The Cleveland Cavaliers’ offseason is already starting to take shape around two very different names, and both come with familiar ties.
One of the more interesting links is Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga, who could emerge as a target for Cleveland because of his connection to head coach Kenny Atkinson. NBA insider Jake Fischer reported for The Stein Line that the Cavaliers could be in the mix for Kuminga, though he also pointed to the team’s “financial limitations this summer.”
“Another team that has always loomed as a potential Kuminga suitor has been Cleveland, thanks to the relationship Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson maintains with Kuminga from their days together in Golden State. The Cavaliers, mind you, face well-chronicled financial limitations this summer,” Fischer wrote.
Kuminga and Atkinson were together with the Warriors from 2021 to 2024, when Atkinson was an assistant under Steve Kerr. Kuminga is now in Atlanta, and this past season he averaged 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 34.6 percent from deep.
The other Cleveland name making the rounds is LeBron James. NBA insider Chris Haynes reported that James has told the Los Angeles Lakers he is playing “elsewhere” next season, and that has reignited talk of a return to the Cavaliers.
“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, league sources tell me,” Haynes wrote on X.
For now, Cleveland’s offseason remains in the rumor stage. Whether the Cavaliers go after Kuminga, James, or neither is still an open question.
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Williams brings defensive appeal and enough upside to make him an interesting development bet, especially in Kenny Atkinsons system, where the Cavs have shown a willingness to try to unlock more from young players. He also offers a possible cushion if Dean Wades free agency takes him elsewhere, which gives this pursuit a practical edge beyond simply adding another body on the wing. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Just Lost A Defensive Piece Fans Thought Would Stick
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Instead, Ellis is headed into a different situation after landing a two-year deal with Brooklyn, a move that gives him a clearer path to playing time on a rebuilding team. For Cleveland, it is another reminder that even useful defensive pieces can be tough to retain when the market offers a longer commitment and a more defined role. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Could Make The All In Move LeBron Would Notice
LeBron James next move is already stirring up familiar speculation, and Cleveland is back in the conversation for all the reasons that still matter in July. Reports say he will not return to the Lakers and is expected to land somewhere that makes him happy, which naturally puts the Cavaliers on the list of teams worth watching whenever his name comes up.
For Cleveland, the idea is less about nostalgia than ambition, because any true swing would have to be big enough to change how the league views the roster right away. The Cavaliers have been linked in rumor chatter to a possible major deal with Boston, and even the existence of that kind of discussion tells you how aggressive this front office might be willing to get if it sees a path to moving the team into a different tier. [Read more 🡒]