June 2017 – Page 5 – NBA Blog – NBA Basketball Blog

Rudy Gobert makes All-Defensive First Team

The NBA today announced that Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert has been named to the 2016-17 NBA All-Defensive First Team, marking the first selection of his career. Receiving 196 total points (97 First Team votes), he was the second-leading vote getter and an overwhelming selection, as chosen by a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. He becomes the first Jazz player since 2005-06 (Andrei Kirilenko) to be named to an All-NBA Defensive Team. He is also a finalist for both NBA Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player, which will be awarded tonight as part of the inaugural NBA Awards show live on TNT (7 p.m. MT).

Gobert was also named to the All-NBA Second Team in May. Appearing in 81 games (all starts), Gobert averaged career highs of 14.0 points, 12.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game while posting career-bests in field goal percentage (.662) and free throw percentage (.653) while helping the Jazz to their first 50-win season since 2009-10. He led the NBA in total blocks (214), blocks per game (2.6), block percentage (6.4), defensive win shares (6.0), defensive real plus/minus (6.03), true shooting percentage (.683) and points per shot (1.82). He finished third in offensive rating (129.0) and defensive rating (99.2), the only player in the NBA to finish in the top-five in both categories. His .662 mark from the field is the best for a single-season in franchise history and ranked second in the NBA this year.

The fourth-year center became the first player in franchise history and the first NBA player since 2009-10 to compile 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 200 blocks in a single season. In addition, he now ranks seventh on the Jazz all-time blocks list (579). Gobert recorded a league-best 42 consecutive games with at least one block and led the league with four games of at least six blocks, eight games with five blocks, 18 games with four blocks, 42 games with three blocks, 63 games with two blocks and 77 games with one block. He anchored a Jazz defense that led the league in opponent points per game (96.8), finished second in opponent field goal percentage (.443) and third in defensive rating (102.7).

Anthony Davis makes All-Defensive Second Team

The NBA announced today that Pelicans forward/center Anthony Davis has been named to the 2016-17 NBA All-Defensive Second Team. The distinction is the second in Davis’ five years in the NBA.

Davis, 6-10, 252, finished the season ranked second in the NBA in blocks per game (2.2), and seventh in rebounds per game (11.8 – a career-high), to go along with 1.3 steals per game. Davis recorded four or more blocks 17 times this season, including four games with five blocks and two games with a season-high six; 52 games with double-digit rebounds, including three with 20-plus; and ten games with three-plus steals, including a season-high five on opening night against Denver on October 26. In the 75 games during the 2016-17 season in which he appeared, Davis led the Pelicans in blocks 57 times, rebounds 50 times and steals on 25 occasions.

Cavs trying to trade for Paul George

Let the fun begin. The real fun, in the form of a top team trying to trade for a great player. Here’s ESPN.com reporting that the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers are trying to land Paul George:

The Cleveland Cavaliers continue to pursue a trade for Paul George and will be leading contenders for Carmelo Anthony’s services, should Anthony secure an offseason buyout from the New York Knicks, according to league sources.

Sources told ESPN that the Cavaliers engaged in serious three-way trade discussions leading up to the NBA draft on a deal that would have brought them George from the Indiana Pacers and landed Kevin Love, George’s fellow Eastern Conference All-Star, with the Denver Nuggets.

The Nuggets were recruited into the talks to furnish the Pacers with the combination of promising young players and draft picks that they are seeking before consenting to surrender George, whose agent, Aaron Mintz, informed Indiana management just over a week ago that George has no intention of staying with the club beyond the expiration of his current contract in June 2018.

Kings waive Arron Afflalo

The Sacramento Kings today waived forward/guard Arron Afflalo, according to General Manager Vlade Divac.

In 61 games played (45 starts) with the Kings during the 2016-17 season, Afflalo averaged 8.4 points (.440 FG%, .411 3pt%, .892 FT%), 2.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 25.9 minutes per game. The 10-year NBA veteran has accrued career averages of 11.3 points (.451 FG%, .386 3pt%, .825 FT%), 3.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 28.4 minutes per contest in 709 NBA games with Detroit (2007-09), Denver (2009-12 & 2014-15), Orlando (2012-14), and New York (2015-16).

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope suspended

Detroit Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has been suspended for two games without pay for pleading guilty to operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, in violation of the law of the State of Michigan, the NBA announced today.

Caldwell-Pope’s suspension will commence with the next NBA regular season game that he is eligible and physically able to play.

Trade now official: Brook Lopez to Lakers, D’Angelo Russell to Nets

The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired center Brook Lopez and forward Kyle Kuzma from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for center Timofey Mozgov and guard D’Angelo Russell, it was announced today by General Manager Rob Pelinka.

Lopez appeared in 75 games (all starts) for Brooklyn in 2016-17, averaging 20.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 blocks per game. Formerly the 10th overall selection in the 2008 NBA Draft, he owns career averages of 18.6 points and 7.1 rebounds in 562 games with Brooklyn. The 2013 NBA All-Star departs as the Nets’ all-time leading scorer.

Selected by Brooklyn with this year’s No. 27 draft pick, Kuzma averaged 16.4 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists for Utah in 2016-17. The former All-Pac 12 First Team and Pac-12 All-Defensive Team selection appeared in 96 career games (64 starts) for the Utes, tallying 10.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists.

“We are extremely excited to welcome D’Angelo and Timofey to our Brooklyn Nets family,” said Nets General Manager Sean Marks. “D’Angelo is a versatile young guard with a bright future and we are enthusiastic about continuing his development along with our young nucleus, while Timofey will provide a veteran presence who can contribute on both ends of the floor. Both are great fits within Kenny’s system.

“We would also like to thank Brook for all of his contributions to the team over his nine seasons with the Nets. As the franchise’s all-time leading scorer and longest-tenured player, he has been an exemplary member of the organization and always represented the Nets with class both on the court and in the community. We wish Brook and his family nothing but success in the future.”

Russell joins the Nets after spending the first two seasons of his NBA career with the Lakers. He was selected with the second overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft and averaged 13.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.2 steals in 28.2 minutes per game in 80 games (48 starts) in his inaugural season en route to All-Rookie Second Team honors. This past season, the 21-year-old appeared in 63 games (60 starts) and increased his production across the board, averaging 15.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.4 steals in 28.7 minutes per game. Prior to beginning his NBA career, Russell earned Associated Press First Team All-America, Big Ten Freshman of the Year and All-Big Ten First Team honors in his lone collegiate season at Ohio State, registering averages of 19.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 33.9 minutes per game.

Mozgov has appeared in 423 career games (260 starts) in seven NBA seasons with the Lakers, Cavaliers, Nuggets and Knicks, recording averages of 7.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in 18.5 minutes per game. This past season with the Lakers, the 30-year-old saw action in 54 games (52 starts) and averaged 7.4 points and 4.9 rebounds in 20.4 minutes per game. Mozgov won an NBA championship with Cleveland in 2016 and earned a bronze medal at the Summer Olympics in London with his native Russia in 2012. Prior to beginning his NBA career, Mozgov played professionally for six years in Russia, the final four of which came with Khimki Moscow (2006-10).

Bulls trade Jimmy Butler to Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves tonight acquired forward Jimmy Butler and the draft rights to center Justin Patton, the No. 16 selection in this year’s draft from the Chicago Bulls, in exchange for guards Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn and the draft rights to forward Lauri Markkanen, the No. 7 selection in this year’s draft.

Butler, a 6-7 forward, has played six seasons in the NBA, all with the Bulls. The three-time NBA All-Star (2015, 2016 and 2017) averaged career highs with 23.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game this past season en route to earning 2016-17 All-NBA Third Team honors. Butler scored 30+ points 14 times in 2016-17, including a season-high 52 points vs. Charlotte on Jan. 2.

Butler, 27, owns career averages of 15.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals in 399 games. The Houston, Texas, native has been named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team three times (2014–2016) and was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player after the 2014-15 season after increasing his scoring average from 13.1 ppg to 20.0 ppg and his rebounds from 4.9 rpg to 5.8 rpg while averaging the same minutes in each season. Chicago originally drafted Butler with the 30th overall selection in the 2011 NBA Draft out of Marquette University.

Patton, 6-11, played in 35 contests over one season at Creighton, averaging 12.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 0.9 steals per game en route to earning Big East Freshman of the Year honors. Patton, 20, led the Big East and ranked second nationally with a field goal percentage of 67.6%, which stands as the highest field goal percentage of any freshman from a major conference in NCAA history. The Riverdale, Georgia, native also shot 53.3% from the three-point during his line season as a Bluejay. Patton sat out the 2015-16 season as a redshirt.

Dunn (6-4, 205), selected fifth overall by the Timberwolves in the 2016 NBA Draft, appeared in 78 games and averaged 3.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 17.1 minutes per game last season. Dunn won back-to-back Big East Player of the Year awards while at Providence (2014-15 and 2015-16). He averaged 15.6 points and 7.5 assists in his junior season, and finished with 16.4 points and 6.2 assists in his senior season.

LaVine (6-5, 185), picked 13th overall by Minnesota in the 2014 NBA Draft, averaged 18.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 47 games last season. LaVine shot .459 from the field, .387 from long range and .836 from the foul line. For his career, LaVine is averaging 13.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 206 games and shooting .445 overall, .378 from 3-point range and .821 from the stripe. After his first year in the league, LaVine was named to the 2014-15 All-Rookie Second Team.

Markkanen (7-0, 230), the seventh overall selection in this year’s Draft, averaged 15.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in his one season at Arizona. Markkanen posted shooting marks of .492 from the field, .423 from distance and .835 from the foul line. The Finland native was named Third-Team All-American by the Associated Press, Sporting News and the National Association of Basketball Coaches, and First-Team All-Pac-12 last season. Over the last 25 years, Markkanen and Kevin Durant are the players to record at least 69 3-pointers and 266 rebounds in their freshman year.

Report: Bulls will trade Jimmy Butler to Timberwolves

After 14 months of relative inactivity, Tom Thibodeau made what may be the biggest splash in Timberwolves history on Thursday night.

Minnesota acquired all-star forward Jimmy Butler and the No. 16 pick, which it used to select Creighton center Justin Patton, in Thursday night’s draft in exchange for Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and the No. 7 pick, a source confirmed.

Chicago used the No. 7 pick on Arizona forward Lauri Markkanen, who was a likely candidate to land in Minnesota prior to the trade.

— St Paul Pioneer Press

Spurs, Cavs discussing a Danny Green deal

The Spurs have been investigating the market for Green as they look to open salary-cap space ahead of the start of free agency. But the asking price has been a little too high in early talks with the Cavs, sources said. Green has two years and $20 million left on his contract. He averaged 7.3 points and shot 38 percent on 3-pointers in 68 games for the Spurs last season. He is also a strong defender. — ESPN.com

Knicks listening to Kristaps Porzingis trade offers

Phil Jackson confirmed Wednesday night that the team is listening to trade offers for star Kristaps Porzingis. Sources told ESPN on Tuesday that the Knicks had talks with each team positioned in the top five in the lottery, trying to acquire both a pick and a young player with star potential in exchange for Porzingis.

Porzingis, 21, averaged 18.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game in 2016-17, his second NBA season. He skipped exit meetings with Jackson and general manager Steve Mills in April because of frustration over the dysfunction and drama surrounding the Knicks, who finished 31-51.

— ESPN NY