Category: Cleveland Cavaliers Blog

Cavs blog – Cleveland Cavaliers blog, blogging Cavs news, rumors and more

Cavs sign Mfiondu Kabengele to standard contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward/center Mfiondu Kabengele (fee-ON-doo cabin-gelly) to a multi-year contract, Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Kabengele (6-9, 250) has played in seven games with the Cavaliers this season after signing his first 10-day contract with the team on April 10 and a second 10-day contract on April 21, averaging 3.4 points on .529 shooting from the field, 1.9 rebounds and 1.0 assist in in 9.4 minutes. He also appeared in 23 games for the Los Angeles Clippers this season before being traded to the Sacramento Kings on March 22. Kabengele, who was waived by the Kings on March 25, owns career averages of 2.2 points in 5.3 minutes over 42 games during his two NBA seasons with the Clippers and Cavaliers. The 23-year-old also played in 27 contests (all starts) for the Agua Caliente Clippers of the NBA G League in 2019-20, averaging 18.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.9 blocks in 31.2 minutes.

Selected with the 27th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by Brooklyn, Kabengele played two collegiate seasons at Florida State, earning the 2018-19 ACC Sixth Man of the Year award and 2019 All-ACC Tournament First Team honors. He is the nephew of NBA legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo.

Cavs sign guard Jeremiah Martin to two-way contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard Jeremiah Martin to a Two-Way contract, Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Martin (6-3, 185) spent the 2020-21 NBA G League season with the Long Island Nets, playing in 15 games (all starts) and averaging 18.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.4 steals in 31.8 minutes. He was previously a Two-Way player with the Brooklyn Nets during the 2019-20 season, originally signing a Two-Way contract on Jan. 15, 2020 and playing in nine NBA games with averages of 7.1 points and 2.0 assists in 11.0 minutes. Martin also appeared in three postseason contests for Brooklyn during the 2020 Playoffs, averaging 4.0 points in 9.0 minutes. He remained a Two-Way player with Brooklyn through the 2020 Preseason before being waived on Dec. 22, 2020.

Martin played four years collegiately at Memphis from 2015-19, competing in 124 games (98 starts) with career averages of 13.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.8 steals in 29.7 minutes. As a senior in 2018-19, he was unanimously named First-Team All-AAC after posting averages of 19.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.2 steals in 34.3 minutes through 36 games (all starts). His 19.7 points per game led the AAC, making him the first Memphis player to lead the conference in scoring since Will Barton in 2012. Following his senior campaign, Martin was selected to participate in the 2019 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, consisting of 64 of the top senior basketball players in the nation, and was named to the All-Tournament Team. He finished his career at Memphis ranked 10th all-time in scoring (1,625 points), and his 708 points his final season were the second-highest ever by a senior in school history.

Cavs forward Taurean Prince undergoes ankle surgery

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Taurean Prince underwent successful left ankle arthroscopic surgery yesterday at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City, New York.

Prince missed the Cavaliers’ previous three games with left ankle soreness.

Recent imaging at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health and continuous evaluation by the Cavaliers medical staff confirmed that surgery was needed to alleviate ongoing discomfort experienced over the past several weeks.

The procedure was performed by Dr. Martin O’Malley.

Prince will be out indefinitely.

Cavs sign Mfiondu Kabengele to second 10-day contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward/center Mfiondu Kabengele to a second 10-day contract, Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Kabengele (6-9, 250) has played in three games with the Cavaliers after signing his first 10-day contract with the team on April 10. He also appeared in 23 games for the Los Angeles Clippers this season before being traded to the Sacramento Kings on March 22. Kabengele, who was waived by the Kings on March 25, owns career averages of 1.9 points in 4.7 minutes over 38 games during his two NBA seasons with the Clippers and Cavaliers. The 23-year-old also played in 27 contests (all starts) for the Agua Caliente Clippers of the NBA G League in 2019-20, averaging 18.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.9 blocks in 31.2 minutes.

Selected with the 27th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by Brooklyn, Kabengele played two collegiate seasons at Florida State, earning the 2018-19 ACC Sixth Man of the Year award and 2019 All-ACC Tournament First Team honors. He is the nephew of NBA legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo.

Cavaliers sign Lamar Stevens to standard NBA contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward Lamar Stevens to a multi-year contract, Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Stevens (6-8, 225), who signed a Two-Way contract with Cleveland on November 28, 2020, has appeared in 37 games for the Cavaliers this season with averages of 4.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in 13.1 minutes. The rookie forward has scored in double figures on three occasions. Against San Antonio on March 19, Stevens posted his first career double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds in 17 minutes, becoming the first player in Cavaliers history to record those totals in under 18 minutes of play. He also made the game-winning basket with 4.1 seconds remaining in Cleveland’s 112-111 victory over Atlanta on February 23.

Stevens went undrafted in the 2020 NBA Draft after playing four years collegiately at Penn State. He remains second on the school’s all-time scoring list with 2,207 points, and holds the record for field goals made (801) and starts (135). Additionally, he was named All-Big Ten First Team twice (2018-19, 2019-20), and was named the 2018 NIT Most Outstanding Player. He also finished his collegiate career as part of the winningest class in Penn State’s Big Ten era (76 wins).

Cavaliers sign Mfiondu Kabengele to 10-day contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward/center Mfiondu Kabengele to a 10-day contract, Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Kabengele (6-9, 250) appeared in 23 games for the Los Angeles Clippers this season before being traded to the Sacramento Kings on March 22. Kabengele, who was waived by the Kings on March 25, owns career averages of 2.0 points in 4.5 minutes over 35 games during his two NBA seasons with the Clippers. The 23-year-old also played in 27 contests (all starts) for the Agua Caliente Clippers of the NBA G League in 2019-20, averaging 18.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.9 blocks in 31.2 minutes.

Selected with the 27th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by Brooklyn, Kabengele played two collegiate seasons at Florida State, earning the 2018-19 ACC Sixth Man of the Year award and 2019 All-ACC Tournament First Team honors. He is the nephew of NBA legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo.

Kabengele will wear jersey #27 for the Cavaliers.

Cavs trade JaVale McGee to Nuggets

The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired forward/center Isaiah Hartenstein and two second round draft picks in a trade with the Denver Nuggets for center JaVale McGee, Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman announced from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

The draft picks acquired by the Cavs are the Nuggets’ 2023 second round pick (31-46 protected) and the Nuggets’ 2027 second round pick.

McGee, 7-0, 270, has appeared in 33 games for the Cavaliers this season, averaging 8.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.21 blocks while shooting 52.1% from the field in 15.2 minutes per game. The 13-year NBA veteran returns to Denver after spending four seasons as a Nugget from 2011 to 2015. McGee was drafted with the 18th overall pick by Washington in the 2008 NBA Draft and appeared in a total of 734 career games (318 starts) owning averages of 7.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.50 blocks on 57.2% shooting from the field.

The Flint, Michigan native is coming off a 2019-20 campaign with the Los Angeles Lakers that saw him win his third Championship in four seasons. He started 11 games for the Lakers in the NBA Bubble in Orlando during their Championship run and he played an integral role for the Warriors during their back-to-back Championship seasons in 2017 and 2018. McGee has appeared in a total of 58 playoff games (23 starts).

Hartenstein (7-0, 249) has appeared in 30 games for the Nuggets this season, averaging 3.5 points on .513 shooting and 2.8 rebounds in 9.1 minutes. He has played in 81 games in his three-year NBA career for Denver and Houston, compiling averages of 3.3 points on .559 shooting and 2.7 rebounds in 9.4 minutes. Hartenstein also played in parts of three seasons in the NBA G-League (2017-20) with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers where, in 2019, he was named All G-League First Team and G-League Finals MVP while leading his team to the G-League Championship. The 22-year-old Eugene, Oregon native was originally drafted by Houston with the 43rd overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Cavs sign Quinn Cook to another 10-day contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard Quinn Cook to a second 10-day contract.

Cook (6-1, 179) has averaged 5.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in 12.8 minutes through four games with the Cavaliers after signing his first 10-day contract with the team on March 12. He also played in 16 games for the Los Angeles Lakers this season before being waived on February 24.

A two-time NBA champion (2018, 2020), Cook has played in 185 regular season games (29 starts) over five NBA seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Golden State Warriors, Lakers and Cavaliers, holding career averages of 6.4 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 14.1 minutes. He has also appeared in 40 postseason games, including six contests in last year’s title run with the Lakers.

Cavs sign Quinn Cook to 10-day contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard Quinn Cook to a 10-day contract.

Cook (6-1, 179) appeared in 16 games for the Los Angeles Lakers this season before being waived on February 24. A two-time NBA champion (2018, 2020), Cook has played in 181 career regular season games (29 starts) over five NBA seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Golden State Warriors and Lakers, holding averages of 6.4 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 14.1 minutes. He has also appeared in 40 postseason games, including six contests in last year’s title run with the Lakers. The Washington, D.C. native went undrafted in 2015 after playing four years at Duke where he won an NCAA Championship during his senior season and left as one of just seven players in school history to record 1,000 points and 500 assists.

Additionally, Cook was a member of Cleveland’s 2015 Training Camp roster and spent nearly two seasons with the Canton Charge (2015-16, 2016-17), the Cavaliers’ exclusively owned and operated NBA G League team. With the Charge, he was a two-time All-Star (2016, 2017) and the G League’s Rookie of the Year (2016).

Cook will wear jersey #4 for the Cavaliers.

Celtics reportedly might have interest in trading for Larry Nance Jr.

With the NBA trade deadline coming later this month, rumors will start to increase on players who could be on the move. Via Boston.com:

The Celtics are reportedly exploring the trade market, and you can add another name to their target list.

Boston is one of the several teams that are interested in Cleveland Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr., Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor reported. The 76ers, Pelicans, Heat, Mavericks, and Timberwolves are the other teams that have shown interest in Nance.

Enjoy tonight’s All-Star game. We’ll get more into trade rumblings in the coming days.