While LeBron James will have until June 29 to exercise or decline his 2018/19 player option, his final decision on his next team won’t happen quickly and figures to stretch into July, Adrian Wojnarowski said on Monday during a draft special on ESPN (Twitter link via Sagar Trika). If that’s the case, James seems more likely to opt out than to opt in next week, which would have an impact on which suitors are viable destinations, as I explained here.
Meanwhile, Wojnarowski also reports that the Cavaliers would like to package Kevin Love and the No. 8 pick for a star player on draft night, but that combo may not net the kind of star they’re seeking (Twitter link via Trika). As Wojnarowski observes, Love’s value isn’t at its peak and the Brooklyn first-rounder isn’t quite as strong as Cleveland had hoped, limiting the appeal of that package to some extent.
Let’s round up a few more Cavs notes and rumors…
- The Cavaliers have talked to the Grizzlies on more than one occasion, according to Sam Amico of AmicoHoop.net, who cautions that he doesn’t know the specifics of those discussions. Memphis is reportedly open to the idea of attaching Chandler Parsons‘ contract to the No. 4 pick in a trade, so it’s possible Cleveland has checked in on that possibility.
- Echoing a Monday report, Amico confirms that the Cavaliers are expressing interest in Hornets point guard Kemba Walker and have kicked the tires on disgruntled Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard.
- Although Amico expects the Cavs to hang onto the No. 8 pick, a lot of teams are interested in trading up to that spot, including the Nets.
- The Cavs have had discussions about potentially acquiring another late first-round pick “to help open up the possibilities,” a league source tells Amico.
- The Cavs are parting ways with assistant coach Jim Boylan and player development coach Phil Handy, multiple league sources tell Dave McMenamin and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. By not renewing the contracts for Boylan and Handy, the Cavs are clearing the path to give Dan Geriot and Damon Jones larger roles on their coaching staff, per ESPN’s report. No longer employed in Cleveland, Handy may be a candidate to join Nick Nurse‘s Raptors staff, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca.
How about JR and 8th overall for Kemba? Charlotte can package 8 and 11 to move up in the draft and also get JR’s expiring contract.
Don’t know if they would deal within division but what about the 8th pick and love for either derozan or Lowry and another piece and then raps flip love to wolves for wiggins
Cavs and Charlotte and Toronto are in 3 different divisions. I think you meant within conference.
Kemba is on a one year deal. If it were me, aside from maybe Kawhi, I need to get someone who has at least 2 years left on their deal. Furthermore, Love for Kemba AND the #8 is way too much. I simply can’t imagine that the Cavs have so little value in Love. I don’t care how much ppl want to pile on Love, he’s still 1 of 5 bigs that averaged over 18 pts and 9 rebounds last year and the only 1 of 3 bigs (along with Towns and Jokic) that shot better than 36% from outside, let alone over 40%. While his scoring and shot attempts were down from the previous year he still had a better % year than he’s had in his 4 years with the Cavs posting a strong 46%-41%-88%. I think one could argue that he’s better than Kemba. Kemba’s numbers would go down playing on the Cavs w/ LBJ simply because he wouldn’t be the #1 option as he is in Charlotte and wouldn’t have the ball as much either.
I think unless they use Love to get an asset to get a Kawhi or Wiggins then it needs to be LBJ + Love + another scoring playmaker or dominant defensive big like Howard or Drummond.
Cavs need to find some way to acquire either Paul George, Chris Paul, or Kawhi to have any sort of chance to keep LeBron. If not, we’ll be seeing PG13/CP3/LBJ in LA land next season.
If not CP3, Kawhi in 2019
If they sign LBJ and PG13 this year (LAL) they can’t just sign Kawhi next year. They don’t have enough cap space. If they want all 3 they have to trade for Kawhi this year.
Kawhi has an opt-in for 2019-20, so he could theoretically opt-in to be traded like CP3 did last season. Not saying that’s super practical, but it is a possibility.
True, but he apparently is going to go 1+1 so that he can recoup the supermax money he is losing. Can’t see him opting-in to 20M if that’s his goal.
Love, Smith and the 8th for Wiggins
That would be a horrible trade for Cleveland. Wiggins isn’t that good.
Yea I mean there’s a lot of people down on Wiggins, esp if he can’t co-exist with 2 superstar players? I mean the league is all about having at least 3… no one is trying to go-it-alone anymore.
Wolves would s*** their pants if they got that offer.
They don’t need to trade love, trade pick, Smith, and osman or Clarkson for CJ McCollum
That would make a lot of sense for Portland. I’d try to see if they’d even move one more guy a piece because Portland has some bad contracts that could use a change of scenery. Something like TT for Evan Turner or something else
I loved the Windhorst suggestion of offering the 8th pick and Love for CJ McCollum
I would much rather get rid of smith and his expiring contract and Clarkson instead of Love
Well of course, but those 2 have no trade value and CJ is a really good young player who has improved every season
The only sense in needing to trade love is that it would be a homecoming of sorts for both of them
#8, Love, Korver, Clarkson ($44.2MM)
for
Mccollum, Harkless, Leonard ($47.2MM)
OR
Drop Korver and Harkless. Still matches.
Clarkson would fit the Portland offensive style. Leonard might be more useful for CLE than for POR. CLE could also use FA Napier.
Actually I would just as soon draft Alexander and employ him, and Love, but not everyone feels that way. It reads like they would pick Sexton instead.
That’s not even an argument K-Love is a way better player than Kemba, K-Love is a yearly all-star, a few times all-nba… while Kemba I think is been 1-2 all-star never all-nba, there is no color man, counting also that K-Love is been 2nd/3rd option in Cleveland & Kemba is 1st in Charlotte, anyway K-Love is much better cannot be argued, also his numbers are better, even playing with LBJ. To me he has got a lot of value.
Why on earth are we using all-star appearances to evaluate players? Please don’t.
Whoever is using Sam Amico as a credible source needs to be demoted. That guy is a bozo with no credible sources.