Category: Cleveland Cavaliers Blog

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Cavs forward Kevin Love to miss time due to calf injury

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love left Sunday night’s home game against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second quarter and did not return to action after reaggravating a right calf strain initially diagnosed during the preseason.

Further examination and an MRI administered on Monday at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health confirmed the injury.

Love will undergo a series of treatment and rehabilitation and will be reassessed in approximately three to four weeks.

The Cavs are off to a surprise 3-0 start this NBA season. Leading them in scoring is Collin Sexton at 27.0 points per game, Andre Drummond at 20.3 PPG, Darius Garland at 19.0 PPG, and Cedi Osman at 15.7 PPG. Love has been off to a quiet start, which can presumably be blamed on injury.

Cavs shooting guard Dylan Windler out with wrist, finger injury

Cavaliers guard/forward Dylan Windler left Wednesday night’s home opener against the Charlotte Hornets in the third quarter with a left wrist injury and did not return to action.

X-rays taken at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse after the game were negative.

Further examination and an MRI administered today at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health revealed a fourth metacarpal fracture.

Windler will now undergo a period of treatment and rehabilitation and will be re-evaluated in one week. His status will be updated as appropriate.

Cavaliers exercise contract options on Collin Sexton, Darius Garland, Kevin Porter Jr. and Dylan Windler

The Cleveland Cavaliers have exercised the fourth-year (2021-22) contract option on Collin Sexton and the third-year (2021-22) options on Darius Garland, Kevin Porter Jr. and Dylan Windler, Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Sexton (6-1, 192) started in all 65 games for Cleveland last season, averaging a team-best 20.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steal in 33.0 minutes. He joined LeBron James and Kyrie Irving as the only Cavaliers to ever average 20.0 points in a season before the age of 22. Sexton also had the third-highest scoring average among second-year players in 2019-20, behind only Trae Young (29.6) and Luka Doncic (28.8), and was one of just two Eastern Conference players last season (six in NBA) who averaged at least 20.0 points with a .470 mark from the field and a .840 clip from the foul line (Khris Middleton). Sexton closed out the season with a career-high five straight games with 25 points or more, becoming just the third Cavalier ever to have such a streak in his first or second season (LeBron James, Ron Harper). Drafted as the No. 8 pick by Cleveland in the 2018 NBA Draft, Sexton has appeared in every game of his NBA career so far (147 games), the longest streak by a player who started their career with the team since Andre Miller, who played his first 185 contests (11/2/99 to 12/11/01). Sexton has more career double-digit scoring performances than any player from the 2018 NBA Draft class (135) and owns career averages of 18.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 32.3 minutes.

Garland (6-1, 186), the No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, was the only NBA rookie in 2019-20 with at least 700 points, 225 assists and 100 three-pointers. Over his 59 appearances (all starts) last season, Garland averaged 12.3 points and 3.9 assists in 30.9 minutes. He ranked second among all rookies in assists per game, behind only Memphis guard Ja Morant. His 105 three-pointers were the second-most by a rookie in franchise history behind Collin Sexton (2018-19, 119), and he reached double figures in scoring 43 times. Garland also finished in the Top 10 among all NBA rookies in minutes per game (third), three-pointers made (sixth), three-point percentage (sixth) and points per game (eighth). In addition, he had 10 straight outings with at least four assists from Jan. 27-Feb. 24, the longest by a Cavs rookie since Kyrie Irving’s franchise-rookie record tying 18 straight in 2012 (2/29/12-4/18/12).

Porter Jr. (6-4, 203) played in 50 games (three starts) with the Cavaliers last season, averaging 10.0 points (12th among rookies), 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists (7th among rookies) and 0.92 steals (4th among rookies) in 23.2 minutes. He was the only rookie in the NBA averaging at least 10.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in under 24.0 minutes in 2019-20. In a win over Miami on Feb. 24, Porter Jr. became just the third rookie in franchise history to record at least 30 points, eight rebounds and three steals in a single game, joining LeBron James (twice in 2003-04) and Ron Harper (once in 1986-87). Porter Jr., the 30th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by Milwaukee, was acquired by the Cavaliers in a trade with Detroit on June 26, 2019.

Windler (6-6, 199), who missed the entire 2019-20 regular season due to a left lower leg stress reaction, was the No. 26 overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft by the Cavaliers after a four-year career at Belmont. In 128 games (97 starts) over his collegiate career, he averaged 13.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.0 steal in 29.4 minutes, while also shooting .541 from the field, .406 from three-point range and .763 from the foul line. Windler was one of four players to record 1,600 career points and 1,000 rebounds in Ohio Valley Conference history dating back to 1971.

Cavs waive Matt Mooney, Levi Randolph and Charles Matthews, and sign Norvel Pelle

The Cleveland Cavaliers have waived Two-Way player Matt Mooney and guard/forwards Levi Randolph and Charles Matthews.

The team then converted center Marques Bolden into a Two-Way contract, and has also signed forward Norvel Pelle.

Bolden (6-11, 250) appeared in all four Cavaliers preseason games this year and played in one game for the Cavs last season after signing a 10-day contract on Jan. 30, 2020. He was also a member of the Cavaliers’ 2019 training camp roster and played in 38 games (27 starts) in 2019-20 with the Canton Charge, the Cavaliers’ exclusively owned and operated NBA G League affiliate, averaging 9.7 points on .596 shooting, 6.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 18.9 minutes.

Pelle (6-10, 231) appeared in 24 games for the Philadelphia 76ers last season, averaging 2.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 9.7 minutes.

Rookie Isaac Okoro hits preseason game-winner for Cavs

NBA preseason began Friday. On Saturday, the Cleveland Cavaliers won in a really fun way, with a rookie hitting a game-winner. Via the News Herald:

It was the preseason opener of their 51st season, but for the 2020-21 Cavaliers, their game against the Pacers played Dec. 12 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse was like a playoff game, or at least the first game in franchise history.

The Cavaliers are truly in a new beginning under Coach J.B. Bickerstaff, and it could not have ended better. Rookie Isaac Okoro made a layup, was fouled with 0.3 seconds to play and then made the free throw to win a 107-104 thriller.

Unfortunately, no fans were there to witness it. They are banned from preseason games because of the novel coronavirus, which means the FieldHouse will also be fanless Dec. 14 when the Cavs host the Pacers in their second of four preseason games. State and local officials have set the maximum number of fans at 300 for regular-season games.

Okoro finished with 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting.

The Cavs will face the Pacers again tonight, then head to New York for two preseason bouts with the Knicks.

Cavs sign Lamar Stevens, waive Rayjon Tucker

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward Lamar Stevens from Penn State University to a two-way contract.

In a separate move, the Cavaliers have waived forward Rayjon Tucker, who was acquired in a trade with the Utah Jazz on Nov. 27.

Stevens (6-8, 225) played four years collegiately at Penn State from 2016-20, averaging 16.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 32.2 minutes over 135 career contests (all starts). As a senior in 2019-20, he appeared in 31 games (all starts) and averaged 17.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks in 31.1 minutes. Stevens, who led Penn State and finished fourth in the Big Ten in scoring (17.6) his senior year, was named to the 2019-20 All-Big Ten First Team as well as the 2019-20 Senior CLASS All-America Second Team for his achievements on and off the court.

Stevens averaged double figures in scoring in each of his four collegiate seasons and ranks second on Penn State’s career scoring list (2,207). He holds program records for field goals made (801) and starts (135), and finished his collegiate career as part of the winningest class in Penn State’s Big Ten era (76 wins). Stevens was named to the 2018-19 All-Big Ten First Team by media and 2018-19 Second Team by coaches. During his time at Penn State, he was a two-time NABC and USBWA All-District selection, and was named the 2018 NIT Most Outstanding Player.

Cavs sign former Knicks guard Damyean Dotson

Former Knicks guard guard Damyean Dotson has found a new home.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed Dotson today, to a multi-year contract.

Per multiple reports, Dotson’s Cavs contract is a two-year deal for around $4 million.

Dotson, listed at 6-foot-5, 205 lbs., played in 48 games for the Knicks last season, averaging 6.7 points and 1.9 rebounds in 17.4 minutes. He hit .362% from three-point range, and scored double-digits 13 times, including a season-high 21 points (7-10 FG, 4-7 3FG) against Toronto on January 24th.

In his first three NBA seasons, all with New York, Dotson appeared in 165 games (42 starts), for a career average of 7.8 points and 2.6 rebounds in 20.1 minutes per game.

The Houston, Texas native was the 44th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft from the University of Houston.

Cavs re-sign Matthew Dellavedova

The Cleveland Cavaliers have re-signed guard Matthew Dellavedova.

Dellavedova (6-3, 204) played in 57 games (four starts) for Cleveland this past season, averaging 3.1 points and 3.2 assists in 14.4 minutes. He shot .865 from the foul line and scored in double figures on three occasions. Dellavedova, who led the Cavs in assists 12 times and recorded a team-high 3.05 assist-to-turnover ratio in 2019-20, averaged 9.2 assists over the final five games of the season (March 2-10), including a 14-point, 11-assist performance in a win over San Antonio on March 8. He also became the first Cavalier since Feb. 5, 1993 (Terrell Brandon) to have a game of at least nine assists in under 20 minutes of play after accomplishing that feat on Jan. 7 versus Detroit.

Over his seven-year NBA career, Dellavedova has appeared in 434 regular season games (92 starts) with Cleveland and Milwaukee. He owns career averages of 5.6 points and 3.7 assists in 20.4 minutes while shooting .368 from three-point range and .838 from the free throw line. Undrafted out of Saint Mary’s (CA) College in 2013, the Australian native played his first three NBA seasons with Cleveland (2013-2016) and was a member of the Cavaliers’ 2016 NBA Championship team. After a two-year stint with the Bucks, Dellavedova returned to the Cavaliers as part of a three-team trade with Milwaukee and Washington on Dec. 7, 2018.

Lakers trade JaVale McGee, draft pick to Cavs for Jordan Bell and Alfonzo McKinnie

The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired center Jordan Bell and small forward Alfonzo McKinnie in a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers for center JaVale McGee and a future second round draft pick.

Bell has played in 154 career games (16 starts) for Golden State, Minnesota and Memphis, averaging 3.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 12.0 minutes per game. McKinnie has appeared in 126 career games (six starts) for Toronto, Golden State and Cleveland, notching 4.3 points and 2.9 rebounds in 13.1 minutes.

McGee (7-0, 270) has appeared in 701 games over 12 seasons with averages of 7.9 points on .575 shooting, 5.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 17.3 minutes with Washington, Denver, Philadelphia, Dallas, Golden State and the Lakers. During the 2019-20 season, he appeared in 68 games, averaging 6.6 points on .637 shooting, 5.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 16.6 minutes. McGee has appeared in 58 career playoff games, averaging 5.6 points on .612 shooting, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 12.9 minutes. Last season also marked McGee’s third NBA Championship after winning two titles with the Warriors in 2017 and 2018.

McKinnie (6-7, 215) played in 40 games for the Cavaliers last season, averaging 4.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 14.8 minutes. Bell (6-8, 224), who the Cavaliers signed on June 30, 2020, played in 29 games for Minnesota and Memphis last season, averaging 3.2 points and 2.8 rebounds in 8.8 minutes.

In a separate transaction with the Milwaukee Bucks on November 18th, the Cavaliers acquired the Bucks’ 2025 second round draft pick in exchange for the draft rights to Ilkan Karaman (originally drafted in 2012 by the Brooklyn Nets). The protections on the first round pick for the first allowable draft (2022) previously conveyed to the Cavaliers from Milwaukee in a trade on Dec. 7, 2018 have been removed, making it an unprotected first round pick.