Month: July 2015

Cavaliers trade Mike Miller, Brendan Haywood to Blazers

Cavs trade Mike Miller, Brendan Haywood to Blazers

The Cleveland Cavaliers have traded center Brendan Haywood, guard/forward Mike Miller and two future second round draft picks to Portland, General Manager David Griffin announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

As a result of the trade, the Cavs will receive two trade exceptions of approximately $10.5 million and $2.8 million, respectively. The two draft picks that Cleveland is sending to Portland in the deal are the Cavaliers’ own 2020 second round draft pick, and the more favorable of Minnesota’s own 2019 second round draft pick and the Los Angeles Lakers’ own 2019 second round draft pick.

Haywood, a 13-year veteran, has played in 816 games (549 starts) with Washington, Dallas, Charlotte and Cleveland, averaging 6.8 points on .528 shooting from the field, 6.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 22.9 minutes per game. This past season with the Cavs, he played in 22 games (one start) and averaged 1.6 points and 1.3 rebounds in 5.4 minutes per game.

Miller, a 15-year veteran, owns career averages of 11.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 28.3 minutes over 965 games (568 starts) with Orlando, Memphis, Washington, Miami and Cleveland. During the 2014-15 regular season, he played in 52 games (15 starts) with Cleveland and averaged 2.1 points and 1.8 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per game.

Heat trade Shabazz Napier to Magic

Heat trade Shabazz Napier to Magic

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have traded guard Shabazz Napier and cash considerations to the Orlando Magic in exchange for a protected 2016 draft pick.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, “Napier, 24, gives the Magic additional depth at point guard, a position where Elfrid Payton is entrenched as the starter and free-agent signee C.J. Watson will serve as Payton’s backup. Napier also would be able to contribute some scoring off the bench.”

Napier (6’1”, 175, 7/14/91) played in 51 games as a rookie last season, averaging 5.1 ppg. and 2.5 apg. in 19.8 minpg., while shooting 36.4 percent from three-point range. Napier scored in double-figures in six straight games between Nov. 16-25 and notched a career-high 18 points on Feb. 20 at New York. He had a season-best eight assists on Feb. 11 at Cleveland. Napier underwent sports hernia surgery on Apr. 1. He returned to action this summer and scored 14 points and added six assists in Miami’s final game in the Southwest Airlines Orlando Pro Summer League. He also averaged 18 points in 25.0 minpg. over three games during summer league play in Las Vegas.

As a college senior in 2014, Napier, a consensus First Team All-American, led the University of Connecticut to the NCAA Tournament title and was named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player. He was also part of UConn’s 2011 NCAA Championship team and became the only player in UConn history to total at least 1,500 career points and 500 career assists. Originally selected by Charlotte in the first round (24th overall) of the 2014 NBA Draft, his rights were acquired by Miami on draft night.

More from the Sentinel: “The only way the Heat will get the Magic’s second-round pick in 2016 will be if Orlando finishes with one of the NBA’s five best records during the 2015-16 regular season. In other words, if the Magic’s second-round pick falls anwhere from 31st overall through 55th overall, the Magic would keep the pick.”

Heat trade Zoran Dragic to Celtics

Heat trade Zoran Dragic to Celtics

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have traded guard Zoran Dragic to the Boston Celtics, along with a 2020 second-round draft pick and cash considerations, in exchange for a protected 2019 draft pick.

Dragic appeared in 16 games split between the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat during the 2014-15 season and he averaged 1.8 points in 4.7 minutes per game over that span. He posted a season-high 22 points on 9-17 (.529) shooting from the field, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in 41 minutes of action against the Philadelphia 76ers on April 15, 2015.

The 6’5” guard/forward was originally signed by the Phoenix Suns on September 29, 2014 before being traded to the Miami Heat on February 19, 2015. Before coming to the NBA, Dragic played two seasons with Unicaja Malaga of the Spanish ACB. During the 2013-14 season, he averaged 10.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.2 steals in 18.1 minutes in 29 ACB league games. He also appeared in 22 Euroleague games, where he averaged 10.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 22.5 minutes per game.

Warriors trade David Lee to Celtics

Warriors trade David Lee to Celtics

The Golden State Warriors have traded forward David Lee to the Boston Celtics in exchange for forward Gerald Wallace and guard Chris Babb, the team announced today.

“On behalf of the entire Golden State Warriors organization, we thank David Lee for his contributions both on and off the court over the last five years,” said Warriors General Manager Bob Myers. “Throughout his time with the Warriors, David was a great player, competitor and presence in our locker room as well as in the community and was a stabilizing force during a period that saw many positive changes within the organization. Most importantly, he leaves Golden State as an NBA champion. We wish him nothing but the best in the next chapter of his career.”

“We are excited to welcome David as a member of the Celtics family,” said President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge. “His proven skill set and experience on a championship team will add valuable depth to our frontcourt and a veteran presence to our locker room.”

According to the Boston Globe, “Before acquiring Lee, the Celtics had not made any significant steps forward improving their place in the Eastern Conference. They were being passed by teams such as Orlando, Charlotte, and Indiana, all of which made stirring roster upgrades over the past two weeks. Free agency didn’t work out the way Ainge and the Celtics wanted. The market value for players unexpectedly soared to the point where Atlanta’s DeMarre Carroll goes to Toronto for four years and $60 million, Reggie Jackson re-signs with Detroit for five years and $80 million, and potential Celtics target Robin Lopez agreed with the Knicks for four years, $54 million.”

Lee, 32, played five seasons with the Warriors, averaging 16.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists over 327 regular-season games. He had his finest season with Golden State in 2012-13, averaging 18.5 points and 11.2 rebounds in 79 games en route to earning Third Team All-NBA honors and a spot on the Western Conference All-Star squad. That season, the 6’9” forward became the first Warriors player to garner All-NBA recognition since Latrell Sprewell in 1993-94 and Golden State’s first All-Star representative since Sprewell in 1997. The University of Florida product also appeared in 26 playoff games with Golden State, making postseason appearances in each of the last three seasons, culminating in an NBA Championship this past season. Lee leaves the Warriors ranked sixth on the franchise’s all-time list in defensive rebounds (2,176) and tied for 10th, with Hall of Famer Chris Mullin, in field goal percentage (.513).

During his 10-year NBA career, Lee has averaged 14.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 695 regular-season games with the New York Knicks and Warriors. Originally selected by the Knicks with the 30th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, the 2010 Eastern Conference All-Star was acquired by the Warriors in a sign-and-trade deal on July 9, 2010, in exchange for Kelenna Azubuike, Anthony Randolph and Ronny Turiaf.

Wallace, 33, owns career averages of 11.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.44 steals and 29.7 minutes in 832 regular-season games (611 starts) over 14 NBA seasons with Sacramento, Charlotte, Portland, New Jersey/Brooklyn and Boston. Originally selected by the Sacramento Kings with the 25th overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft, Wallace earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors and was an Eastern Conference All-Star in 2009-10 with the Charlotte Bobcats when he averaged 18.2 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.54 steals. The University of Alabama product led the NBA in steals per game during the 2005-06 campaign, averaging 2.51 thefts per contest. Wallace has appeared in 33 playoff games (17 starts), holding career postseason averages of 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 20.9 minutes.

Babb, 25, appeared in 14 games with Boston as a rookie in 2014-15, tallying 1.6 points and 1.2 rebounds in 9.4 minutes per game. The 6’5” guard appeared in 45 games last season with the Celtics’ D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, averaging 15.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 34.7 minutes, earning All-NBA D-League Second Team honors. In 2013-14, the Iowa State product was named to the All NBA D-League All-Rookie Third Team with the Red Claws.

Viktor Khryapa re-signs with CSKA Moscow

Here’s Euroleague.net reporting on a well-known overseas player:

Viktor Khryapa re-signs in Moscow

CSKA Moscow reached a new agreement with team captain Viktor Khryapa to keep working together next season, the club announced Thursday. CSKA keeps an option to extend the deal until the end of the 2016-17 season. Khryapa (2.03 meters, 32 years old) is set to enter his 11th season with CSKA and has been ths club’s captain for the last six years. In his 10 seasons with the club, Khryapa helped CSKA win 10 Russian League titles, lifting the VTB League trophy five teams. Above all, Khryapa helped CSKA win the Euroleague title in 2008. Khryapa has made it to the Final Four nine times – an achievement that only Euroleague legend Theo Papaloukas can claim. He is the Euroleague Final Four’s all-time leading rebounder (92).

Carlos Arroyo signs in Barcelona

Here’s Euroleague.net reporting on a well-known former NBA point guard and international star, Carlos Arroyo:

Carlos Arroyo signs in Barcelona

FC Barcelona Lassa found a new point guard in Carlos Arroyo, who inked a one-year deal with his new team on Friday. Arroyo (1.88 meters, 35 years old) has played for Galatasaray Liv Hospital Istanbul in the last three seasons. He averaged 12.5 points and 4.3 assists in 15 Turkish Airlines Euroleague games last season. Arroyo went on to play for Cangrejeros de Santurce, averaging 14.7 points and 6.5 assists in 39 Puerto Rican League games, leading his team to the finals. He has also played for Toronto, Denver, Utah, Detroit, Orlando, Miami and Boston of the NBA, Tau Ceramica Vitoria of Spain, Maccabi Tel Aviv of Israel and Besiktas Istanbul of Turkey.

Mike Miller and Brendan Haywood being sent to Blazers

Here’s ESPN.com reporting on an agreed trade that should be official soon:

Mike Miller and Brendan Haywood being sent to Blazers

The Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to trade Mike Miller and Brendan Haywood to the Portland Trail Blazers in a deal aimed to create future options and save luxury-tax money, sources told ESPN.com.

The Blazers will likely cut Haywood and could eventually work a buyout with Miller and will receive two future second-round picks from the Cavs for facilitating the deal with their cap space.

The Cavs will create two trade exceptions with the move, one for $10.5 million, which will be the largest active trade exception in the league, and the other for $2.94 million. The Cavs will also receive cash in the deal, sources said.

Heat are sending Shabazz Napier to Magic

Here’s the Miami Herald reporting a Heat roster move:

Heat are sending Shabazz Napier to Magic

For many in Miami, it was difficult to watch Shabazz Napier play basketball for the Heat and not think of LeBron James. That won’t be a problem anymore.

In an effort to clean up its offseason roster, the Heat traded Napier to the Orlando Magic on Sunday for almost nothing in return save closure.

It was James who wanted the Heat to draft Napier last year, but James never played with the point guard from the University of Connecticut. A few summer-league games into Napier’s stint with the Heat, James shocked the Heat’s front office with his move to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Kings offer Peja Stojakovic a job

Here’s ESPN.com reporting that the Sacramento Kings want Peja Stojakovic on board:

Kings offer Peja Stojakovic a job

The Sacramento Kings have offered a full-time ‎position in their front office to former All-Star sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic, according to league sources.

Sources said new Kings vice president of basketball operations Vlade Divac has asked his former NBA and international teammate Stojakovic to leave Europe and move back to the United States to assist him in a player personnel role.

Stojakovic’s No. 16 jersey was retired by the Kings in December.