Cleveland Cavaliers

The Chicago Bulls reportedly have "registered interest" in Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

There is still "skepticism" a deal will get done before the March 25 deadline considering Drummond's $28.7 million salary this season.

Charania previously reported the Toronto Raptors also had talks about acquiring the center last month.

The Cavaliers have been holding Drummond out of games since mid-February in the hope of dealing him.

There is no denying Drummond's impact on the court, with averages of 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game in 2020-21.

The two-time All-Star has led the NBA in rebounding four different times, while he would rank second in the league this year with enough games to qualify.

His 4.7 career offensive rebounds per game would be especially valuable for any contender, including a Bulls team that ranks 19th in the league in offensive rebound percentage this year.

Wendell Carter has had strong performances at center for Chicago, but the squad has few alternatives down low with Thaddeus Young and Lauri Markkanen used at times out of their natural positions.

With a 16-18 record entering Thursday, the Bulls are in the mix for a playoff spot for the first time since 2017, and a veteran like Drummond could help put the team over the top. The key for the franchise is ensuring not to sacrifice too much with an emerging young core around Zach LaVine.

Cleveland Cavaliers teammates Dylan Windler and Damyean Dotson recreated the entrances of former WWE Superstars Triple H and Big Show, respectively, prior to their shooting competition at a recent practice:

We take our practice competitions seriously. 😤

How’d we do @WWE, @TripleH, @PaulWight? pic.twitter.com/k6I6wpigEH

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) March 3, 2021

Windler emulated Triple H's water-spitting at the edge of the ring. You can see the current WWE executive vice president in action here:

Dotson did a good job emulating Big Show's slow walks to and in the ring. The Big Show is no more, however, as he will be making his AEW debut under his real name, Paul Wight, on Wednesday at AEW Dynamite.

As for the shooting competition, Dotson entered as the champion, but Windler left the court with the belt.

 

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff opened up about the firing of Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce, saying that he "couldn't have been more disappointed in the decision" (via Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com): 

#Cavs J.B. Bickerstaff on Atlanta Hawks firing Lloyd Pierce and the lack of patience around the NBA: pic.twitter.com/qFmUhN15g8

— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) March 3, 2021

Pierce was fired Monday after a 14-20 start to the season. Assistant Nate McMillan, who was a head coach for 16 seasons, was named the interim head coach.

Bickerstaff praised Pierce's dedication to getting the league involved in social justice efforts amid the pandemic, saying that "no one had a larger impact in their community" than Pierce, who was one of six Black head coaches in the NBA.

Pierce served alongside Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers as a board member on the league's Social Justice Coalition. 

"I honestly, I feel the duty-bound responsibility, the duty-bound motivation to keep doing this, because I know it's greater than 'this is just about me,'" Pierce said last July, via Sarah K. Spencer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 

Bickerstaff also acknowledged that the Hawks, who are focused around building around Trae Young and John Collins through offseason additions that haven't quite panned out, are struggling amid injuries, and he said the decision to put the blame on Lloyd reflects a a lack of understanding of "what it takes to build a team." 

Pierce led the Hawks to a 63-120 record since his hire in 2018 and did not make the postseason. 

"Somebody is going to be extremely fortunate to get Lloyd Pierce on their sidelines," Bickerstaff said. "I look forward to that for Lloyd and his family as well." 

Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love will reportedly sit out through the All-Star break as he continues to nurse a calf injury.

According to cleveland.com's Chris Fedor, Love is "unlikely" to suit up in either of the Cavs' next two games against the Houston Rockets or Indiana Pacers.

Love has not played since Dec. 27.

While the Cavs roster has undergone a significant transformation since the franchise captured its first title in 2016, Love has remained as a veteran leader for a young core. He's still a key part of the team's rotation when healthy.

However, injuries have frequently derailed the 32-year-old UCLA product's career in recent years. He hasn't played more than 60 games in a season since 2015-16 while dealing with various ailments, including the calf injury during the early stages of the current campaign that he aggravated after his return.

Love should still have a role as a stretch 4 whenever he's available to return. That said, his minutes likely won't match the over 30 he averaged during his peak years with the Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves given the team's talent up front with Jarrett Allen and Larry Nance Jr. (when healthy).

Love will make $31.3 million in 2021-22 and $28.9 million in 2022-23, making him virtually impossible to trade.

The first two years following LeBron James' second departure offered little in the way of optimism for the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

In terms of the standings, this season is more of the same. The Cavs sit 14th in the Eastern Conference at 11-21, at one point losing 10 games in a row.

To some extent, Cleveland's record belies the progress that's being made. While general manager Koby Altman was laying the groundwork for the future, it was difficult entering 2020-21 to identify who could plausibly contribute in a meaningful way once the Cavaliers were closer to contending.

Now, Cleveland looks to have a solid foundation with Collin Sexton, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Isaac Okoro. Larry Nance Jr. was an instrumental member of the rotation, too, before a fractured finger took him out of action.

Thanks to their February swoon, the playoffs are probably out of the question. If they can right the ship a bit in the second half, then this year will still be a positive in the event they wind up in the lottery once again.

            

2020-21 Second-Half Schedule Details

Second-Half Opener: at New Orleans, March 12 at 8 p.m. ET

Championship Odds: +25000 (via FanDuel) (bet $100 to win $25,000)

Schedule: NBA.com

            

Top Matchups

Chicago Bulls (First Matchup: March 24)

Prior to this season, the Cavs and Chicago Bulls were effectively in the same place. Then Chicago revamped its front office and hired Billy Donovan to replace Jim Boylen. That seemingly put the Bulls on a stronger footing going forward.

Undoing the damage from the Boylen era will take time, but things have improved with Donovan in charge. Zach LaVine is building a possible All-Star candidacy. Coby White is showing progress in his second season. Lauri Markkanen is having his most efficient shooting year.

In short, the Bulls are where the Cavs wanted to be.

The teams have yet to cross paths, so they should have plenty of head-to-head confrontations in the second half. Those encounters will be a good measuring stick for how far Cleveland still needs to go in order to take a step forward in its organizational development.

           

Washington Wizards (First Matchup: April 30)

The Cavs can take some solace from the fact they aren't falling short of expectations as much as the Washington Wizards are.

Trading John Wall for Russell Westbrook made sense on the basis that Wall's four-year, $171.1 million contract made it tough to line up the salaries with another player(s). Westbrook's $41.4 million salary is nearly identical to that of Wall, and Houston was eager to move the 2016-17 MVP.

Unfortunately for the Wizards, Wall has rebounded nicely from his Achilles injury. Westbrook, on the other hand, continues to see his performance decline.

Along the same lines, Washington probably wants a do-over on Davis Bertans' five-year, $80 million contract since Bertans is knocking down a career-low 37.2 percent of his three-pointers.

As a result, a career year from Bradley Beal is going to waste. Finishing below the Cavs in the East would be a sign of how badly things have gone off the rails in the nation's capital.

             

Season Forecast

After winning nine of their first 18 games, the Cavs have fallen back to where many expected them to be before the season. The absence of Kevin Love hasn't helped, nor did the Nance injury because he did a bit of everything on both ends of the court.

Things probably won't pick up too much in the second half because Andre Drummond may not be long for Cleveland. The same is true of JaVale McGee since it seems inevitable the 33-year-old is moved to a contender or bought out entirely.

The Cavs' slide across January and February removed any incentive to be a buyer at the trade deadline. Maybe they take advantage of a team desperate to shed money as they did last year in the Drummond deal. Otherwise, reinforcements probably aren't arriving.

The next few months are mostly about seeing how Allen fits into the frontcourt and how he jells with Sexton and Garland.

Record Prediction: 20-52

         

Must be 21+ and present in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, West Virginia, Colorado or Tennessee. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. See sportsbook.fanduel.com for details.

Two days after the Cleveland Cavaliers announced they were going to sit Andre Drummond while pursuing trade opportunities, a number of teams around the league have reportedly expressed interest in the two-time All-Star. 

Per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, there are at least eight to 10 teams that have shown interest in trading for Drummond. 

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst, Cleveland's decision to sit Drummond was made after conversations between general manager Koby Altman and Drummond's agent, Jeff Schwartz, who agreed he "would remain with the team but would no longer be active for games."

The Cavs started this season with an encouraging 9-9 record, but they have since dropped 10 of their last 11 games. They appear to be looking toward the future by building around Darius Garland, Collin Sexton and recently acquired center Jarrett Allen. 

Allen, who was acquired from the Brooklyn Nets as part of the deal involving James Harden, has started four of the past five games. He's averaging 13.2 points and 7.9 rebounds in 16 appearances with Cleveland. 

Drummond is in the final season of his current contract. The 27-year-old was off to a strong start with 17.5 points and 13.2 rebounds per game in 25 starts before it was decided he wouldn't play for the time being. 

Given his size and rebounding ability, Drummond should be one of the more attractive trade candidates for teams looking to solidify their status as playoff contenders down the stretch. 

Cleveland Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters Wednesday he's concerned the team shutting down Andre Drummond to explore trade avenues could impact the team's morale. 

Bickerstaff added that he expects the team to remain professional and focused despite the awkward situation, which will see Drummond continue traveling with the team but sitting out games to avoid injury ahead of the March 25 trade deadline.

The Cavs received public criticism for sitting out Drummond, most notably from Draymond Green, who pointed out the hypocrisy of players being criticized when asking for a trade but being forced to sit when a team wants to trade them. 

"Nobody's opinion should be muted. Conversations that we've had with our guys as far as this process goes that everybody's not privy to," Bickerstaff said. "Guys have [a] right to speak their voice and organizations have to do what's best for the organization."

Green made extended comments about Drummond's situation this week, juxtaposing it with the criticism James Harden received for requesting a trade from the Houston Rockets. 

"To watch Andre Drummond, before the game, sit on the sidelines, then go to the back, and to come out in street clothes because a team is going to trade him, it's bulls--t," Green said. "Because when James Harden asked for a trade and essentially dogged it ... no one's going to fight back that James was dogging it his last days in Houston," Green said. "But he was castrated for wanting to go to a different team and everybody destroyed that man, and yet a team can come out and say, 'Oh, we want to trade a guy,' and then that guy has to go sit, and if he doesn't stay professional then he's a cancer, and he's not good in someone's locker room, and he's the issue."

The Cavs and Drummond mutually agreed sitting the two-time All-Star was the best course of action, but it's a signal that the franchise has essentially given up on trying to win this season. Drummond averaged 17.5 points and 13.5 rebounds this season for the Cavs, coming out of the gate strong before tapering off after Cleveland acquired Jarrett Allen.

The Cavs inserted Allen into the starting lineup in place of Drummond and plan on installing him as their franchise center. 

The Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Mavericks reportedly would be interested in signing Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond if the Cavs buy out the remainder of his contract, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. 

Charania added that a buyout "is clearly not the preference" for Cleveland and that the Toronto Raptors and Cavs "are engaged in active talks on a deal that would send Drummond to Toronto/Tampa."

I'm not sure what the logical salary match for Drummond is from the Raptors. Toronto would need to get to about $23M in outgoing salary to bring in Drummond.

Baynes, Boucher and Powell? Does that make you better?

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) February 15, 2021

This is why the Raptors buzz doesn't make sense to me. Powell, Baynes and S.Johnson only gets Raptors to $21.7M. Plus, if Drummond eats into Boucher's minutes/development, hard pass. https://t.co/O2uM32fXe7

— Mr. Statistician Face Man (@tomhaberstroh) February 15, 2021

I don't get the sense the Raptors front office have ever been huge Drummond fans, and sending Norm for him ...
which you would probably need to do ... I dunno, maybe? https://t.co/rXaFodi5eD

— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) February 15, 2021

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst reported that the Cavaliers don't plan to continue playing Drummond as they seek a potential trade for him, though they added that "there has been no discussion on a contract buyout that could allow Drummond to become a free agent."

Woj and Windhorst also reported that "Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman discussed the move with Drummond and his agent, Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports, and decided together that Drummond would remain with the team but would no longer be active for games, sources said."

From the moment the Cavs acquired Jarrett Allen in the four-team trade that landed James Harden on the Brooklyn Nets, it was fairly obvious that Drummond's future in Cleveland was ending. Granted, that may have been the case regardless, with Drummond hitting unrestricted free agency after this season. 

The 27-year-old Drummond has been the team's starting center, averaging 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 25 games. But in February, he's averaged just 14.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per contest, and his minutes were slashed in his last two games, as he averaged 16.7 minutes per night.

It’s a bummer that Drummond checked out, I thought he was excellent to start the season.

— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) February 15, 2021

That's a huge cut compared to the 28.9 minutes he's averaged per game this year. The proverbial writing has been on the wall. It was also on the sweatshirt Drummond wore to Sunday's matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers, one he didn't play in order to rest. The shirt had the word "farewell" written on the chest.

"Whichever direction this goes, Andre is 27, in his prime, and I believe strongly that he has a great deal to add to a team building toward a postseason run," Schwartz told Woj and Windhorst.

Here’s the big ? I have when it comes to Andre Drummond

What happens at 3:01PM on March 25 when he hasn’t been traded and has been shut down for five weeks?

Good be a difference maker if there’s a buyout down the road.

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) February 15, 2021

With a logjam at center—JaVale McGee is also on the roster—Cleveland was always going to clear some roster space to make room for Allen to have a bigger role. Drummond appears likely to be gone soon, though the Cavaliers seem likely to pursue a trade rather than going the buyout route, if possible.   

The Cleveland Cavaliers plan to make Jarrett Allen the "franchise's long-term starting center," according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst.

The team is no longer planning to play Andre Drummond and will look to trade the veteran before he becomes a free agent in the offseason.

Cleveland acquired Allen in the January blockbuster trade that sent James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets. He is averaging 13.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game in 15 appearances with the Cavs, including 11 off the bench.

In four starts with Cleveland, Allen is averaging 17.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. This includes a monster performance in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier this month:

Jarrett Allen comes up BIG for the @cavs. 😤@_bigjayy_: 23 PTS (7-9 FGM), 18 REB, 5 BLKpic.twitter.com/ZhgJUXn3lK

— NBA (@NBA) February 2, 2021

The 22-year-old now has the opportunity to prove himself on a full-time basis before becoming a restricted free agent in the offseason.

If the Cavaliers re-sign Allen, the former first-rounder out of Texas could be part of an exciting core that includes Collin Sexton, Darius Garland and Isaac Okoro, all under the age of 23.

Allen hasn't always put up huge numbers in his young career, but his efficiency on both ends has made him one of the most valuable players in the league. He finished 2019-20 with 8.2 win shares to rank 14th in the NBA, ahead of stars like Ben Simmons and Jayson Tatum.

After averaging 14.9 points, 11.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per 36 minutes across parts of four seasons with the Nets, Cleveland is expecting big things from the 6'11", 243-pound center going forward.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are planning to sit center Andre Drummond as they explore trade scenarios ahead of the March 25 deadline.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst reported Monday that Cavs management spoke to Drummond and his agent, Jeff Schwartz, to inform them of the team's plans. Drummond will remain with the team but will be inactive for games.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported the Toronto Raptors and Cavs have been in discussions regarding a deal. However, Wojnarowski noted that no talks are considered serious at this time.

The Cavs are planning to move forward with Jarrett Allen as their franchise center, leaving Drummond as the odd man out despite his stellar production this season.

Drummond is averaging 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks while starting all 25 of his appearances for Cleveland this season. He came over from the Detroit Pistons via a midseason trade in the 2019-20 campaign.

Sitting Drummond more than a month ahead of the deadline seems to indicate the Cavs plan on moving him in the immediate future. The team has no plans on reaching a buyout, and he has performed well enough to generate interest around the league.

One issue could be Drummond's contract, which will limit his suitors. While teams like the Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers and other contenders have obvious holes at center and would be interested in acquiring Drummond, the finances of any deal make it an almost impossible proposition. He is making $28.8 million in the 2020-21 season.

The Raptors would have to trade four players (Aron Baynes, Norman Powell, Patrick McCaw and someone else) to make a deal wherein salaries match and they don't give up any of their major contributors. That's the case for nearly every contender, even if they can cobble together enough undesirable salary to get into matching range. Most contenders will have to find a third or even fourth team before considering a Drummond deal.

The upstart Charlotte Hornets may have the most realistic package (Cody Zeller, Malik Monk, Bismack Biyombo) and a desire to acquire Drummond given their current playoff status.

The Dallas Mavericks could be another team to watch given their disappointing start to the season and a potential desire to move Kristaps Porzingis to the 4 for defensive purposes. A package of James Johnson, Dwight Powell and draft picks would work under the cap.