The Cleveland Cavaliers may already be working the phones, and Brian Windhorst isn’t exactly hiding that much.
During a Tuesday appearance on ESPN Cleveland, Windhorst said the Cavs are “working on trades,” though he stopped short of naming anyone involved. “They are working on trades - I’m not going to tell you who they’re working on because I can’t deal with it in my life,” he said.
That nugget landed on the same day ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Cavaliers are expected to bring back All-Star guard James Harden on a multi-year extension. So while one piece of the roster looks close to getting locked in, the rest of Cleveland’s picture still appears to be fluid.
The timing only added fuel to another rumor that surfaced earlier Tuesday. Chris Haynes reported that the Cavaliers have interest in a reunion with LeBron James, writing that “Cleveland Cavaliers have interest in a second reunion with LeBron James with the appeal of the franchise’s greatest player finishing his career where it all started,”
Windhorst, though, didn’t sound like someone buying into that possibility just yet. “I don’t think the Cavs are a realistic option,” he said.
“I’ve not heard the Cavs are out but I’ve certainly not heard that they’re in. So, I’m not considering that as an option at the moment.”
If Cleveland does end up making multiple moves, that could change the conversation. For now, Windhorst said the Golden State Warriors seem to be in the lead for James.
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For the Cavaliers, that has put a spotlight on the kind of aggressive roster swing that would signal they are serious about chasing him. ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst floated the idea that Cleveland could make a major trade push, and while nothing has been confirmed, the broader chatter around the league suggests the Cavs could be weighing a move designed to change both their ceiling and James view of the franchise. [Read more 🡒]
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Brooklyn, though, is now giving Ellis a clearer runway, and that has changed the equation for a player who had drifted out of the playoff mix late in the year. For Cleveland, it is another reminder that useful role players do not always stay available once their market starts to look stronger, especially when a rebuilding team can promise the kind of opportunity that contenders often cannot. [Read more 🡒]
