East Notes: Cavs, Tristan Thompson, Free Agency, Knicks, Hornets

Cavaliers

When the Cavaliers enter training camp, they will look much the same as they do today. But I suspect there still will be one more free agent addition after the news that Tristan Thompson is back.

The Cavs still want another big man behind Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, sources told Hoops Wire. They will scour the market, see if they can bring in someone on a cheap deal, and then take it from there.

But one thing they don’t want to do (clearly) is force a move. Unlike the past two years of the Donovan Mitchell era, the Cavs are prioritizing finishing strong. Rushing out of the gate isn’t as important as playing your best when it means the most.

There is plenty of time to make a move.

Basically, the Cavaliers aren’t yet a finished product and likely will add another veteran or two before the regular season — if not training camp in less than a month. But there isn’t a major sense of urgency here.

Instead, it’s all about keeping perspective. As Cavs legend Mark Price recently told me, “It’s all about playing the long game.” That seems to be the approach of your favorite pro basketball team today.

• I wrote more about the Thompson signing and why it makes sense right here.

Knicks

The Knicks have the potential to be an elite team defensively, perhaps the best in the NBA, wrote Fred Katz of The Athletic.

“The Knicks have a chance to own the NBA’s most ruthless defense,” Katz wrote. “Can they get there? A season ago, they finished 10th in points allowed per possession, according to Cleaning the Glass, which eliminates garbage-time statistics, but that was with injuries to two of their best defenders: OG Anunoby, who played only 23 games with New York last season, and Mitchell Robinson, who played only 31. Now, they add Mikal Bridges to the fray.”

The Knicks did get hurt at the wrong time last year, with Julius Randle, Anunoby and of course Robinson missing key time. Even star guard Jalen Brunson missed the second half of the blowout Game 7 loss to the Pacers.

So the key, as always, will come down to how healthy the Knicks are when it means the most. And yes, how well they defend. But man, everything else on this roster is very clearly in place.

Hornets

Guard Vasilije Micic suggested he wouldn’t mind joining fellow Serbian and Nuggets star Nikola Jokic someday, but for now, Micic is all about the Hornets. Still, he left the door open.

“I am staying in Charlotte. That is official,” he said, via Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. “All these rumors out there, I did not want to comment until something concrete. Probably, there was some interest, but nothing contract enough for me to comment. I am happy they want me here and I think the next season will be more productive for me.

“I would like to play with Jokic, but I do not know what will happen. I think I need one more year to show what I can do in the United States. Whatever you do outside American soil, they still only trust players proven in the USA. So, I think that one season with a trade and two solid months is not enough for a team of such caliber to be sure to bring me in. But maybe next season. We will see.”

Charlotte is entering a new era, with head of basketball operations Jeff Peterson and first-time head coach Charles Lee. It seems as if another year of building and developing is in store for the franchise.