Category: Cleveland Cavaliers Blog

Cavalier guard J.R. Smith’s surgery to repair a complex fracture of his right thumb was completed this morning at the Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center in Montrose, Ohio. The surgery was performed by renowned hand surgeon Dr. Thomas Graham of Northwell Health of New York. Dr. TJ Reilly of the Crystal Clinic assisted. Also present was Dr. Richard D. Parker of Cleveland Clinic Sports Health. Smith will now undergo a period of recovery and rehabilitation for his thumb and his return to play timeline is currently projected at 12-14 weeks. His status will be updated as appropriate.

Cavaliers center Chris Andersen suffered a non-contact right knee injury today during practice at Cleveland Clinic Courts. After undergoing evaluation at the facility, an MRI administered at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health by team physician Dr. Richard Parker confirmed that Andersen suffered an ACL tear that will require season ending surgery. Andersen’s status and recovery time will be updated following his surgery.

Andersen, who signed as a free agent this summer, appeared in 12 games this season with averages of 2.3 points and 2.6 rebounds.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have waived guard/forward Dahntay Jones, Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Jones appeared in two preseason games for the Cavs, averaging 4.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in 20.4 minutes. Jones also appeared in 15 postseason games for the Cavs last season.

The Cavaliers roster now stands at 15.

The Cleveland Cavaliers waived guard John Holland today.

Holland appeared in three preseason games for the Cavs, averaging 10.7 points and 1.3 steals in 18.8 minutes.

The Cavaliers roster now stands at 16.

NBA teams must trim their rosters to 15 or fewer players before the start of the regular season.

The Cavaliers waived guard Markel Brown, forward Jonathan Holmes and forward Cory Jefferson today.

Brown appeared in six preseason games for the Cavs, averaging 4.8 points and 1.7 rebounds in 14.3 minutes per game.

Holmes appeared in six preseason games for the Cavs, averaging 9.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in 17.4 minutes per game.

Jefferson appeared in six preseason games for the Cavs, averaging 7.7 points and 5.2 rebounds in 20.3 minutes per game.

The Cavaliers have re-signed guard J.R. Smith.

In a related move, the Cavaliers have waived guard Toney Douglas.

“Bringing J.R. back as part of our core group was a priority for us,” said Cavs General Manager David Griffin. “He’s a special part of this family and we are very pleased to have reached an agreement that we all can feel good about. We know he can’t wait to get back on the court with his brothers and we are certain that everyone in this organization and city feels the same way.”

Smith played in 77 games (all starts) with Cleveland in the 2015-16 regular season, averaging 12.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 30.7 minutes. The 6-6 guard ranked seventh in three-pointers made with a franchise single season record 204 triples. He also shot .400 from beyond the arc, which was tied for 18th-best in the NBA. Smith led Cleveland in steal-to-turnover ratio (1.37) and scored 10 or more points 50 times and 20 or more points 11 times last season.

During Cleveland’s championship run in the 2016 Playoffs, Smith started in all 21 games, averaging 11.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 34.8 minutes per game. He made a franchise playoff-record 65 three-pointers, which were also the fourth-most threes made by any NBA player in a single postseason. Smith scored in double figures in each of the last five games of the NBA Finals, as Cleveland went 4-1 over that stretch against Golden State and took home the franchise’s first ever NBA title.

Over his 12-year NBA career, Smith owns averages of 13.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.02 steals in 26.9 minutes over 839 regular season games (295 starts) with New Orleans, Denver, New York and Cleveland. He currently ranks 17th in league history in three-pointers made with 1,679. His 28 career regular season games with at least seven three-pointers and 14 contests with eight or more three-pointers both rank second in NBA history. Smith has made the most three-pointers in the Eastern Conference since the Cavs acquired him in a three-team trade on Jan. 5, 2015 (335 three-pointers).

The Akron Beacon Journal reports: “It feels great,” Smith said of being back with a reported four-year contract worth $57 million. “I didn’t take my physical yet, so I can’t practice, but it feels good to be in the gym, be around the guys and to be a part of it.”

J.R. Smith was a key member of the Cavs last season. And it took a while, but he and the team have finally come to an agreement. Here’s the Akron Beacon Journal reporting:

The Cavs and J.R. Smith agreed to a four-year deal Friday that could be worth $57 million, according to a league source, returning the shooting guard to where he always wanted to be.

Smith, 31, was an unrestricted free agent who earned about $5 million with the Cavs last season. He made a career-high 204 3-pointers last season and emerged as a top two-way player. The agreement came as the Cavs were in Chicago to face the Bulls in a preseason game.

Smith’s first game with the Cavs could come Tuesday in the preseason finale against the Washington Wizards at Ohio State. Coach Tyronn Lue already said he was going to treat Tuesday’s game as a dress rehearsal for the regular season.

The Cavaliers today signed point guard Toney Douglas to a contract. And in a related move, the Cavs have waived forward/center Eric Moreland.

Douglas (6-2, 190) appeared in 61 games for the New Orleans Pelicans last season averaging 8.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 20.7 minutes per game. He has played for six teams in his seven year career and has career averages of 7.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 19.2 minutes per game. He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 29th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.