that year to get the on and off-court chemistry. Like Q had it in Phoenix, you know?

SLAM: Q, how did you feel about that? Because it was one year but y’all won 62 games.

QR: 62-20. That was, I mean, I was just in the studio in Atlanta doing NBA TV the other day and Jim Jackson and we was talking about it then because Jim Jack got brought in later in the [2004-05] season.

But he was speaking on how our team was such a family environment and we just embraced him as a brother, it was like, seamless. Because that was like one of the most—probably the most—special years I had in the NBA as far as team success and it was because of the way we were from Day 1.

[Note: Prior to signing with the Suns, Steve Nash took a pay cut to make sure the Suns could sign Richardson in July 2014]

We signed and we got in town like mid to end of August when most teams get in town like sometime mid-September, some after Labor Day and all of that. We were all in town. The main pieces were all in town. Really not just the main pieces, we were all in town. Working out at the facility, playing pickup, getting to know each other like literally every day.

That’s when I got a relationship with Joe Johnson ’cause him and his boys, we all around the same age. We would get through working out, hooping, practicing, then we’ll all go—I’ll go to his house…be playing Madden, video games, whoopty-whoop whatever, just kickin’ it. Then we go out to eat. Steve, me, Amar’e [Stoudemire]. Everybody. It was like it became a thing.

Currently co-hosting the popular Knuckleheads podcast, Richardson and Miles have used the connections they’ve forged throughout their playing careers for more than just post-NBA opportunities, but the pair recognizes their status as members of the NBA fraternity and utilize it to grow their audience and guest list.

Q-Rich and D-Miles have become known for making their guests comfortable simply through being themselves and holding casual conversations. The sixth installment of their season will be entirely virtual, with high-profile names like Ray Allen, Donovan Mitchell, Dr. J, Jamal Mashburn, Chris Mullin and Bradley Beal set to join the show.

Even Miles’ former teammate, Dajuan Wagner, will be on the show.

“That’s our ‘Sucker Free’ episode,” Miles says. “I’m glad I got an opportunity to represent him and let people hear his story.”

The post Darius Miles, Quentin Richardson Talk Shop: The Clippers That Could Have Been appeared first on SLAM.

According to Forty Eight Minutes’ Sam Amico, the Cavs ownership team, including Dan Gilbert, is evaluating if it’s the correct decision to retain the current front office for next season.

It’s easy to see why these conversations are being held. Since LeBron James left Cleveland for LA in 2018, the Cavs have struggled—winning only 19 games in back-to-back seasons following James’ departure. This season, they only managed to up that total to 22 wins.

The main man on the hot seat is general manager Koby Altman, who has been in charge since 2017. In that time, Altman has made some unpopular decisions, including trading for Andre Drummond and giving Kevin Love a four-year $120 million contract.

On the other hand, Altman is working with a young new core, and only time will tell if players he brought in through the draft like Collin Sexton, Darius Garland and Isaac Okoro will lead to a winning team in Cleveland.

The post Cleveland Cavaliers Could See Major Changes Coming to Front Office appeared first on SLAM.

As first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Lindsay Gottlieb has agreed to a six-year contract to become the women’s basketball coach at the University of Southern California, heading back to the college scene.

Signed to a six-year deal, Gottlieb was aggressively recruited back to the Pac-12 conference, including a massive upgrade in program salaries and resources with hopes of restoring USC to the elite of women’s college basketball, Wojnarowski reported. 

In a statement released by the school, Gottlieb expressed her excitement to join USC.  

“It is an honor and a thrill to become the women’s basketball coach at USC. I am inspired by the incredible history of this program and excited about the opportunity to do special things with the young women I will have the privilege to coach.”

Gottlieb is expected to remain with the Cavaliers for the final four games of the regular season before opening the next chapter of her career at USC. 

The post Cavaliers Assistant Lindsay Gottlieb Takes Prestigious Job at USC appeared first on SLAM.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have internal frustrations regarding young guard Collin Sexton, who many believe would be best in a bench role.

This is the latest report to come out of the Cavs camp (per Joe Vardon of The Athletic), following a string of eyebrow-raising events surrounding veteran big man Kevin Love, whose frustrations with being on a non-contending team have boiled over on multiple occasions.

Avoiding discourse about the timing of these reports, and inferences drawn by ‘connecting the dots,’ it’s clear that there’s a disconnect between the team Cleveland wants to put on the court and the direction they’re currently headed.

Sexton, averaging career-highs of 24.4 points and 4.1 assists per game on .483 percent shooting from the field and .378 percent shooting from 3-point range, has been the team’s most productive player throughout the season. Despite a long-standing reputation as an offensive blackhole and low-IQ player, Sexton’s demonstrated a steady growth in both his court vision and willingness to pass.

Indeed, when considering the lack of offensive options the Cavs have possessed outside of Sexton, the desire to pigeonhole him in the role of a Sixth Man seems less profound than out-of-touch.

Certainly, a traditionalist would see Sexton’s quick-hitting, score-first style and compare it to the sixth man archetype. Rightly so, I may add.

However, such a viewpoint fails to take into account Sexton’s growth as a facilitator, as well as the role he’s needed to play.

To the latter point, one key example of the importance of the Young Bull’s scoring is seen in the difference between how much he’s scored in wins (29.0 points per game) versus losses (22.2 points per game). There’s not a Sixth Man whose scoring has been as crucial to a win as Sexton’s; not because of his style but because those teams had other high-level scoring options.

It becomes an almost chicken-and-egg issue until you assess Sexton’s growth as a passer and scoring in multiple ways off-ball.

As a passer, Sexton currently has 20 games with at least five assists this season after having just 11 in the 2019-20 season and 12 in the 2018-19 season. Numbers aside, Sexton’s decision-making and court manipulation have improved, with him seeking out an open teammate after getting a step on his man or working his man open with his speed, or the threat of it.

So what gives?

On the one hand, there are clearly times when Sexton calls his own number instead of his teammates, and whether or not it leads to a made shot matters less than that they feel less involved than they want to be.

In some ways, that would seem to be a problem that falls on the coaching staff but they already run a healthy dose of plays that get Sexton off-ball and gets everyone touches. In reality, the onus falls on Sexton to be a bit more willing of a passer; while his shot may give the team the best shot to win, building good habits like heavy ball-movement makes the game more fun for and easier for all.

That being said, it’s an issue that’s largely overblown in the case of Sexton but highlights a larger problem in Cleveland: the reek of egos and poor chemistry. An environment that’s eerily reminiscent of the the days the Cavs had Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters in uniform, and in a power struggle.

Not only is it a terrible show of camaraderie to leak an anonymous and critical report to the media, rather than addressing their teammate directly, but it shows a stunning lack of self-awareness by the Cavs.

After trading away their most skilled perimeter player in Kevin Porter Jr., the Cavs were bound to rely on a young backcourt with inherent flaws and no true way to escape the tension between the two for the remainder of the season.

A tension that may not have been purposely created but was born from the negative media cycle surrounding Sexton since his early days in The Land, in contrast to the tone taken when discussing Darius Garland.

While Porter could very well have emerged as an eventual starter, his skillset complimented both Garland and Sexton equally. Porter may have even been able to start alongside Garland and Sexton, giving Cleveland a three-headed beast on offense.

Without KPJ in-tow and with all of the other problems presented by the Cavs’ lack of overall talent and durability, Sexton has been made to be a scapegoat when his efforts to put Cleveland in playoff contention should be celebrated.

Just a few months ago, Sexton was considered a pillar of the franchise and their cultural backbone.

Now, with the end of their 2020-21 season likely just a couple of weeks away, one has to wonder if Cleveland still views the tough-skinned young guard in the same way.

The post Is Collin Sexton a Starter, a Sixth Man, or a Scapegoat? appeared first on SLAM.

Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor adds that the Cavs plan to apply for a hardship exception in order to execute the transaction; teams are able to apply for the exception if they have four players who have missed at least three games due to injury or illness.

Currently, the Cavs have wings Taurean Prince and Dylan Windler shelved for the remainder of the season following successful surgeries. Fan favorite Matthew Dellavedova, who has battled injuries all year, is currently out with a neck strain and likely to miss the remainder of the season.

Meanwhile, rotation mainstay Larry Nance Jr. is recovering from a fractured thumb while a pair of backend rotation players in Isaiah Hartenstein and Lamar Stevens are recouping from concussions.

Should the Cavs be out of running for the play-in tournament, Nance will likely be out for the season, creating the avenue to sign Varejao to a 10-day contract and give him a ceremonial send-off.

Varejao, now 38-years-old, spent the first 12-plus seasons of his career playing for Cleveland.

One utilized as a spark plug off the bench, where he earned the nicknames ‘Wild Thing’ and ‘Sideshow Bob,’ Varejao developed into a skilled big men in the league by the time the traded to the Golden State Warriors in the infamous deal that landed them sharpshooter Channing Frye.

Unfortunately, a bit of love seemed to be lost between Andy V and the Cavs following the deal, with the former second-round pick refusing to accept a championship ring from Cleveland following the trade. Signing with the Warriors for one more season, Varejao hasn’t played professionally since 2018-19, when he was suiting up for the Brazilian NBB’s Flamengo.

Among the leaders in Cavs franchise history, Varejao ranks eighth in career games (591); sixth in career rebounds (4,434); eighth in career steals (529); and is tied for eighth in career blocks (397) with five-time All-Star Brad Daugherty.

The post Cavs Plan to Sign Fan Favorite Anderson Varejao for Ceremonial Send-off appeared first on SLAM.

In fact, Love recently told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports that he feels he could take a contending team to the next level.

“When I am available and playing at a high level, I feel like I could be that guy that pushes the team really over the edge, puts them into contention.”

While his career has gotten somewhat de-railed with injuries and playing on a rebuilding Cleveland team, Love has a good point. Playing alongside LeBron James earlier in his career, he was a solid rebounder and scorer as a third option on a championship-caliber team.

This season on the Cavs, Love has averaged 11.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest in what is shaping up to be the worst year of his career. Perhaps this offseason, Cleveland will find a trade partner who could take on Love in their effort to win games.

The post Kevin Love Considers Himself A Player Who Gets A Contending Team Over the Hump appeared first on SLAM.

What is Kevin Love doing pic.twitter.com/WpZP4UZJHL

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 27, 2021

After the game, claims came that Love’s lackadaisical inbound resulted from being frustrated with his teammates, but according to Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes, that wasn’t the case.

Sources told Haynes that Love’s frustration wasn’t with his teammates but rather the officials.

“Love’s intent wasn’t to slap the ball inbounds,” sources told Hayes. “Love was frustrated with officials and not his team’s performance.”

Following the inbound, Love was benched and did not return to the game. He also declined to speak to the media following the game. Haynes reported that Love did apologize to his teammates in the locker room.

Love has received plenty of criticism from around the league, but his pain may not be over just yet. Haynes also reported that the league is considering fining Love for his actions on Monday night.

The Cavs lost the game to the Raptors 112-96, dropping them to a record of 21-40. Love played 24 minutes and had 11 points and seven rebounds.

The post Source: Kevin Love’s Frustration Was With Officials, Not Teammates appeared first on SLAM.

On the season, Nance Jr, is averaging 9.3 points and 6.7 rebounds in 31.2 minutes per game. An improved 3-point shooter, he’s converted on .360 of his shots from beyond the arc this season. 

Cleveland is likely out of the playoff picture, as they sit six games out of the tenth seed for the play-in tournament. With that in mind, it will be a great time for the other young forwards on the team to step up and show their ability late in the season. 

The post Cavs Forward Larry Nance Jr. Likely Out For Season appeared first on SLAM.

Prince, now in his fifth season in the NBA and his first season with the Cavs, has been quite the find for a Cleveland team lacking wing depth.

After being traded to the Cavs in a three-team deal that also netted them center Jarrett Allen back in January, the Baylor product has been putting up solid numbers. Due to his jack-of-all-trades skillset, Prince has improved Cleveland’s play on both ends, averaging 10.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting .415 percent from 3-point range.

Playing in a bench role for the Cavs, Prince’s on-off plus-minus of +0.8 points per 100 possessions actually ranks fifth among the players currently in the team’s rotation. Without a doubt, Cleveland will miss his play, but fortunately his contract will last through the 2021-22 season.

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Martin, 24-years-old, was a standout at the University of Memphis while playing under Tubby Smith and Penny Hardaway.

Leaving the AAC conference ranked in the top-10 in career field goals, free-throws, points, assists and steals, he also left Memphis ranked in the top-10 in career points, assists, steals, free-throws and 3-point field goals of the school’s history.

Having played nine games with the Brooklyn Nets in 2019-20 on a two-way contract, Martin showed his ability to score can translate with averages of 7.1 points and 2.0 assists in 11.0 minutes per game (23.3 points and 6.5 assists per 36 minutes).

He even tallied a career-high 24 points (in 26 minutes) against the Orlando Magic during bubble play in August, in what would be his eighth career game. For comparison, Cavs fan favorite Darius Garland didn’t score at least 25 points in a contest until his 77th career game.

This season, “Peso” has been suiting up for the NBA G League’s Long Island Nets, averaging 18.5 points, 5.1 assists and 2.3 steals per game on .474 percent shooting from the field and .229 percent shooting from 3-point range.

While Martin may not play a major role for Cleveland moving forward, he’ll certainly be a name to watch as the Cavs continue to rebuild in their post-LeBron years.

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Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports adds that Drummond will listen to the pitches from the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Charlotte Hornets as he decides on his playing future.

While the Knicks and Hornets will be able to give Drummond the highest-paying contract, the Lakers and Clippers are legitimate Finals contenders that could entice Drummond to sign with them in hopes of securing a title.

It’s worth noting that Drummond, born in New York, is quite familiar with the New England area having been raised in Connecticut. In addition to Drummond is known to be close friends with Lakers star Anthony Davis and to view potential teammate LeBron James as the best player of all-time.

Per an official press release from Cleveland, Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff would compliment Drummond’s professionality and camaraderie despite not playing since Feb. 12, as well as his ability to keep the team afloat with a high level of play.

A four-time rebounding champion and two-time All-Star, Drummond has averaged 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists. 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game this season but shot a career-low .474 percent from the field thanks to a subpar shooting percentage of .519 inside of the restricted area and .437 in the paint (non-restricted area), per NBA.com.

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Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor clarifies that the draft compensation the Cavs will receive are a (top-46) protected 2023 second-round pick and an unprotected 2027 second-round pick.

For the Nuggets, McGee provides Denver with an athletic rim-protector that they desperately needs due to their woes defending along the perimeter. A three-time NBA champion with 58 playoff games under his belt, McGee will can supplant the void left by center Mason Plumlee last offseason.

The 33-year-old also has previous experience playing with the franchise (though not it’s current roster) after playing for the Nuggets from 2011-12 to 2014-15.

Hartenstein, raw and skilled at 22-years-old, is in his 3rd NBA season.

With the Nuggets, his developmental curve was stunted by playing behind All-NBA center Nikola Jokic and on a contending team where he would be afforded little time to correct mistakes. Now in Cleveland, currently 12th place in the Eastern Conference standings at 17-27, he’ll get a chance to audition for a future with the Cavs.

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According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, executives around the NBA believe that the Cavs will soon buy out Drummond following the trade deadline. Fischer also reports that the Los Angeles Lakers are the clear favorites around the League to acquire Drummond.

“At this juncture, you’d be hard-pressed to find an executive who doesn’t believe Drummond would join the Lakers in that scenario, as a starting role would likely be waiting for him,” Fischer wrote.

The Cavs could spend the next few days looking to get back any assets for Drummond, but this is beginning to look increasingly unlikely. Drummond’s $28 million contract makes it hard for teams as they’d have to match salaries to make a trade work.

“The hard part is he just makes so much money,” one assistant general manager told Fischer. “It’s hard to not include a contract you don’t want to trade.”

While the Lakers have emerged as favorites, plenty of other teams around the League are interested in Drummond’s services. The Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks, Chicago Bulls, and Brooklyn Nets have all “kicked the tires” on potentially adding Drummond.

Drummond has played 25 games this season, averaging 17.5 points and 13.5 rebounds per game. Over his nine-year career, Drummond has averaged 14.6 points and 13.8 rebounds per game with the Detroit Pistons and the Cavaliers.

The Cavs will have until Thursday, March 25, at 3 p.m. ET to make a trade happen for Drummond. If that deadline passes, the Cavs will likely buyout Drummond making him a free agent.

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Haynes, who reports that the Brooklyn Nets also have interest in signing Drummond, would note the Lakers’ interest in fellow Cavs center JaVale McGee as well.

For either the Lakers or Nets, signing Drummond would be a splash move that sees them add a dominant rebounder with great size at 6’10” and 279 pounds. An athletic center with a smooth gait getting up and down, Drummond also possesses decent guard skills with his ball-handling and passing ability.

While the Lakers are optimistic that Drummond will sign with their squad if he and Cleveland reach a number they’re comfortable with for a buyout, the New York Times’ Marc Stein reports that the Cavs still prefer trading the big man.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, though indirectly, would corroborate Stein’s report.

According to Windhorst, Cleveland is “playing hardball” with Drummond. While “they’ve had legitimate offers,” they’re looking for a trade package that will allow them add to their stash of draft assets or stable of young talent.

“The Cavs have told teams that have called that they’re not giving him away,.”

Consequently, while there’s a chance that Drummond will be bought out, it’s more likely that the four-time rebounding champion will be traded. Nonetheless, with Drummond and the Cavs opting for him to sit until Cleveland finds a trade partner, the Big Penguin’s days in The Land appear to be coming to a close regardless.

Drummond is in the final season of a five-year, $127.2 million contract he signed with the Detroit Pistons in 2016. He’s averaged 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game this season while shooting a career-low .474 percent from the field.

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The 28-year-old forward is a former first-round pick (27th overall in 2015) and is on a manageable contract through the 2022-23 season.

Among the teams interested in his services are the Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, New Orleans Pelicans, and Dallas Mavericks, according to Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor.

Fedor also mentioned that it will take a significant package to pry Nance away from the Cavs. However, strong offers have already been made, including one package with multiple late first-round picks.

In 19 games this season, Nance has averaged 9.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.9 steals per game while shooting .381 from beyond the arc. An excellent athlete with the length and agility to defend all positions well, the high-flying Ohio native is versatile enough to be a multi-dimensional threat on offense as well.

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According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, the Dallas Mavericks have expressed interest in the 27-year-old center in recent days. However, the addition of Drummond wouldn’t be to replace Kristaps Porzingis but rather to play alongside him.

“They want a big to pair with him,” a league source told Fischer in regard to Porzingis. “Obviously with physicality, rebounding, toughness.”

Drummond was averaging 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game before being held out. His rebounding average is the second-best in the NBA, trailing only Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela (14.0 rebounds per game).

A nine-year veteran, Drummond has built a name for himself as a dominant rebounder with decent guard skills, respectable defensive ability and upper echelon athleticism for a player his size. As a result of his availability, skillset and his production, Drummond is rumored to have multiple teams interested in his services.

These teams include contenders such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat.

Porzingis himself has been subject to trade rumors, as he’s had a disappointing and injury-plagued 2020-21 season thus far. The skilled seven-footer is averaging 20.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game but has struggled on the defensive end of the floor and has only played 17 games this year.   

The NBA trade deadline is Mar. 25, just little over a month away.

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Jason Lloyd of The Athletic reports that if Drummond is bought out, the teams who could be interested include the Heat, Bucks, Lakers, and the Nets. This makes sense, considering all of these teams should be making strong postseason appearances and could use more depth at center. For Drummond, there could be mutual interest, especially considering he’s only played eight playoff games in his career and has never made it out of the first round. 

The Lakers could use more center depth with Anthony Davis continuing to miss time with injury. The Nets are thin at all positions and could use defense and rebounding. The Bucks and Heat are both having interesting starts to the season and will need as much fire power as possible to matchup against the other premier teams in the East. 

Whether it ends up being through trade or in the buyout market, Drummond will be a major topic of conversation over the next month. 

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The 2020-21 season has been so full of headlines that the extended absence of Love—who has missed 20 of Cleveland’s 22 games this season—felt like it was swept underneath the rug. However, the Cavs’ ability to put themselves in the playoff conversation without their most decorated player is yet another reason why Love’s injury has been seldom discussed.

Led by rising star Collin Sexton and a healthy Darius Garland, the Cavs’ guard-driven attack is now complemented by an athletic frontcourt that can thrive defensively. That may not have been the case with Love, who has never been known for being light on his feet.

Nonetheless, Love’s return will be quite a boost for Cleveland, as the big man is an elite rebounder that excels at stretching the floor. In fact, not only can Love score from all three levels but he’s one of the better passers among frontcourt players as well.

Simply put, Love’s addition has far more pros than cons.

Whether Love will return to his starting role when he returns is uncertain, as Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff hasn’t commented on the matter specifically as of yet. However, Love has started every game he’s played in since 2010-11, so there’s a distinct possibility that he will re-emerge as a starter at some point during his return.

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Per Dumas, the Nets are in active discussions to acquire Cleveland Cavaliers center, JaVale McGee. Dumas adds that Brooklyn also has an interest in stretch big Kevin Love, a five-time All-Star.

While the Nets have the most talented and decorated star trio in the NBA, their second unit has holes that both McGee and Love could help fill.

Perhaps ironically, McGee would be helping replace the shot-blocking and interior defense provided by Jarrett Allen, who the Cavaliers acquired in the trade that brought Harden to Brooklyn. Nets head coach Steve Nash has recently been critical of his team’s defense and it’s no coincidence that his comments have come so soon after Allen and forward Taurean Prince were shipped to Cleveland.

Love, an excellent defensive rebounder, would help Brooklyn defensively by limiting the number of possessions the opposing team has. Furthermore, as a career .370 percent shooter from deep, his biggest contribution could be as a 3-point shooter that plays off the dribble-drives of the Nets’ Big Three.

That said, Love is a more-than-capable three-level scorer who could help carry their second unit while talented guard Spencer Dinwiddie is out for the season with an ACL injury.

For the Cavs, trading McGee frees up a logjam at center that they’ve had since acquiring Allen. Love, though beloved in Cleveland, is past his prime but has a pricey contract that the Cavaliers have had difficulties moving.

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After being traded away from the Nets, Allen spoke to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype and other members of the media about the trade as a whole. Allen was asked if he would have made the trade if he were the Nets, and gave quite the answer:

“I would do it, I’m not going to lie. If you look at the Lakers, they did the same thing. They went and got their ring. I would’ve loved to stay in Brooklyn, but I understand that an opportunity like that, you have to do it.”

That’s unique perspective from Allen, who was able to take an unbiased look at the situation. The Los Angeles Lakers made a similar move last offseason, trading almost all of their future draft capital and a lot of their young talent to acquire Anthony Davis. It worked out for them, as their superstar talent at the top proved to be more valuable than retaining their depth. 

The Nets will be in a similar situation now, as they have a dynamic superstar cast, but lack the depth and future picks they once had. Over the next few months, they will look to build out the remainder of their roster and strive towards an NBA championship, following in the footsteps of the Lakers. 

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Sexton, considered the crown jewel of the 2017 trade that sent Irving to the Boston Celtics, scored a game-high 42 points in 38 minutes. He scored 20 straight points for Cleveland in two overtime periods.

Whether you consider it irony, coincidence, or the melding of the past and the future, on the night when Irving—once a fan favorite in The Land—returned to Cleveland for the first time since 2017, Sexton battled Irving head-to-head while wearing a pair of Kyrie 7s and his old No. 2 jersey.

Sexton hit the threes that Irving became infamous for and, evidently, from the same spots no less. Sure, it was just a regular-season game but it felt much more significant than that.

Afterwards, the NBA world was in a uproar about what they had seen, with several players—past and present—taking to Twitter to voice their thoughts about the Young Bull’s performance.

Sexton, who missed the Cavs’ five prior games with an ankle sprain, has averaged a career-high 27.0 points per game this season.

Once perceived as not knowing how to play basketball, the praise Sexton has earned is both extraordinary and fascinating.

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After a surprisingly hot start, an injury bug that left them down three starters has completely slowed their momentum. With leading scorer Collin Sexton nearing his return and freshly acquired center Jarrett Allen looking like their center of the future, the Cavs were preparing to turn the corner and re-right the ship.

There was even news that fan favorite Kevin Porter Jr.—who ran into legal issues during the offseason—was being reintegrated into team activities.

However, the excitement that was brimming in Cleveland has dampened considerably in just the last 24 hours, with multiple outlets reporting that the Cavs now plan to trade or release Porter.

According to The Athletic’s Jason Lloyd and Joe Vardon, Porter grew incensed that his locker had been moved with the end-of-the-bench players in favor of Taurean Prince (who was acquired in the trade that brought Allen to the Cavaliers).

Porter then began to throw food and confront Cavs general manager Koby Altman in a heated argument; the latter of which ultimately led to the team’s decision to trade or release him.

Per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Porter has been told to clean out his locker and the Cavs’ players were informed that he would no longer be on the team.

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