Category: Cleveland Cavaliers Blog

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Cavaliers sign rookies Ochai Agbaji and Isaiah Mobley

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed 2022 NBA Draft picks Ochai Agbaji and Isaiah Mobley, President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Agbaji (6-5, 215) was selected by the Cavaliers with the 14th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Agbaji started in all 39 games this past season as a senior at Kansas, averaging a Big-12 leading 18.8 points and 5.1 rebounds in a team-high 35.0 minutes. Agbaji also finished second in the Big-12 in three-point percentage (.409) and three-point field goals made per game (2.64). He helped lead Kansas to its fourth national championship in program history under head coach Bill Self and was named the 2022 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player. Agbaji also finished as a 2021-22 consensus All-American First Team selection as well as the 2021-22 Big 12 Player of the Year.

The four-year guard played in 122 games (116 starts) in his career at Kansas, averaging 13.6 points (.374 3FG%), 4.4 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 32.6 minutes and finished fourth in Kansas history in three-pointers made (250 3FGM). During his tenure, Agbaji also set a program record by making a three-pointer in 53 consecutive games. He also ended his Kansas career ranked 15th in points (1,652), seventh in consecutive starts (98) and ninth in minutes played (3,978) and he is also a three-time All-Big 12 as well as an Academic All-Big 12 selection.

Mobley (6-10, 240), who signed a Two-Way contract with the Cavaliers, appeared in 32 games (all starts) as a junior for USC this past season, averaging team-highs in points (14.2) and rebounds (8.3) in 34.1 minutes. Mobley played in 95 career games (72 starts) for the Trojans and held career averages of 10.1 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 27.5 minutes. His brother Evan Mobley was an NBA All-Rookie First Team selection for the Cavaliers this past season and was selected with the 3rd pick by the Cavaliers in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Cavaliers extend qualifying offers to Collin Sexton and R.J. Nembhard

The Cleveland Cavaliers have extended a qualifying offer to guard Collin Sexton and a Two-Way contract qualifying offer to guard R.J. Nembhard, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Sexton (6-1, 192), who appeared in 11 games (all starts) with the Cavaliers last season before missing the final 71 contests due to a left knee meniscus tear, finished the 2021-22 campaign with averages of 16.0 points, a career-high 3.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.91 steals in 28.7 minutes. Selected as the No. 8 overall pick by Cleveland in the 2018 NBA Draft, Sexton owns career averages of 20.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists in four NBA seasons with the Cavaliers.

Nembhard (6-5, 200), who went undrafted out of Texas Christian University in 2021, originally signed a Two-Way contract with Cleveland on Oct. 16 and appeared in 14 games for the Cavaliers this past season. He was converted to a standard NBA contract on March 31 and waived on April 7 before signing a second Two-Way contract with the Cavaliers on April 10. Nembhard also played in 15 games (14 starts) for the Cleveland Charge, the Cavaliers’ exclusively owned and operated NBA G League team, averaging 24.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 38.4 minutes per contest.

Kings trade 49th pick in 2022 NBA Draft to Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired the 49th pick in tonight’s NBA Draft from the Sacramento Kings (from Chicago via Memphis) in exchange for cash considerations and the draft rights to Aleksandar Vezenkov, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts. The Cavaliers now have picks 14, 39, 49 and 56 in the draft.

Vezenkov (6-9, 225) was acquired on January 14, 2021 from the Brooklyn Nets as part of a three-team trade that brought Jarrett Allen to Cleveland. He was drafted 57th overall by Brooklyn in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Cavaliers exercise contract option on Dean Wade

The Cleveland Cavaliers have exercised their fourth-year team option on forward Dean Wade, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Wade (6-9, 228) appeared in 51 games (28 starts) for the Cavaliers last season, averaging 5.3 points and 2.9 rebounds in 19.2 minutes. He scored in double figures in 11 of his 28 starts and shot .429 (21-49) from beyond the arc over his final 12 outings as a starter (Jan. 24-March 12). Wade missed the final 15 games of the season due to injury. Over his three NBA seasons with the Cavaliers, Wade has appeared in 126 career games (47 starts). Wade went undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft after playing four years collegiately at Kansas State, where he was a two-time All-Big 12 First Team selection and finished his career ranking among the Top 10 in school history in career starts (123, second), double-digit scoring games (81, seventh), rebounds (685, eighth), field goals made (548, eighth) and points (1,510, 10th).

Cleveland Cavaliers promote Greg Buckner to associate head coach

The Cleveland Cavaliers have promoted Greg Buckner to associate head coach, Cavaliers Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Buckner was hired as an assistant coach with the Cavaliers in September of 2020, after previously working on the staffs of the Memphis Grizzlies (2016-19) and Houston Rockets (2014-16) alongside Bickerstaff. Prior to being elevated to assistant coach with the Rockets, Buckner served three seasons as a player development coach (2011-14). This past season, he was part of a coaching staff that helped guide Cleveland to the NBA’s fifth-best defensive rating (108.9) and doubled their win total from a season ago with a 44-38 record. The Cavaliers also allowed just 105.7 points per game, the fifth-lowest in the NBA, and held teams under 100 points on 26 occasions.

As a player, Buckner was selected with the 53rd overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks, appearing in 570 games over 10 seasons with Dallas, Philadelphia, Denver, Minnesota and Memphis. In 2008, Buckner was traded from Minnesota to Memphis as part of a deal that sent Kevin Love to the Timberwolves.

A standout performer at Clemson University, Buckner became the first Tiger to ever lead his team in scoring over four straight seasons (1994-98) and guided the program to three NCAA Tournament bids. The Hopkinsville, Kentucky native started all 122 games of his career without missing a single contest, setting the school record for consecutive starts. Inducted into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005, Buckner remains the lone Tiger to ever win ACC Rookie of the Year (1994-95). Buckner’s number 21 jersey is one of 11 retired by the Clemson men’s basketball program, which also includes Cavaliers legend Larry Nance.

Hawks center Clint Capela injures knee in play-in game vs. Cavs

Late second quarter in the Atlanta Hawks play-in tournament game in Cleveland against the Cavaliers, Hawks center Clint Capela fouled Cavs big-man Evan Mobley. The foul pulled Mobley in the direction of Capela, resulting in a fall that led to what the Hawks say is a right knee hyperextension.

Per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Capela went down in pain and immediately grabbed his knee after fouling Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, with Mobley then falling on Capela’s knee. Capela was helped back to the Hawks’ locker room.”

Capela won’t return tonight.

The Hawks are already playing without John Collins, so this weakens their frontcourt even further.

Mid third quarter, the Cavs lead, 70-59.

The winner of this game will win a spot in the 2022 playoffs as the East’s No. 8 seed, and will face the Miami Heat in the first round.

Cavaliers convert Moses Brown’s contract to a standard one, and sign RJ Nembhard

The Cleveland Cavaliers have converted the contract of center Moses Brown to a standard NBA contract.

And in a related move, the team signed guard RJ Nembhard to a two-way contract, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Brown (7-2, 245) signed his first 10-day contract with Cleveland on March 10, his second 10-day contract on March 21 and a two-way contract on March 31. He has appeared in 13 games (five starts) for the Cavaliers, averaging 6.3 points and 5.5 rebounds in 12.8 minutes. In those five starts, Brown posted three double-doubles and averaged 12.4 points and 11.8 rebounds while connecting on .649 from the field in 25.0 minutes. Prior to joining the Cavaliers, Brown appeared in 26 games with the Mavericks this season.

In 91 career NBA games (38 starts) with Portland, Oklahoma City, Dallas and Cleveland, Brown holds career averages of 6.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 0.70 blocks in 14.2 minutes. Additionally, Brown has also played in 45 games (15 starts) over three seasons in the NBA G League and was named to the 2021 All-NBA G League First Team and NBA G League All-Defensive Team, posting averages of 18.5 points, 13.9 rebounds and 1.71 blocks in 26.4 minutes during the 2020-21 NBA G League season. Brown went undrafted in 2019 after playing one season at UCLA.

Nembhard (6-5, 200), prior to being waived on April 7, was signed to a standard NBA contract with Cleveland on March 31 and was originally signed to a two-way contract on October 16. Nembhard has appeared in 13 games this season for the Cavaliers as well as 13 games (12 starts) with the Cleveland Charge, the Cavaliers’ exclusively-owned and operated NBA G League team. With the Charge, Nembhard averaged 22.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 37.7 minutes. Nembhard went undrafted in 2021 after playing four seasons at Texas Christian University where he averaged 9.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 26 minutes per game.

Cavaliers waive RJ Nembhard

The Cleveland Cavaliers have waived guard RJ Nembhard.

Nembhard (6-5, 200) appeared in 13 games this season for the Cavaliers as well as 15 games (14 starts) with the Cleveland Charge, the Cavaliers’ exclusively-owned and operated NBA G League team. With the Charge, Nembhard averaged 24.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 37.5 minutes. Nembhard went undrafted in 2021 after playing four seasons at Texas Christian University where he averaged 9.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 26 minutes per game.

Nembhard originally signed a two-way contract with the Cavaliers on Oct. 16, which was later converted to a standard NBA contract on March 31.

Cavaliers convert RJ Nembhard’s contract, and sign Moses Brown

The Cleveland Cavaliers have converted the contract of guard RJ Nembhard to a standard NBA contract.

And in a related move, the team signed center Moses Brown to a two-way contract.

Nembhard (6-5, 200) has appeared in 13 games this season for the Cavaliers as well as 13 games (12 starts) with the Cleveland Charge, the Cavaliers’ exclusively-owned and operated NBA G League team. With the Charge, Nembhard averaged 22.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 37.7 minutes. Nembhard went undrafted in 2021 after playing four seasons at Texas Christian University where he averaged 9.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 26 minutes per game.

Brown (7-2, 245), who signed his first 10-day contract with Cleveland on March 10 and his second 10-day contract on March 21, has appeared in eight games for the Cavaliers. In his first start with Cleveland last night, Brown had a near double-double with 12 points on a perfect 5-5 shooting from the field and nine rebounds in 21 minutes of action against Dallas. Prior to joining the Cavaliers, Brown appeared in 26 games with the Mavericks this season.

In 86 career NBA games (34 starts) with Portland, Oklahoma City, Dallas and Cleveland, Brown holds career averages of 5.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 0.72 blocks in 13.7 minutes. Additionally, Brown has also played in 45 games (15 starts) over three seasons in the NBA G League and was named to the 2021 All-NBA G League First Team and NBA G League All-Defensive Team, posting averages of 18.5 points, 13.9 rebounds and 1.71 blocks in 26.4 minutes during the 2020-21 NBA G League season. Brown went undrafted in 2019 after playing one season at UCLA.