Cleveland Cavaliers Blog – Page 25 – NBA Blog

Cavs trade Kyrie Irving to Celtics for Isaiah Thomas

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have acquired four-time All-Star and 2016 NBA Champion Kyrie Irving from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for guard Isaiah Thomas, forward Jae Crowder, center Ante Zizic and the rights to the Brooklyn Nets’ 2018 first round pick.

“Kyrie is one of the best scorers in the NBA. He has proven that on the biggest stage, the NBA Finals, the last three years,” said Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge. “He’s been an NBA Champion, an Olympic Gold Medalist, and a four-time All-Star. For all he’s accomplished, we think his best years are ahead of him.”

“Isaiah and Jae have been a huge part of our success,” said Celtics Co-Owner and Governing Partner Wyc Grousbeck. “Isaiah’s playoff performance under very difficult circumstances will live on in history, and we wish them all the best.”

Selected by Cleveland with the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Irving, 25, has posted career averages of 21.6 points (45.7% FG, 38.3% 3-PT, 87.3% FT), 3.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.32 steals and 34.2 minutes in 381 games (all starts) throughout six seasons with the Cavaliers. The 6-3 guard has registered a scoring average north of 20.0 points in four of his six NBA seasons, including a career-high 25.2 points in 2016-17.

Irving played a vital role in helping Cleveland capture its first NBA title in 2016, averaging 25.2 points on 47.5% shooting (44.0% 3-PT), and 4.7 assists during the Cavaliers 21-game playoff run to history. He scored a postseason-high 41 points on 17-of-24 shooting (5-7 3-PT) in a win against the Warriors in Game 5 of the NBA Finals that season, one of 18 games in which the Duke product logged at least 20 points. In three career postseason appearances, all of which resulted in trips to the NBA Finals, Irving has averaged 23.9 points (46.5% FG, 41.5% 3-PT, 87.6% FT), 3.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.46 steals and 36.4 minutes in 52 games.

In parts of three seasons with the Celtics, Thomas averaged 24.7 points (44.3% FG, 36.8% 3-PT, 88.9% FT), 2.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists. Crowder produced 12.8 points (44.4% FG, 35.3% 3-PT, 80.4% FT), 5.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists in parts of three seasons in Boston.

“Isaiah embodied what it meant to be a Celtic. He captured fans’ hearts not only with his spirit, but his personality,” said Ainge. “Jae’s toughness was contagious for our team. He improved his skills each year, but it’s his energy and fight that will be remembered. We wish them and their families the very best.”

Cavs have 39 national TV broadcasts

The Cleveland Cavaliers will open the 2017-18 campaign on Tuesday, October 17 at Quicken Loans Arena against the Boston Celtics in a nationally televised game between last year’s Eastern Conference Finals opponents at 8:00 p.m. ET on TNT. This will mark the eighth time in nine years the Cavs will tip off the season at The Q, where they will play 17 weekend home dates comprised of five Friday games, seven Saturday games and five Sunday games. The Cavaliers are slated to appear on at least 39 national television broadcasts, 20 of which will originate from downtown Cleveland at The Q.

Cavaliers sign Derrick Rose

Whether the Cleveland Cavaliers will keep Kyrie Irving or trade him remains to be seen, but today they added some scoring punch to the point guard spot, signing former league MVP Derrick Rose to a report one-year, $2.1 million contract.

Injuries have taken their toll on Rose, who is not the player he used to be. But if the Cavs are able to work things out with Irving and wind up keeping him, then having Rose add scoring punch off the bench would be a very nice luxury.

“We are very excited to be able to add a player of Derrick’s caliber and experience to the team,” said Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman. “Derrick could have gone to a number of other teams, but his specific mindset, goals and total focus and commitment to winning are what resulted in him signing with the Cavaliers. We are confident he will be a very good fit with our organization and we look forward to the many ways he will contribute to the team.”

Rose (6-3, 190) played in 64 games (all starts) for the New York Knicks in 2016-17 and averaged 18.0 points on .471 shooting from the field, 3.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 32.5 minutes. He scored in double figures on 61 occasions, including 24 contests with 20 points or more, and registered two double-doubles. The 6-3 guard also shot .874 (221-253) from the free throw line, which ranked 16th in the NBA, and was one of just six players in the league to average at least 18.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting .870 or better from the charity stripe.

“I have a single focus and purpose of wanting to play to win,” said Rose. “Being part of a roster and organization that shares that type of commitment and being able to play with the Cavaliers and compete for a championship is the only thing that matters for me. I am very happy to be in Cleveland and look forward to getting to work.”

Over his eight-year NBA career, the 28-year-old Chicago native has averaged 19.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 34.7 minutes through 470 games (469 starts) with the Chicago Bulls and Knicks. He earned league MVP honors in 2010-11 after posting career highs with 25.0 points and 4.1 rebounds while adding 7.7 assists in 37.4 minutes per game and leading the Bulls to the best record in the NBA (62-20). He also won the 2009 NBA Rookie of the Year award and has three NBA All-Star selections (2010, 2011, 2012).
Rose was originally selected out of the University of Memphis as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. He has gone on to appear in 41 career playoff games (all starts) with averages of 23.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.1 assists in 40.6 minutes. He was also a member of the United States men’s national basketball teams that won gold medals at the 2010 and 2014 FIBA World Cup.

Cavs hire Koby Altman as new general manager

The Cleveland Cavaliers have named Koby Altman the team’s new General Manager.

Altman has been a member of the Cavs basketball front office for the past five years, most recently serving as Assistant General Manager, having been promoted to that position in September 2016. He has been an essential part of a front office that formulated a roster and coaching staff that have been to three straight NBA Finals, including winning the NBA Championship in 2016. Altman has also led the team’s front office over the last five weeks.

“Over the past month, Koby Altman has led our front office group through this transition period, impressing many inside the franchise and outside the organization, as well. We are very excited that he will now be officially leading the basketball side of our franchise. Koby has the credentials, knowledge, experience and instincts to be an outstanding General Manager. In addition to these positive attributes and outstanding relationships around the league, Koby will inspire and impact the best possible culture throughout the organization. We are going to see a capable and passionate leader who will also cultivate new ideas and innovation,” said Cavaliers Chairman Dan Gilbert

“The speed of the game is ever faster on the court and in the front offices around our league. I am confident that Koby is equipped and prepared to lead and succeed in this dynamic environment.”

Other notable front office moves are expected soon.

“The past month or so has allowed the opportunity for several other talented and hard-working individuals on the basketball side of our business to demonstrate their deep knowledge and capability. We are looking forward to announcing additional restructuring involving these remarkable executives in the very near future,” concluded Gilbert.

Originally joining the Cavaliers in August of 2012 as pro personnel manager, Altman was promoted to director of pro player personnel in September 2013. In his role as assistant general manager, Altman was tasked with player evaluation across all levels of basketball, both domestically and abroad. Altman also oversaw the team’s NBA and G League scouting efforts and played a core role in all aspects of the team’s basketball operations, working closely with the team’s coaches, players and staff.

“I am incredibly grateful to Dan for the opportunity to become general manager of the Cavaliers. His confidence, support and strong commitment to achieving our collective goals is very clear to me and I look forward to continuing our efforts. I am also excited and proud to lead a front office team that will continue to be sharply focused on competing for championships. That challenge is what drives all of us,” said Altman. “Cleveland fans support the Cavs with passion, pride and loyalty. That’s something all of us here have a deep respect for and will never take for granted. We will always work hard and search for creative ideas that will impact our success on the court and in the community.”

Altman has extensive experience with the USA Basketball program as well. In the summer of 2010, he served as the Team Manager for USA Basketball’s Under-17 team at the inaugural FIBA Under-17 World Championship in Hamburg, Germany. That 17-and-under squad won the first gold medal to ever be awarded for that age group and featured three players selected among the top 10 in the 2012 NBA Draft. In 2009, he assisted Team USA’s 19-and-under team in the FIBA Under-19 World Championship in Auckland, New Zealand. That squad also won the gold, its first in that age group since 1991.
Prior to joining the Cavaliers, Altman served as an assistant coach at The Ivy League’s Columbia University for two seasons, where he also led Columbia’s developmental basketball program. Altman spent the 2009-10 season at Southern Illinois as a graduate assistant after earning his master’s degree in sport management at the University of Massachusetts. While earning his graduate degree at UMASS, he coached at nearby Amherst College for two seasons and helped guide the team to a 48-11 record. Altman, a Brooklyn, New York native, played collegiately at Middlebury College, where he was a three-year starter at point guard.

Cavaliers sign forward Cedi Osman

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward Cedi Osman (pronounced JED-e AUS-min), the team announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Osman (6-8, 215) has spent the last five seasons with Anadolu Efes in the Turkish Basketball League first division. In 2016-17, he played in 35 games (28 starts) and averaged 13.2 points on .496 shooting, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 25.7 minutes per game. He also competed in 35 Euroleague contests (34 starts) this past season, averaging 7.1 points and 2.8 rebounds in 18.6 minutes. Osman spent his first two professional seasons with Pertevniyal Istanbul in the Turkish second division from 2011-2013. A BSL All-Star in each of his last three seasons (2015-17), he won the 2015 Turkish Cup and 2015 Turkish Supercup with Anadolu Efes.

A native of Ohrid, Macedonia, Osman was originally selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 31st overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft before having his draft rights acquired by the Cavaliers that night. The 6-8 forward has been a member of the Turkish National Team at the 2014 FIBA World Cup, FIBA EuroBasket 2015 and the 2016 Manila FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament. He was also selected as FIBA Europe U20 Championship MVP after leading Turkey to a gold medal in 2014.

Cavaliers re-sign Kyle Korver

The Cleveland Cavaliers have re-signed guard Kyle Korver, the team announced Wednesday from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Korver (6-7, 212) joined the Cavaliers last season after being acquired via trade from the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 7. In 35 games (one start) with Cleveland, he averaged 10.7 points and 2.8 rebounds in 24.5 minutes per game while shooting .487 from the field, .485 from beyond the arc and .933 from the free throw line.

For the entire season, he averaged 10.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 26.2 minutes and shot an NBA-best .451 (162-359) from three-point range – his fourth time leading the league in three-point percentage over his career (2009-10, 2013-14, 2014-15). Korver scored in double digits 19 times with the Cavaliers this past season, which includes a 29-point performance at Indiana on Feb. 8. The 14-year veteran knocked down his 2,000th career three-pointer on Feb. 15 against the Pacers, becoming just the seventh player in NBA history to accomplish that feat. Korver also appeared in 18 games during Cleveland’s NBA Finals run, averaging 5.8 points and 1.7 rebounds in 18.1 minutes per game.

Korver has appeared in 1,031 games (418 starts) with the Philadelphia 76ers, Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls, Hawks and Cavaliers, owning career averages of 10.0 points and 3.1 rebounds in 26.5 minutes per game. He is also averaging 8.3 points and 2.7 rebounds in 24.9 minutes over 109 career postseason contests (38 starts). An NBA All-Star in 2015, Korver is currently tied for fifth in NBA history with 2,049 career made three-pointers and ranks fifth all-time in three-point field goal percentage (.431, minimum 300 3FGM). He has hit 100 threes or more 12 times in his career, including each of the last seven seasons.

Cavaliers sign Jeff Green

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward Jeff Green.

According to Cleveland.com, “Joe Vardon has reported that Green will receive a one-year, $2.3 million deal — a prove-it veteran’s minimum contract that is guaranteed for the 2017-18 campaign. Green made $15 million last season. The 30-year-old forward, who has spent time with five different organizations during his career, is coming off a down year, averaging a career-low 9.2 points and 3.1 rebounds with the 29-win Orlando Magic.”

Green (6-9, 235) spent last season with the Orlando Magic, appearing in 69 contests (11 starts) with averages of 9.2 points and 3.1 rebounds in 22.2 minutes per game. He also shot a career-high .863 from the foul line and scored in double figures on 35 occasions.

A nine-year NBA veteran, Green has played in 705 games (484 starts) over his career with the Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers and Orlando, owning averages of 13.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 31.1 minutes per game. He has also appeared in 38 postseason contests (15 starts), averaging 11.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 29.3 minutes per game.

The 6-9 forward, who hails from Cheverly, Maryland, and played collegiately at Georgetown, was originally selected by Boston with the fifth overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft before being traded to Seattle prior to the start of his rookie campaign. He earned All-Rookie First Team honors in 2007-08 and has averaged double figures in scoring in eight of his nine NBA seasons.

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.

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

Cavaliers and GM David Griffin to part ways

Here’s a statement from the Cavs:

The Cleveland Cavaliers and its General Manager, David Griffin, have mutually decided not to extend David’s current contract, which ends June 30, 2017.

On behalf of the entire organization, I would like to thank Griff for his leadership and many contributions during his time here, including most recently, his role in the franchise’s first NBA Championship.

We have no announcement at this time related to new leadership of the Cavaliers basketball operations group, but we are confident our current front office will continue to aggressively explore and pursue opportunities to improve our team in the weeks ahead.