Rumor Roundup: Cavs, Dunleavy, Blazers

Per Cleveland.com: "In the hours leading up to the Cavs' practice Sunday, coach Tyronn Lue had identified 151 video clips of bad defense from the past three games. All losses." (Full report.)

Lue to reporters, via Cleveland.com: "We're an older team, we don't have the best one-on-one defenders. We've got to be better as far as scheme-wise helping our teammates, recovering, making the multiple effort." (Full report.)

Cavaliers star LeBron James to reporters, via the Akron Beacon Journal: "We’re not playing hard enough. We're not doing the things that need to be done to win and it’s obviously more [magnified] in a loss. You see it more often when you lose. It was probably happening while we were winning as well. We just have to clean some things up and I think today we did that." (Full report.)

Per the Beacon Journal: "What James wants to make clear now is it’s time to stop living off last season’s championship. He declared after the loss to the Bulls that the Cavs’ honeymoon was over and reiterated that Sunday." (Full report.)

Cavaliers swingman Mike Dunleavy (concussion) practiced in Toronto on Sunday and is expected to return to action, per multiple reports.

Per Cleveland.com: "Despite Dunleavy's issues, he'll be a welcome addition to the Cavs' second unit. Without Dunleavy on the floor the past two games, opposing teams have gone small when Channing Frye takes the court -- limiting Cleveland's best 3-point shooter this season (Frye) to just three attempts." (Full report.)

Per Cavs.com: "Of course, a three-game losing streak is nothing to pull the alarm about. The last time the Cavs dropped three straight was exactly this time of year last season – and we can all agree that everything turned out pretty well in the end." (Full report.)

Also per Cavs.com: "As with any championship team, the following season sees a new set of moving parts. Gone are Matthew Dellavedova, who was a critical component in 76 games last year, and Timofey Mozgov, who started 48. And while neither will be confused with Tiny Archibald or Wilt Chamberlain any time soon, the Wine and Gold have missed their respective presence in 2016-17." (Full report.)

Per ESPN: "Suns coach Earl Watson said he understands where Steve Kerr is coming from but is concerned that Kerr's message about embracing marijuana might be taken the wrong way by youngsters." (Full report.)

Watson told ESPN: "I think our rhetoric on it has to be very careful because you have a lot of kids where I'm from that's reading this, and they think [marijuana use is] cool. It's not cool. Where I'm from, you don't get six fouls to foul out. You get three strikes. One strike leads to another. I'm just being honest with you, so you have to be very careful with your rhetoric." (Full report.)

If the Trail Blazers are hoping to land a big man or a "star," any trade would likely need to include guard C.J. McCollum (Canton GlenOak HS), one writer says in the Oregonian.

Per Hoops Rumors: "Portland needs a physical presence in the middle to solidify its defense, and Andrew Bogut would be an excellent fit if the Mavericks fall completely out of contention." (Full report.)

Also per Hoops Rumors: "Another possibility is Sixers center Nerlens Noel, if Portland trusts that he can stay healthy." (Full report.)

Per the Philadelphia Inquirer: "There is little question that Jahlil Okafor has more value right now, simply because he is playing, is a proven scorer and would be a nice fit on most teams. Teams have concerns with Noel because of his injury, having had a procedure Oct. 24 on his left knee, and his inability to improve his game at the offensive end." (Full column.)

The Grizzlies are expected to receive an injury exception as the result of Mike Conley's back injury, and are expected to use it to sign veteran point guard Tony Douglas, per Amico Hoops. Douglas played under Grizzlies coach David Fizdale when Fizdale was an assistant with the Heat.

New point guard George Hill is a big reason the Jazz are an early surprise, per USA Today.

Kings center DeMarcus Cousins is off to a career start and may have the perfect coach in Dave Joerger, per SB Nation.

The Nets have cleared rookie guard Caris LeVert (Pickerington Central HS) from a broken foot and he is available to play, per the team.

Here are the latest D-League assignments and call-ups, per Hoops Rumors.

Former NBA and D-League forward Toure Murry has signed with Yesilgiresun of Turkey, per Amico Hoops.

Former Ohio University forward Leon Williams has parted ways with Turkish club Balikesir, per Amico Hoops. Williams could be making his way to the D-League, sources said.

Undrafted forward Kevin Mays (Cal State Bakersfield) has agreed to a contract with NH Ostrava of the Czech Republic, per Amico Hoops.

Former D-League guard Byron Wesley (Brigham Young) has agreed to a contract with Polish club Dabrowa Gornicza, per Amico Hoops.

Former Clemson forward Raymond Sykes has signed with Al Sadd of Qatar, per Amico Hoops.

More News

Per the Cleveland Plain Dealer: "When Tyronn Lue was hired to be David Blatt's top assistant, his specialty was defense. Blatt made Lue the defensive coordinator. In Lue's first two seasons with the Cavs, his team played very good defense at times -- especially in the postseason. But not right now." (Full column.)

Also per the Plain Dealer: "LeBron James is the best player in the game, and the NBA's Player of the Month in November. But he seemed a bit distracted in the three losses. He had has nearly as many turnovers (20) as assists (22). He shot 9-of-18 from the foul line in the first two losses." (Full column.)

Per ESPN: "James had his 30-game win streak in games in which he had at least 20 points and 10 assists snapped with a loss to Bulls on Friday. The Elias Sports Bureau notes that James' streak was tied with Wilt Chamberlain for the longest all-time."

Per the Akron Beacon Journal: "Now, at age 39, Lue could be on the way to becoming the best coach LeBron James has ever played for, surpassing the Miami Heat’s Erik Spoelstra. Ex-Cavs coach Mike Brown should not be discounted, especially for teaching James a defense-first mentality." (Full column.)

Also per the Beacon Journal: "Lue said he’s not a different person this season or a different coach. Although he has a staff of veteran assistants, he said he’s still the bad guy. James and James Jones said Lue has not changed, although he may not have to get in players’ faces as much. At least not yet." (Full column.)

Per Cleveland.com: "The Cavs do indeed want a backup point guard, and have an eye on Dec. 15, when free agents who signed contracts over the summer can be traded." (Full report.)

The timing of the Nets' offer to Rockets free agent forward Donatas Motiejunas was no accident, per ESPN.

A handful of league executives reached by Amico Hoops predict the Rockets will match the Nets' offer sheet and keep Montiejunas.

Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki is out indefinitely as he recovers from an Achilles strain, per the Dallas News.

Per MLive: "Stan Van Gundy specifically pointed to practice and off-days, where Stanley Johnson, now 20, sometimes puts in less than 100 percent effort compared to his fellow bench counterparts." (Full report.)

Van Gundy on Johnson, via MLive: "He's got to be a better practice guy, He's got to be a better workout guy. He's got to be better with all that stuff. Really working to get better. Once he's out there competing, you don't have a problem with that. He'll play as hard as anybody, but he's got to understand that's not the whole thing. It's preparing to play." (Full report.)

Per the Boston Globe: "The Nuggets may be the most overlooked franchise in the NBA. They have gone through a lot of coaches in their history, advancing past the first round of the Western Conference playoffs just once in the last 22 years." (Full column.)

Also per the Globe: "Now it’s Mike Malone’s turn to try to elevate Denver into a possible destination for free agents." (Full column.)

Bulls forward Doug McDermott could return sometime next week from a concussion, per CSN Chicago.

Per CSN Philly: "Sixers center Joel Embiid, who’s been praised for being an eager learner, was sitting courtside with a laptop studying game film even though he isn’t playing."

The NBA has responded to Warriors coach Steve Kerr's admission about using marijuana to help lessen back pain, per the Associated Press.

Per Nice Kicks: "Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson is under contract with Chinese brand Anta through the end of the 2019-2020 NBA season, and the brand has made him a new multi-year shoe deal extension offer that would place him among the highest earning footwear endorsers in the league, sources tell Nice Kicks." (Full report.)

The NBA could possibly start its season earlier in October, beginning next year, per ESPN.

Nets coach Kenny Atkinson credits the D-League for the inspired play of guard Sean Kilpatrick, per Nets.com.

Here are the latest D-League assignments and call-ups, per Hoops Rumors.

Former Spurs draft pick (2010) and British power forward Ryan Richards has agreed to a contract with Naft Abadan of Iran, per Amico Hoops.

Former D-League guard Carl English is nearing a deal with German club ALBA Berlin, per Amico Hoops.

Former University of Miami (Fla.) guard Anthony King has agreed to a contract with Dijon Bourgogne of France, per Amico Hoops.

Undrafted guard Theo Johnson (Liberty) has agreed to a contract with Academic Plovdiv of Bulgaria, per Amico Hoops.

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