There’s no reason to be concerned with what Mike Dunleavy Jr. does. To be fair, that’s not meant to sound like a slight. It’s simply the truth for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
After being traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, Mike Dunleavy Jr. won’t be reporting to the Atlanta Hawks by 5:00 PM (EST) according to The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Dunleavy Jr. wants to play for a contending team.
He’s expressed as much to Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer and he’s seeking a buyout from the team. That shouldn’t option wouldn’t break Hawks’ pockets. Although Dunleavy Jr. is owed $4.8 million this season, only $1.5 million of that is guaranteed. Considering that fact, the Hawks won’t be losing much if they buy out his contract.
Dunleavy Jr. could also be another trade piece if the team does eventually trade Paul Millsap. Such a trade could have Dunleavy Jr. end up on a team such as the Toronto Raptors, a contender that has interest in the power forward according to ESPN’s Marc Stein. Then again, he could end up on a team that’s not the type of team he wants to be on and have to negotatiate a buyout with them. For a veteran with a family, that’s a lot of uncertainty.
Those are factors that could play into whether or not Dunleavy Jr. eventually reaches a buyout agreement with the Atlanta Hawks. Nonetheless, regardless of if he reports to the Hawks facility or not, the Hawks aren’t going to rescind the trade because of the first-round draft pick they received from the Cavs.
#Hawks have no plans to rescind deal with #Cavs because Dunleavy hasn't reported, I'm told. They want draft pick. Will start fining Dunleavy
— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) January 9, 2017
Kyle Korver is now a member of a Cleveland Cavaliers team in contention to win a second straight NBA Finals series in their third straight appearance. From the outpour of emotion from the Atlanta Hawks franchise and its fans, the Cavs received a veteran that deserves to win a championship.
More from Cavs News
- 3 possible starting lineups for Cleveland Cavaliers in 2023-24
- 4 players the Cavaliers should pursue in 2024 free agency
- NBA Expert says Cavaliers backcourt just won’t work
- When does NBA Training Camp start? When do Cavaliers start?
- Prominent NBA agent says LeBron had a harder path than Jordan
For all that Dunleavy Jr. was going to mean to the team, he’s the master of his own ship. The Atlanta Hawks will begin to fine him if he doesn’t report. Dunleavy Jr., who has a family, would likely relent and play eventually.
Nonetheless, he’s also a respected veteran like Korver and as deserving of playing for a championship contender.
In any event, it’s not unlike he’d be in a place he wasn’t wanted. In an article by ESPN’s Marc J. Spears and Marc Stein, Coach Budenholzer was said to have had this to say about Dunleavy Jr:
"“I think he’s got the type of game and a skill set that I think he could be very good playing for us. We’ll just have to see how he is, integrate him, continue to build. He’s a player who we’ve liked, and personally I’ve liked, for a long time. We’ll see how he fits into our mix.”"
It’s an interesting saga to follow, for sure.
Yet, it has nothing to do with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Related Story: January Will Be The Turning Point
What do you think the Atlanta Hawks will with Mike Dunleavy Jr.? Let us know in the comments section or Twitter @KJG_NBA.