The Cleveland Cavaliers are pushing a Brendan Haywood trade to help sign back Tristan Thompson and JR Smith for LeBron James and the team could look at the Portland Trail Blazers as an option, as Matthew Dellavedova reportedly has a contract offer from the team and this comes as the Cavs are considering the Haywood trade and adding Sasha Kaun to the roster for depth.
UPDATE: Brendan Haywood and Mike Miller have been traded to the Blazers. Check here for more. UPDATE: The Cavs have re-signed Matthew dellavedova to a one-year $1.2 million deal.
The Cavaliers have been looking to trade Haywood and according to Brian Windhorst at ESPN.com, the Portland Trail Blazers are an option. The team has cap space and now CSN Northwest reports that the team is preparing an offer for Matthew Dellavedova. The Dellavedova deal and Haywood would help the Cavaliers sign back JR Smith and Cavs Sports Talk reports on Twitter that a Smith deal is coming soon. The Blazers reportedly will offer Dellavedova a deal and that could open things up for Smith and Tristan Thompson to return.
Cavs Sports Talk reports that Thompson is expected to return, but that the Cavs and his side have not talked in "over a week." Moving Dellavedova could be a big help, as the Cavaliers have a high tax bill after signing back multiple players and they also want to bring back Smith. According to Cavs Sports Talk, the team has a Haywood deal on "the table" but will wait to sign back Smith to get the deal done.
Haywood has come up as a trade target and he could be an option for the Cavs to trade to try and get a trade exception, according to Windhorst. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports the Cavaliers have until the end of the month to move Haywood and his contract or the deal will become guaranteed. The contract is a good trade chip for any team looking to clear cap space and Chris Broussard at ESPN reports that the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers have shown interest in Haywood, but that is likely not happening with those teams. The Blazers and 76ers are main options with cap space.
The Cavaliers are set to bring back Iman Shumpert and Marc Stein at ESPN reports that the addition of Mo Williams is "not expected to dissuade Cavs from re-upping" Matthew Dellavedova and JR Smith. That has changed now with the talks with Dellavedova going nowhere and now Smith may return over the backup point guard.
Thompson was a main priority for the team heading into the offseason along with Kevin Love and the Cavs have already locked up Love on an agreement worth over $100 million. Thompson showed his value for the Cavs during the playoffs with Love injured he comes in after averaging 8.5 points and 8.0 rebounds this season. The Thompson talks could pick up once these moves are made. The Cavs traded Rakeem Christmas to start all of this off in a deal to the Pacers.
The Cavaliers have signed Richard Jefferson and James Jones this past week and that adds some depth to the bench along with Mo Williams. Tristan Thompson is still not signed, but ESPN reports that the team is expected to reach an agreement on a contract extension.
Check here for more on the Cavaliers trade with Brendan Haywood and the potential returning of Thompson, Delly and Smith for James.
