Central Notes: Cavs, Ball, Wade, Vucevic, Walker
Cavaliers wings De’Andre Hunter and Dean Wade have generated some interest on the trade market, and opposing teams continue to check in with Cleveland to see whether the club would be open to breaking up its “core four” of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
However, according to Fedor, the Cavs’ front office has consistently conveyed that it’s not interest in a significant shake-up and that it believes a healthy version of the current roster is capable of contending in the Eastern Conference.
As a result, Fedor believes any major roster changes are more likely to happen in the offseason, though he can envision Cleveland making a smaller deadline deal, perhaps involving Lonzo Ball. The veteran point guard hasn’t been the impact reserve the Cavs hoped he would be, and his contract – which includes a $10MM team option for 2026/27 – could appeal to a team seeking more cap flexibility this offseason.
One possible target for the Cavs is Naji Marshall, according to Fedor, who says Cleveland is among the teams to express interest in the Mavericks forward. While a deal centered around Ball and Marshall may intrigue the Cavs, Dallas is reportedly seeking at least a first-round pick for the veteran wing, and it’s unclear if Cleveland wants to give up its lone movable first-rounder (either 2031 or 2032) at this time, given the club’s up-and-down performance this season.
We have more from around the Central:
- Describing Dean Wade as “unheralded and overlooked” in a separate story for Cleveland.com (subscription required), Fedor says the veteran forward is one of the Cavaliers‘ best defenders and is a critical connector in some of their most effective lineups. “He’s the ultimate glue guy,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “That’s the cliche everyone uses but it’s true.” Wade is extension-eligible through June 30 and will reach unrestricted free agency if he doesn’t sign a new deal by then.
- Bulls center Nikola Vucevic recognizes that it could be an active trade deadline in Chicago, given that more than half the roster is on expiring contracts. Still, as Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times relays, Vucevic referred to his teammates as a “great group” and said he’d welcome the opportunity to finish the season with them. “There are a lot of guys that have a chip on their shoulders and want to prove people wrong because we’ve been doubted,” the big man said. “I would like to see what we can do and where we can go this year, but the front office has to make decisions and we all understand that.”
- A big offseason is on tap for Pacers forward Jarace Walker, who will be extension-eligible beginning in July. With that context in mind, it bodes well for the 22-year-old that he’s playing some of the best basketball of his NBA career this January, including setting a new personal high with 26 points in Oklahoma City against the league’s best defense last Friday. “This is an enormous moment for him in his young career,” head coach Rick Carlisle said after the game, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required). “He just showed all the things that he can do out there. From the shooting to the driving to the defense to the rebounding to passing. It was great to see that.”
Central Notes: Hunter, Garland, Bulls’ Injuries, I. Jackson
De’Andre Hunter‘s inability to excel as a starter has been one of the biggest disappointments for the Cavaliers, Ethan Sands of Cleveland.com stated on a recent edition of The Wine and Gold Podcast (subscription required). Cleveland traded for Hunter at last year’s deadline, hoping he would be the answer in the team’s long search for a small forward to fit in with its four established starters. But Hunter has been more productive in a reserve role and hasn’t started a game since December 14.
Coach Kenny Atkinson decided not to insert Hunter into the starting lineup even with Dean Wade missing four of the past five games with a knee bruise. Sands views that as a sign that Hunter will likely continue to come off the bench for the rest of the season. Hunter is averaging 14.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists through 34 games — similar to the numbers he put up after the trade — but his shooting percentages have dropped to 43% from the field and 30.9% from three-point range, both well below his career standards.
The Cavs are “baffled” by Hunter’s failure to fit into a starting role, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com says in the podcast. He notes that Wade’s knee issues and Max Strus‘ continuing recovery from offseason foot surgery have forced Atkinson to field some unusual lineups that wouldn’t be necessary if Hunter were more productive as a starter.
Fedor also raises the question of whether the front office should search for another small forward at the trade deadline to fix a problem it thought was already solved. Either way, Fedor states that the miscalculation with Hunter has strained the rest of the roster.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Darius Garland‘s lingering toe injury has contributed to the Cavaliers‘ early-season struggles, and the team is much better when he’s able to manage the pain, Sands states in a subscriber-only story. Atkinson said Garland looked like “the old DG” Saturday afternoon as he delivered 22 points and six assists in a win over Minnesota. “He’s kind of our catalyst,” Sam Merrill said. “When his pace is great and he’s getting into the paint, it makes things so much easier and so much better for our offense specifically.”
- Bulls coach Billy Donovan said Josh Giddey has started doing on-court work in his recovery from a strained left hamstring, per Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic (Twitter link). No timetable has been set for a return, but Giddey hasn’t experienced any setbacks so far. Donovan provided a couple other medical updates, saying rookie Noa Essengue has resumed lifting weights following season-ending shoulder surgery and Zach Collins‘ toe injury is a “pretty significant sprain.” Donovan added that the team is seeking multiple medical opinions on Collins, and while surgery currently isn’t an option, he’s expected to be in a walking boot for a while.
- Pacers coach Rick Carlisle revealed that center Isaiah Jackson has cleared the NBA’s concussion protocol and is now working on his conditioning, tweets Tony East of Circle City Spin. Jackson is expected back on the court in about a week.
Central Rumors: Bucks, Grant, Kispert, Cavs, White, Duren
The expectation around the NBA is that the Bucks are looking to make an impactful in-season trade in the hopes of upgrading their roster around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner, reports Brett Siegel of Clutch Points.
According to Siegel, Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant – rumored to be a potential Milwaukee target – was the name linked to the Bucks most frequently by executives at the G League Winter Showcase over the weekend, with some sources speculating that Milwaukee could land both Grant and center Robert Williams in a deal with Portland.
While Siegel suggests that the Bucks could package Kyle Kuzma, Bobby Portis, and one more smaller contract for those two players, I’m not convinced that sort of deal would meaningfully affect Milwaukee’s outlook. Williams’ availability has been extremely limited due to his extensive injury history, and the Blazers have been better when he’s off the court than when he’s on it this season.
In addition to confirming that Grant and Heat forward Andrew Wiggins are receiving consideration from the Bucks, Siegel identifies Wizards wing Corey Kispert as another player who is on Milwaukee’s radar. Known as a three-point marksman, Kispert is hitting 40.3% of his outside shots this season, though he’s playing a career-low 19.9 minutes per game.
We have more rumors from across the Central Division:
- Many sources who have spoken to Siegel downplayed the idea that the Cavaliers are looking to shake up their roster in a significant way this season. Still, that doesn’t mean the team won’t be active with non-core players prior to the deadline. Siegel singles out forwards De’Andre Hunter and Dean Wade as trade candidates to watch, noting that the Rockets had interest in Wade before signing Dorian Finney-Smith in free agency this past summer.
- At least six teams around the NBA have inquired on Bulls guard Coby White, Siegel writes, with league executives speculating that the Magic, Hawks, and Cavaliers could be among his suitors. There’s a belief that Orlando wants to add more scoring punch by trading Jonathan Isaac and second-round draft capital, per Siegel, though he adds that the Bulls are optimistic about getting at least one unprotected first-round pick for White. While Chicago could probably extract a 2026 first-rounder from a playoff team for White, I think the team would have a harder time acquiring a future first-rounder with more significant lottery upside in exchange for a player who almost certainly won’t sign an extension prior to reaching unrestricted free agency at season’s end.
- Teams around the NBA are curious to see what Jalen Duren‘s next contract will look like, with the Pistons big man in the midst of a career year ahead of restricted free agency, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). “The Pistons are being overshadowed by OKC and San Antonio, but they’re just as set up to compete for the next five years as anyone,” one assistant general manager told Fischer, who writes that Duren could be headed for $40MM+ per year on his second NBA deal. A five-year, maximum-salary contract for a fifth-year player like Duren next summer projects to be worth over $48MM annually.
Cavaliers Rumors: Allen, Trade Candidates, Atkinson, J. Bryant
Even after bouncing back with a seven-point win over Charlotte on Monday, the Cavaliers have been one of the more disappointing teams in the NBA to open the 2025/26 campaign, currently holding a 16-14 record after going 64-18 last year. Owner Dan Gilbert is said to be “very unhappy” with the state of affairs in Cleveland, and there’s a rising sense of urgency to turn things around.
Despite the situation looking pretty bleak at the moment, the Cavaliers have reportedly yet to entertain the idea of trading Darius Garland or Jarrett Allen, two members of the “core four.”
On Saturday’s Wine and Gold Talk podcast (YouTube link), Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com said the Cavs appear reluctant to part with Allen for many of the same reasons as Garland — he’s been limited by injuries, is having a down season, and they’d likely get pennies on the dollar if they thought about moving him before the deadline. As with Garland, the Cavs also seem to be higher on Allen than opposing teams, which is another factor that can’t be discounted, per Fedor.
The Pacers, Knicks and Raptors are among the Eastern teams looking for help in the middle, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal, but the Cavs would have to be blown away to trade Allen to a conference rival.
“[Allen] has a lot of fans around the NBA, but unless the trade package was just irresistible, it’s hard to see the Cavs being willing to help another team in the East,” one source told Afseth. “Keep that in mind.”
Here are a few more rumors regarding the Cavaliers:
- On the same podcast, Fedor identified De’Andre Hunter, Max Strus, Lonzo Ball and Dean Wade as a handful of players on mid-sized salaries who could potentially be traded in the coming weeks if Cleveland’s front office decides against a more drastic overhaul. The issue, Fedor continued, is that Strus has yet to play a game as he continues to recover from offseason foot surgery, and Hunter, Ball and Wade are all struggling in 2025/26. Fedor pointed out that Ball ($10MM team option for ’26/27) and Wade ($6MM expiring contract) could be easier to move than Hunter and Strus, as the latter two make more money and have guaranteed deals next season.
- Afseth hears from sources that Wade, who has spent his entire seven-year career in Cleveland, is a name to watch in the coming weeks. The 29-year-old is known as a solid defender and decent three-point shooter (36.0% for his career), but he’s converting just 29.0% of his outside looks through 27 games in ’25/26, which is by far the worst mark of his career.
- Marc Stein reported on Sunday that Kenny Atkinson could be on the hot seat in the coming weeks unless the Cavs start winning again despite being named Coach of the Year last season. According to Afseth, there have been “internal questions about Atkinson’s leadership,” and if the Cavs do decide to dismiss him, Donovan Mitchell is said to favor Johnnie Bryant taking over as interim coach. Bryant, who is known to have a close relationship with Mitchell, was a finalist for Phoenix’s head coaching job over the summer — that position went to his former colleague Jordan Ott.
Cavaliers Notes: Strus, Merrill, Wade, Tyson, Hunter, Ball
In a subscriber-only mailbag for Cleveland.com, Chris Fedor states that Max Strus was slated to be the Cavaliers‘ starting small forward this fall prior to suffering a Jones fracture in his left foot last week. The injury required surgery and will sideline Strus for multiple months.
Fedor cautions that while the team gave a three-to-four month timeline for Strus to return to basketball activities, his actual absence will likely extend beyond that period. As Fedor observes, Jones fractures can be tricky and slow to heal, plus the Cavaliers typically take a cautious approach to injuries — it’s possible Strus might end up missing about half of the season.
Here’s more on the Cavaliers:
- Strus isn’t the only starter likely to be out to open 2025/26, Fedor notes, as All-Star point guard Darius Garland is still recovering from offseason toe surgery after being hobbled by the injury in the postseason. Sam Merrill, who re-signed with the Cavs on a four-year, $38MM deal this summer, is the “most obvious” player who needs to step up with Garland and Strus out, according to Fedor, who says the former second-round pick (60th overall in 2020) will likely be a replacement starter.
- It will take a team effort to cover for Strus and Garland during their absences. Veteran forward Dean Wade and second-year guard Jaylon Tyson are among the other players who should get more opportunities, Fedor writes, with Wade perhaps slotting in as the fifth starter. Head coach Kenny Atkinson may prefer to have De’Andre Hunter in a sixth man role to have more scoring punch off the bench, Fedor adds.
- According to Fedor, Tyson may be the biggest X-factor for the rotation, because the team had already planned him give him more run prior to Strus’ injury. The 2024 first-round pick (20th overall) will have a real chance to carve out minutes if he plays well, as Atkinson is high on him and is curious to see how he’ll mesh with the “core four” of Donovan Mitchell, Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen once Garland returns.
- Offseason trade acquisition Lonzo Ball is another player who will fit into the rotation, Fedor writes. However, it remains to be seen how active the 27-year-old guard will be. After missing two-plus years with a knee injury, Ball played surprisingly well in his return to action in ’24/25, but he was limited to just 35 games due to multiple wrist injuries.
Cavs Rumors: Oladipo, Wade, Tomlin, Enaruna
The Cavaliers currently have 13 players on standard contracts and it’s not yet clear how they intend to fill their 14th roster spot, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes in a subscriber-only mailbag article.
As Fedor explains, head coach Kenny Atkinson‘s switch-heavy defensive system means another versatile wing will always be an option for the Cavs, but it also wouldn’t be a surprise if the team adds another ball-handler.
Darius Garland will be coming off toe surgery, Lonzo Ball has only played in 35 games over the past three seasons for health reasons (mostly knee-related), and it remains to be seen whether the club is comfortable using Craig Porter Jr. in a major role, Fedor writes. While Donovan Mitchell is another ball-handling option, Cleveland won’t want to lean on him too heavily early in the season.
One free agent guard who is at least on the Cavs’ radar is two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo. A member of the front office attended Oladipo’s recent workout in Las Vegas, according to Fedor, who says Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has long been a fan of the former No. 2 overall pick. In fact, Fedor describes Gilbert as having been “eager” to use the No. 1 overall pick in 2013 on Oladipo until David Griffin, then an assistant general manager, lobbied for Anthony Bennett.
Here’s more on the Cavs from Fedor:
- There was a good deal of “chatter” in Las Vegas about the possibility of the Cavaliers trading forward Dean Wade, says Fedor. Wade is on an expiring $6.6MM contract in 2025/26 and there’s a sense that he may not be a priority for a cap-strapped Cleveland team beyond the coming season. Sources tell Cleveland.com that contending teams from each conference have expressed interest in Wade, with Fedor adding that the Mavericks are among the clubs believed to be fans of him.
- If Wade were to be moved, it could create an opportunity for two-way forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin, who made just five NBA appearances as a rookie last season. The 24-year-old “continues to turn heads” after averaging 20.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.8 steals per game on .582/.409/.800 shooting in four Summer League outings, Fedor notes, and could compete for rotation minutes this fall.
- Former Cleveland State wing Tristan Enaruna, who had a good Summer League for the Cavs (13.3 PPG, .568/.429/.500 shooting), is among the players the club is considering for its open two-way slot alongside Tomlin and Luke Travers, per Fedor.
- Fedor observes that improving the defense was a priority for the Cavaliers this summer after the unit struggled in the club’s second-round series loss to Indiana. That’s one reason why the front office prioritized retaining Sam Merrill over Ty Jerome. The belief in Cleveland, Fedor writes, is that Merrill and new additions Ball and Larry Nance Jr. won’t get played off the court in the postseason.
Windhorst: Suns Asked For Darius Garland In Kevin Durant Trade Talks
The Suns contacted the Cavaliers about Darius Garland while trying to put together a Kevin Durant trade, NBA insider Brian Windhorst reported in a discussion with Chris Oldach of ESPN Cleveland (YouTube link).
Windhorst emphasizes that Phoenix initiated the trade talks, stating that Cleveland isn’t reaching out to teams in an effort to unload Garland. He adds that the Cavs’ response was to ask for Durant and “other assets” in a potential deal, which likely would have been “multiple first-round picks.” Presumably that would have included a 2029 first-rounder that originally belonged to Cleveland (though the Jazz now control swap rights on that first-rounder, so there’s no guarantee the Suns will end up with the Cavs’ pick).
Windhorst states that Phoenix “didn’t hang up the phone” when presented with that scenario. He also notes that the Cavaliers would have needed to offload salary before taking on Durant, stating that they contacted at least one team to see if there was interest.
Ultimately, the talks ended before getting serious because Durant didn’t want to play in Cleveland, according to Windhorst, who points out that the forward had a limited number of desired destinations, reportedly Houston, San Antonio and Miami.
Windhorst indicates that several teams in need of point guard help have made inquiries about Garland, who will make $39.5MM next season and is under contract through 2027/28. He also states that Garland “might have been on the verge of asking for a trade” last summer, but he’s now happy in Cleveland after putting together an All-Star season.
Windhorst expects the Cavs to make “an aggressive offer” to keep free agent guard Ty Jerome, which means Isaac Okoro or Dean Wade may have to be moved to clear up salary. He adds that the team won’t trade any of its stars to save money, but it will face difficult decisions while operating in second-apron territory.
Eastern Notes: Carter, Lowry, Porzingis, Cavaliers
Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. feels energized by watching this year’s NBA Finals matchup between a pair of small-market franchises, according to Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel.
“It shows that anything is possible,” Carter said. “It’s very possible. We’ve just got to be even more locked in, be in better shape [and] take care of our bodies even more so that we can withstand 82 games and then go into the playoffs and not drop off at all.”
The Magic were injured early and often last season, with Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs missing a combined 105 games. Still, all three players remain on an upward trajectory, having each posted career-best scoring averages in shortened seasons. That leaves Orlando, a playoff team in spite of the injuries, feeling optimistic.
Carter sees the Magic as capable of playing in a similar style to the Thunder and Pacers.
“It’s been nothing shy of amazing. With these two teams in the Finals, it’s very good for the NBA,” Carter said. “Very healthy that two small-market teams [are] getting this type of exposure. Of course, I want us to be there one day playing for a championship, to bring a championship to Orlando [but] it’s a good thing what’s going on right now with both teams young, scrappy [to have] made it that far. It’s a good sign, for sure.”
We have more from the Eastern Conference:
- Sixers guard Kyle Lowry is likely to be back for another season, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes in a subscriber-only mailbag. Philadelphia values Lowry for his leadership and mentorship of young guards like Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain. As Sam Neumann of Awful Announcing writes, Blake Griffin revealed during a recent podcast on the Pardon My Take podcast (YouTube link) that Lowry may be joining Amazon’s NBA coverage in some capacity. However, Griffin referred to it as a “player correspondent” role, which suggests Lowry could work in that role prior to retiring as a player.
- Trading Kristaps Porzingis would be a mistake in the eyes of one anonymous front office executive, Heavy’s Steve Bulpett writes. “Unless they know something about Porzingis that we don’t, I don’t see how they can let him go,” the source said. “When Boston was right, he’s a major factor and they win. Yeah, he wasn’t a huge part of what they did in the playoffs last year. Because of the matchups, it didn’t hurt them that bad when he missed a bunch of games. But then you look and see, he scored well when he did play, and he was giving them a couple of blocks a game in limited minutes.” Porzingis was a major factor in two Celtics wins in the Finals last season but averaged just 7.7 points per game in the playoffs this year while dealing with the effects of a lingering illness.
- The Cavaliers will face an uphill battle to retain both Ty Jerome and Sam Merrill due to their already large payroll. According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com on the Wine and Gold Talk podcast (YouTube link), the Cavs’ front office is canvassing the league to see if salary-shedding trades are on the table. Fedor says they have had a hard time finding any takers for Isaac Okoro‘s contract that runs through 2026/27 unless they attach an asset. The team has also explored moving Dean Wade, per Fedor (hat tip to RealGM).
Mobley, Garland, Hunter Ruled Out For Game 2
Evan Mobley, Darius Garland and De’Andre Hunter have all been ruled out for Game 2 of the Cavaliers’ second-round series against the Pacers, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com tweets.
It’s a huge dilemma for the top seed in the Eastern Conference as they try to avoid going 0-2 in the series on Tuesday.
Mobley sustained a sprained left ankle in Game 1. Garland will miss his fourth straight game due to a sprained big toe on his left foot that has nagged him since the end of the regular season. Hunter suffered a dislocated right thumb in the series opener.
During his pregame press conference, coach Kenny Atkinson didn’t confirm that the trio was out, but stated that he and his staff made preparations for all scenarios.
“We’ve got to be ready for plan A, B, and C,” Atkinson said. “We’ve got a great group. We’ve got great leadership. We’ve always responded. Great maturity, great professionalism, and this is part of what we figure things out as a group. These experiences make you better, make you stronger as a group and we obviously have to respond on the floor, but liked our approach leading up.”
Ty Jerome, Sam Merrill, Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade are some of the players who will have to step up with a pair of Cavs starters and a top reserve unavailable.
Injury Notes: Edwards, Knicks, Turner, Wade, Thomas, LaMelo
Sixers rookie Justin Edwards sprained his left ankle during a post-All-Star practice this week, according to Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports (Twitter link).
The injury will cost Edwards at least a couple games. According to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link), the 21-year-old has been ruled out for Thursday vs. Boston and Saturday vs. Brooklyn. The plan is for him to be reevaluated early next week.
The Sixers could be shorthanded in the backcourt coming out of the All-Star break. Kyle Lowry (hip) and Eric Gordon (wrist), who each missed the last two games prior to the break, didn’t participate in practice on Tuesday, Bodner notes. Lonnie Walker‘s reported deal with the team also isn’t yet official.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Knicks center Mitchell Robinson and forward OG Anunoby both fully participated in Wednesday’s practice, which included a 5-on-5 scrimmage, per head coach Tom Thibodeau (Twitter link via Ian Begley of SNY.tv). It was the first time this season that Robinson has advanced to 5-on-5 with contact. While the big man has yet to make his season debut following offseason ankle surgery, Anunoby has been out for five games due to a right foot sprain.
- Myles Turner missed the Pacers‘ last three games before the All-Star break due to a cervical strain, but is expected to be available on Thursday vs. Memphis, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.
- Cavaliers forward Dean Wade appears likely to sit out on Thursday during the first half of a back-to-back set before making his return on Friday, tweets Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Wade has been on the shelf since January 24 due to a right knee bone bruise.
- Nets guard Cam Thomas will take part in his first 5-on-5 scrimmage on Thursday since going down with a hamstring strain on January 2, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link).
- Hornets star LaMelo Ball is listed as probable to play on Wednesday vs. the Lakers (Twitter link), so it appears the right ankle sprain he sustained on February 10 wasn’t a significant one.