Reliable sources that do have direct knowledge of recent player trade deals, shared with USA TODAY Sports that the Cleveland Cavaliers had recently reached a trading agreement of center player Brendan Haywood, and Mike Miller, guard-forward, with the Trail Blazers.
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In return, Cleveland would get a $10.5 million dollar trade exception for Haywood and a $2.85 trade exception and cash for Mike Miller.
He’s the final piece of the puzzle to reunite the team from last year (who even knows about J.R. Smith anymore?) and the Cavs are hard at it, despite their payroll already being over $100 million and their luxury tax bill set to be around $40 million.
These Cleveland Cavaliers trade rumors could help the team quite a bit should an injury occur during the 2015-16 National Basketball Association season. It is no secret that Young is also on the trading block and if it materializes, the deal could involve other players as well (Ryan Kelly and Robert Sacre).
While this may be all smoke and no fire on the Jazz end of things, such a trade could be beneficial for the team. They’ll obtain 2 future second-round picks from the Cavs for facilitating the deal with their cap space. Had Haywood stayed with the Cavaliers through August 1st, his salary would have been a guaranteed wage that puts a big hit on any National Basketball Association budget.
It has been reported for weeks now that Haywood would be traded. Haywood plans to continue playing, while Miller’s career is up in the air. They also have the rights to a handful of overseas players.
The Blazers were able to absorb the contracts of both players because the team is under the salary cap.
Miller was tremendous in his most recent stint with the Grizzlies as he played in all 82 games and averaged 7.1 points in 20.8 minutes per game while shooting 48 percent from the field and 46 percent from three. Andray Blatche is rumored to have had a scoring duel with an expired $4.3 million exception from the Celtics last season. Portland will likely waive both the contract and Miller, in order to clear a healthy amount off their cap sheet as well.
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The other aspect here is that like the Trail Blazers, they could make this deal for the sole goal of acquiring an additional draft pick. This definitely sounds better than the alternative of letting them walk for nothing because the team has run out of roster space.
