Tag Archives: NBA

Cavs sign Lamar Stevens to two-way deal

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed the Penn State forward to a two-way contract.

After the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Isaac Okoro in the 2020 NBA Draft, they signed undrafted Penn State forward Lamar Stevens to a two-way contract.

Lamar Stevens spent four seasons at Penn State and was two-time All Big-Ten and the 2018 NIT MVP. Stevens’ best season came in 2018-19 when he averaged 19.9 points,7.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 36.9 minutes per game. By signing Stevens, it is a low-risk move for the Cavs who need help at the wing position. Cleveland is acquiring multiple players at that position in order to have as many chances at finding a long term option. Even if Stevens is nothing more than a bench/role player, it would be a good signing for the Cavs.

Cavs select Isaac Okoro fifth overall

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have selected the Auburn forward with the fifth overall pick.

There were rumors leading up to the draft and even when the Cavs were on the clock that they made trade the fifth overall pick. They were just rumors as the Cleveland Cavaliers made Auburn forward Isaac Okoro their selection in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Isaac Okoro is a player that has some intangibles on offense and is good defensively, the only issue is his jump shot. Okoro’s jump shot is a work in progress and is something that will have to come later. Luckily his defense will make an instant impact for a Cavs team that desperately needs it. Saying that Cleveland has been abysmal defensively the past few seasons is a compliment, they needed help in that area and Okoro certainly addresses that.

Looking at the Cavs roster it seems like there is a great opportunity for Isaac Okoro to take a starting spot. This would result in moving Cedi Osman into a bench role, something that he is actually suited best for. Okoro as a starter along with Collin Sexton and Darius Garland is a great start as the Cavs are looking towards building for the future.

With A Jimmmitude: Nets, CBJ retro, Bears

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Kyrie, KD, and Harden in Brooklyn?

A superteam appears to be on the horizon in Brooklyn. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant came to Brooklyn last season and now the Nets are looking to add James Harden. That is a lot of star power on one team and this is not something new. All players involved have played on some version of a team with a lot of talent.

The question is will the players actually fit together? Brooklyn does not even know if the duo of Irving and Durant works yet and now they are looking to add Harden into the mix. There is going to be some rough patches, but on paper this would be one of the most talented teams in the NBA. The problem is that the game is not played on paper, it is played on a court. The only way to find out if this trio works is once they get on the court together and play games.

Columbus Blue Jackets Reverse Retro

The NHL released a series of Reverse Retro jerseys and I am not necessarily a fan of the concept for the Blue Jackets. The issue I have is the logo, I have never liked this particular logo. It seems too busy and like it is trying too hard.

I understand the concept of what they are doing with the Reverse Retro concept is to mesh the past and the future, but there is a reason this logo was left in the past. Even the current primary logo is not all that exciting, but the secondary cannon logo is excellent and should be more of a focus in future uniform concepts.

Chicago Bears drop to 5-5

Just about a month ago the Chicago Bears were 5-1 and almost seemed like a legitimate contender. Chicago has since lost four straight games and appear to be on the brink of completely falling out of playoff contention. The issue has been and continues to be the offense. Matt Nagy turned play calling duties over to Bill Lazor and that really did not help all that much. The only touchdown the Bears scored came on special teams as their offense was only able to manage two scoring drives which ended in field goals.

There is no easy fix for what is going on in Chicago. The switch to Nick Foles has not provided the offensive boost they were hoping for and Mitch Trubisky is not the answer. Chicago is stuck with their incredibly flawed offensive until the end of the season when they need to make wholesale changes. Changes that not only come in regards to the personnel on the field, but the coaching staff as well. Continuing to go with Nagy as their head coach will not yield the results they are looking for.

Andre Drummond picks up $28.7 million option

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The Cleveland Cavaliers center has decided to pick up his $28.7 million player option for the upcoming season.

Andre Drummond is picking up his player option for the upcoming 2021-22 season to remain with the Cleveland Cavaliers (for now). The option is worth $28.7 million and will be the second-highest salary on the team behind Kevin Love.

As mentioned above, this is a for now scenario in regards to Andre Drummond and his future with the Cavs. There were reports not too long ago that Cleveland could look to move him at the trade deadline during the upcoming season.

This decision is beneficial to both sides. By picking up his option Andre Drummond gets a guaranteed salary at an amount that he is unlikely to make on the open market and the Cavs are able to possibly trade him for future assets.

Jrue Holiday, Bogdan Bogdanovic traded to Bucks

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The Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to deals with the New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings.

The Milwaukee Bucks are doing everything they can to provide Giannis Antetokounmpo with as much help as possible, that includes trading for Jrue Holiday and Bogdan Bogdanovic.

Milwaukee is sending three first-round picks to the Pelicans to acquire the 30-year old guard.

In addition to the three first rounders, New Orleans is also receives two future draft pick swaps,

In the deal for Bogdan Bogdanovic, the Bucks are sending Donte Divincezneo, Ersan Ilyasova, and DJ Wilson to Sacramento.

With Jrue Holiday and Bogdan Bogdanovic in the mix, Milwaukee is banking on taking the next step this season. The Bucks fell short of the NBA Finals this past season and are looking to change their fortunes. Additionally Milwaukee is trying to improve the roster enough to ensure that Giannnis remains with the Bucks. Acquiring Holiday and Bogdanovic are definitely steps in the right direction for Milwaukee.

Chris Paul traded to Phoenix Suns

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The Oklahoma City Thunder have traded the veteran point guard to the Phoenix Suns.

Chris Paul will be playing for his fourth team in five seasons the next time he takes the court, Oklahoma City and Phoenix agreed to a deal that will send the veteran guard to the Suns. In addition to Paul, the Suns will also receive 27-year old forward Abdel Nader while Oklahoma City will receive four players and a 2022 first round draft pick. Those players include Kelly Oubre, Ricky Rubio, Ty Jerome, and Jalen Lecque.

This deal is for two teams heading in different directions. The Phoenix Suns clearly believe they are in contention mode and acquiring Chris Paul only helps their cause. Paul can be the veteran presence that the Suns need in order to potentially make a run in the Western Conference. For the Thunder, they area team that is focused on the future. Oklahoma City just continues to add to their draft pick arsenal (17 first round picks in the next six drafts) and will look to utilize them to rebuild their team. The Thunder will be in a transition period as they are finally able to transition from their post-contention era. There is a lot of work to do for Sam Presti and the Thunder, but they are making sure they are getting as many chances as possible to make it work.

James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets?

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If the Rockets guard decides that he wants to be traded by Houston, the Brooklyn Nets are emerging as a preferred trade destination.

It was only a few days ago that James Harden was “locked in” and committed to the Rockets. Things have apparently changed as trade rumors are now surrounding Harden and a possible trade. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted early Sunday evening about this development.

Woj was quick to follow up and note that no trade discussions involving James Harden have taken place as of yet.

If James Harden were to end up in Brooklyn it would reunite him wither former Thunder teammate Kevin Durant. It would also create an interesting dynamic on the Nets roster. Harden, Durant, and Kyrie Irving are all capable of being primary options on any team. They would have to work together and sort out exactly they would all operate with each other. There is also the fact that Durant is yet to play a game in a Nets uniform. If a trade were to happen Brooklyn would be integrating two superstar players into their roster, not exactly an easy task. This would be a dominant trio forming in Brooklyn that could give the Nets their first NBA Championship. Of course a trade that sees James Harden land in Brooklyn would have to take place before going in depth about roster construction or any championship aspirations.

CBS mock draft has Obi Toppin to Cavs

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A mock draft by Kyle Boone of CBS Sports has the Cleveland Cavaliers selecting the Dayton forward fifth overall.

The NBA Draft is fast approaching and there is another mock draft that has the Cleveland Cavaliers making a familiar pick. Kyle Boone of CBS Sports has the Cavs selection Obi Toppin with the fifth pick in the draft. Below is Boone’s reason for the pick.

“With Cleveland using top-10 picks on guards in consecutive years, they go big here to add weapons around them. Obi Toppin is a freakish athlete and rim-runner who can give Collin Sexton and Darius Garland a can’t-miss lob target who can also step out and hit 3-pointers.“

This is solid reasoning from Boone. Cleveland needs to put together a transition plan for the post-Kevin Love era and they could do a lot worse than Obi Toppin. There is the possibility that the Cavs could trade Love soon and that would open up playing time for someone such as Toppin.

Exactly what the Cavs plan on doing in the draft may become a bit clearer starting on Monday at noon as that is when teams are permitted to make trades again. If they trade one or more big men it will be abundantly clear they plan on addressing that area in the draft. If not, the mystery of what they will do will continue.

Kevin Porter Jr. arrested on weapons charges

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The Cleveland Cavaliers guard was arrested on weapons charges by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kevin Porter Jr. was arrested by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Porter was charged with improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol arrived to what was a single vehicle crash in Mahoning County early Sunday morning. Porter was not impaired or injured after the accident.

In addition to the firearm, there was allegedly a small amount of a substance suspected to be marijuana also in the vehicle.

A $4,000 bond was set for Porter and he has since been released.

The Cleveland Cavaliers released a statement Sunday following the events. The statement reads:

“We are aware of the situation involving Kevin Porter Jr. and are in the process of gathering information. We have spoken with Kevin and will continue to address this privately with him as the related process evolves.”

This story will be updated with more information when it becomes available.

Kosta Koufos to the Cavaliers?

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Could the Canton native return to Ohio and make his NBA return with the Cleveland Cavaliers this upcoming season?

According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, there are sources who say that Kosta Koufos would “love to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers”. Koufos signed with Russia club CSKA Moscow following the 2019 season and is looking to return to the NBA. Cleveland seems like a perfect fit for the Canton, Ohio Native.

The Cavaliers front court is in a state of uncertainly at the current time. Tristan Thompson is a free agent and could sign elsewhere this offseason. There are also trade rumors surrounding Kevin Love and Andre Drummond. This creates the option for Cleveland to sign someone like Kosta Koufos while they are retooling their roster. Even if Cleveland hangs onto both Love and Drummond, there is still an opening for the roster spot vacated by Thompson (if he leaves in free agency). This is a situation where need meets opportunity. Cleveland will need a backup center while Koufos is looking to return to the NBA.

Kosta Koufos is an 11-year veteran who has played for the Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies, and Sacramento Kings. Koufos has averaged 5.7 points and 5 rebounds in 16.4 minutes per game during his career.