The Cavaliers’ offseason search keeps circling back to two familiar names: DeMar DeRozan and Jonathan Kuminga.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson of ScoopB.com reported that Cleveland is still weighing both players as possible additions, and league sources offered different reasons why each path could make sense. The interest hasn’t faded on either front.
DeRozan’s appeal, according to Robinson, goes beyond the court. One source said he and Cavs guard James Harden have been close for years, with the bond rooted in mutual respect going back to their grassroots basketball days in Los Angeles. On the floor, another source pointed to DeRozan’s mid-post scoring as a potential answer for a Cleveland team looking for another dependable half-court option next to Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley.
Kuminga remains in the mix as well. Robinson reported that Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman “remains intrigued” by the athletic forward, whose connection with coach Kenny Atkinson dates back to their time together in Golden State.
A deal for Kuminga would likely have to come through a sign-and-trade, and Robinson said multiple teams are still discussing possible frameworks. One league source told ScoopB.com that Atlanta may eventually see Cleveland as a more logical trade partner than the Lakers if talks become serious.
For now, nothing is settled. But Robinson’s reporting makes one thing clear: Cleveland is still exploring ways to strengthen the roster, with a proven scorer in DeRozan and a high-upside young forward in Kuminga both still firmly on the radar.
In Other News...
Cavaliers Linked To Another Two-Way Wing In Huge Summer Test
Clevelands summer has already been defined by keeping Donovan Mitchell in place on a four-year extension, and the front office still looks like it is searching for ways to sharpen the roster around him. One proposed path comes from Bleacher Reports Greg Swartz, who floated a four-team deal that would send a young two-way wing to the Cavaliers through a sign-and-trade framework involving Denver, Detroit and the Clippers.
The appeal is obvious for a team that has spent the offseason balancing present contention with long-term flexibility. If the pieces were to line up, Cleveland could imagine a starting group with Mitchell, James Harden if he returns, the incoming wing, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, giving the Cavs another versatile defender and a little more size on the perimeter. For now, it remains one of those speculative summer ideas that says as much about Clevelands ambitions as it does about the market around it. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers May Finally Have An Answer For Their Biggest Depth Problem
The Cavaliers spent much of last season searching for stability behind their starters, cycling through 41 different lineups while a once-reliable bench punch slipped badly. Their second unit went from seventh in the league in scoring to 21st, and the loss of Ty Jerome left a hole they never really filled, which made every cold stretch feel bigger for a team trying to stay in the Eastern Conference mix.
Now the hope is less about a single veteran fix and more about internal growth from a young group that has a chance to change the math. Jaylon Tyson, Sam Merrill, NaeQwan Tomlin, Tyrese Proctor, Craig Porter Jr. and Meleek Thomas are all expected to matter more, and if even a couple of them take the kind of step Cleveland is banking on, the Cavaliers might finally have a bench that can hold its own instead of merely surviving until the stars return. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers Just Found Another Way To Stay Dangerous In The East
Philadelphia keeps finding ways to make the math work, and this latest move is another reminder that the front office is not just chasing talent but also protecting its options. By moving Johni Broome and a second-round pick for cash considerations, the Sixers cleared the kind of room they needed to stay nimble after already reshaping the roster around LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
For a team trying to stack top-end talent without boxing itself in, the cap sheet matters almost as much as the names on it. Staying below the first apron gives Philadelphia a cleaner path to keep building, and the Broome deal also helped create the roster flexibility needed to bring Caldwell-Pope in officially, a small transaction on paper that could loom larger once the season starts to unfold. [Read more 🡒]