Cavs undergo massive makeover before trade deadline

A Cavs team in free-fall got a desperately needed win thanks to “King” James. They didn’t tank until everyone was back healthy.

On Friday, the Cavs were in Atlanta and while Tristan Thompson was at the free throw line, Hawks fans began chanting “LeBron will trade you” in the most savage move of the night. “Upgraded.” And when he was congratulated, he said “Thank you”. “I know his parents are excited to have him come back”. “I hope Ty’s taking care of himself”, he said.

London Perrantes and John Holland played limited roles to add depth to the temporarily short-handed roster.

Former Hawk Kyle Korver torched his hold team with a season-high 30 points on seven 3-pointers. He didn’t want the Cavs to capitulate to Kyrie Irving’s trade demands this summer, and they still traded him.

Thomas was rehabbing from a hip injury and ended up playing only 15 games for the Cavs. The assist total tied his career-high and his second straight triple-double marked the eighth time in his legendary career that he’s accomplished that feat. It is his 10th triple double of the season which is second most in the National Basketball Association and it’s the 65th triple double of his career which is fifth most in league history.

Temple, whose previous career best was 23 points in the fourth game of this season, started 33 games before being demoted. Lue dismissed a comment made by Thomas after the loss to the Magic that one of the Cavs’ biggest issues is that they don’t make enough in-game adjustments. They played the second half without coach Tyronn Lue, who went to the locker room in the second quarter with what the team said was an illness. “There’s no shade on anybody”.

The Mavs will get a second-round pick from Denver (via Portland), and the Nuggets get a 2018 second-round pick from the Knicks (via the Clippers). The 21-year-old averaged 2.7 points and 7.9 minutes in 22 games for Milwaukee.

76ers 100, Pelicans 82: Joel Embiid scored 24 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, and Dario Saric had 24 points for host Philadelphia. IT could move to the two as Ball would be in charge of running the point. The eighth man was John Holland, who’s on one of the franchise’s two-way contracts. Give Gilbert credit. He said he wouldn’t again be held hostage by LeBron, and he kept his word on that. But what he did, knowing everything I went through, you don’t do that, bro.

In exchange, the Cavs will receive Filipino-American guard Jordan Clarkson and forward Larry Nance Jr. They wanted to keep Channing Frye, but the Lakers demanded him to make the biggest trade work for the Cavs.3. Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose, and Isaiah Thomas are no longer on the Cavs. They are expected to make their debuts with Cleveland on Sunday in Boston.

Jazz 106, Hornets 94: Donovan Mitchell scored 25 points, and host Utah extended its league-best winning streak to eight.

James had 22 points, 17 assists and 12 rebounds. Kemba Walker had 19 points for Charlotte.