The Cavaliers have taken another real step toward their summer target, Peyton Watson, by clearing Dennis Schröder’s contract in a trade with Charlotte.
On Friday afternoon, Cleveland sent Schröder and cash to the Hornets for Tre Mann, a move that immediately changed the team’s flexibility as it tries to work out a possible sign-and-trade for the Nuggets forward. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported, “The Cleveland Cavaliers are trading Dennis Schroder and cash to the Charlotte Hornets for Tre Mann, sources told ESPN on Friday. In Schroder, Charlotte picks up an established veteran at point guard who has history with Hornets president Jeff Peterson and coach Charles Lee from his tenure at Atlanta at the start of his career.”
That deal matters because Watson has been a player Cleveland has chased for several weeks, and Denver has not been able to give him the contract he wants. The Cavaliers still had to create room to make a four-year offer via sign-and-trade, and moving Schröder was part of that plan.
NBA reporter Evan Sidery said, “The Cavaliers are actively trying to offload Max Strus and Dennis Schröder’s contracts elsewhere to make Peyton Watson a four-year offer via sign-and-trade, per The Stein Line. Cleveland is now viewed as the strong favorites to eventually acquire Watson from the Nuggets,”
After the trade was completed, Sidery added, “The Cavaliers traded Dennis Schröder + cash to the Hornets for Tre Mann, per Shams Charania. Cleveland makes a cost-cutting move for more flexibility to pursue Peyton Watson via sign-and-trade,”
Cleveland has been trying to add a wing this summer, and Watson has emerged as the clear priority. With Schröder gone, the Cavaliers have made the pursuit even more serious and taken another step toward a deal that could address one of their biggest needs.
In Other News...
Hornets Just Made Another Backcourt Move Fans Need To See
Charlotte has continued to reshape its backcourt in a busy offseason, and the latest move adds another experienced piece to the mix. After already making changes to its point guard depth, the Hornets have now moved on from Tre Mann and brought in veteran guard Dennis Schroder, a roster adjustment that gives the team a different kind of presence behind the starters.
Schroder arrives with two years left on his contract and is expected to fill a backup guard role, giving Charlotte a steadier hand as it keeps sorting out the rotation around its new look. For a team still sorting through its guard picture, this is the kind of transaction that suggests the front office is less interested in standing pat than in finding a better fit for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Just Made A Backcourt Move With Big Bench Implications
Charlotte is adding another layer to its backcourt after agreeing to a trade with Cleveland that reshapes the guard rotation and gives the front office a little more room to work. The deal sends cash and a veteran point guard to the Hornets while giving the Cavaliers the salary cap flexibility they were seeking, a move that could matter well beyond the immediate roster swap.
For Charlotte, the intrigue is in how a well-traveled guard fits alongside the players already in place and what it means for the second unit. The player arriving has been traded nine times in his NBA career and is set to join his 12th NBA team, which speaks to both his value as a movable piece and the constant search around the league for steady help at point guard. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Fans Will Have Plenty To Say About These 2K Ratings
Ahead of NBA 2K27s release, the Hornets player ratings are out, and there is already plenty in there for fans to debate. The reveal gives a fresh look at where Charlottes roster stands in the game, while also putting a spotlight on the teams 3-point shooting profile, which should stand out in a hurry for anyone loading up a Hornets lineup.
Still, the list does not tell the full story. Some names are missing altogether, including rookies Hannes Steinbach and Christian Anderson Jr., which leaves part of Charlottes picture unresolved heading into the games launch. For a fan base that tends to notice every little thing in these ratings releases, there will be no shortage of opinions about who got treated fairly and who did not. [Read more 🡒]