Cleveland Cavaliers Blog – Page 67 – NBA Blog

Cavaliers sign C.J. Miles

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard/forward C.J. Miles to a contract, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

“C.J. brings solid NBA experience to the team, yet is still just entering his prime at 25,” said General Manager Chris Grant. “His ability to play multiple positions adds depth and flexibility to our roster.”

Miles, 25, averaged 9.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 20.5 minutes per game in 56 games (14 starts) for the Utah Jazz last season. He scored a season-high 27 points on 10-16 (.625) shooting in 27 minutes off the bench against Houston on Feb. 29th and has a career high of 40 points, which he scored on Mar. 16th, 2011 against Minnesota.

The 6-foot-6, 222-pound Miles was drafted out of Skyline High School in Dallas, Texas by the Jazz with the fourth pick of the second round (34th overall pick) of the 2005 NBA Draft and has played all seven seasons of his NBA career with Utah. He has career averages of 8.4 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 19.3 minutes in 389 games (159 starts).

C.J. Miles likely joining the Cavs

Unrestricted free agent small forward C.J. Miles has agreed to terms with the Cleveland Cavaliers, a league source told The Salt Lake Tribune on Friday.

Miles is expected to sign a two-year deal with Cleveland and compete for a starting spot during the 2012-13 season.

Miles, 25, drew interest from several teams during free agency, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas, Milwaukee and Houston. His growing bond with Cavaliers coach Byron Scott and the opportunity Cleveland presented him heavily factored into his decision.

“He’s so happy,” the source said.

— Reported by Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune Blog

Jon Diebler continues playing in Turkey

Former Ohio State guard Jon Diebler will play a second season in Europe after signing today with Pinar Karsiyaka, a team in the Aegean Sea town of Izmir, Turkey. His agent, Lance Young, confirmed the signing.

Diebler, taken by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round of the 2011 NBA draft, played last season in Greece. He played with the Blazers’ entry in the Las Vegas Summer League this month, but last week his negotiating rights were traded to the Houston Rockets as part of a three-team deal also involving Boston.

Young said the Rockets encouraged Diebler to play overseas again this season because they are well-stocked with players on the wing.

— Reported by Bob Baptist of the Columbus Dispatch

Alonzo Gee hopes to stay with Cavs

The free-agent forward, in town for one of the Cavs’ basketball camps put on by the National Basketball Academy, smiled. Although he’s not currently under contract with the team, he made it clear where he’d like to be.

“I want to be in Cleveland,” he said. “This is where I want to be. I love the coaches and my teammates. This is where I want to be.”

Although he remains unsigned, Gee said the uncertainty during this summer has not been difficult.

— Reported by Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer

Cavs rookie Dion Waiters out of shape at summer league

As you read this, remember that I didn’t favor the Cavs selecting Dion Waiters at No. 4.

But I also know it’s premature to say this was a lousy pick because Waiters played poorly in three summer-league games, averaging 12.3 points but shooting only 30 percent from the field.

The big problem was Waiters showed up at least 10 pounds overweight and out of shape.

Smart? Nope.

But the message should be clear: Waiters needs to shape up physically and mentally. He has the arrogance you find in some East Coast playground legends. Listening to Dion Waiters, you know that he thinks Dion Waiters is the greatest player he’s ever seen.

— Reported by Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer

Ryan Hollins drawing interest from Hornets

The New Orleans Hornets have expressed interest in unrestricted free agent center Ryan Hollins, a 7-footer who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics last season, sources confirmed Tuesday.

The Hornets do not have a true center on their roster although they acquired 14-year veteran Brad Miller in a trade last week from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Miller is not expected to be on Hornets’ active roster this upcoming season because he plans to retire.

— Reported by John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune

Jonny Flynn works out for Cavaliers

Free-agent point guard Jonny Flynn worked out with for the Cavaliers on Monday, and there remains strong interest on both sides. Flynn has battled hip injuries in the past, but is healthy now and making a tour of NBA camps.

He has already worked out for the Cavs, Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks and has more teams on the schedule. He isn’t close to making a decision, according to a source close to Flynn.

The Cavs have held internal debates about whether or not it’s necessary to sign another point guard. Kyrie Irving and Donald Sloan are the only pure point guards on the roster, and Sloan is on a non-guaranteed contract.

Dion Waiters can certainly run the offense and Daniel Gibson, when healthy, can handle the point guard role in an emergency. But coach Byron Scott said he’d feel more comfortable with another true point guard, particularly in case Irving gets injured again.

— Reported by Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal

Cavaliers sign rookies Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed 2012 NBA Draft picks, guard Dion Waiters (Syracuse) and forward/center Tyler Zeller (North Carolina), to contracts, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft are guaranteed to receive a contact from the team. So, this is standard, and expected.

Waiters, 20, was selected by the Cavs with the fourth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Zeller, 22, was drafted 17th overall by the Dallas Mavericks and his draft rights were acquired by the Cavs in a draft night trade.

Hawks hire Wes Wilcox as assistant general manager

The Atlanta Hawks have named Wes Wilcox as Assistant General Manager, according to President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Danny Ferry.

Wilcox comes to the Hawks from the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he was most recently Director of Player Personnel, as well as serving as General Manager of the Cavs’ NBA Development League team, the Canton Charge. He joined the Cavaliers in 2003, and held the roles of advance scout, college scout and pro personnel scout.

Wilcox got his NBA start in 2001-02 as an intern with the Miami Heat in their scouting/video department, before moving to New Orleans as the Hornets’ video coordinator in 2002-03. He is a graduate of Cal-State Fullerton, and he and his wife Larisha have a son, Noah.

Semih Erden leaving NBA to return to Turkey

Semih Erden is returning to Turkey to play with Anadolu Efes of the Euroleague, the team’s website reported Tuesday. The Cavs did not confirm the report.

Erden, 25, signed a two-year deal with a team option for a third year. He spent two injury-plagued seasons in Cleveland, averaging 3.5 points and 2.6 rebounds in 28 games (nine starts) last season. Coach Byron Scott had high hopes for Erden, but they went relatively unmet.

Scott criticized Erden multiple times last season for not playing hard enough and not giving a strong enough effort. When he was traded from the Boston Celtics to the Cavs two years ago, Erden emphatically denied rumors that he was homesick and wanted to return to Turkey.

— Reported by Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal