Trade Ideas

[JujitsuFlip]

https://www.hoopshype.com/story/sports/nba/rumors/2026/04/17/cavs-will-discuss-moving-donovan-mitchell-if-he-doesnt-sign-an-extension/89656537007/

There is nothing Earth shattering from this quote but it does really put into perspective how different this team could look in a few short months.

"If Mitchell doesn't extend, the Cavs will discuss trading him". Yeah, that's common sense; can't lose him for nothing.

"Harden will probably turn down his player option". Again, common sense, because at his age, he wants a 3 year deal, even if he doesn't plan to play for 3 more years.

There is a reality where Mitchell refuses to extend, so we trade him. Then Harden turns down his PO and we potetinally sign and trade him somewhere, just to get some sort of asset back.

Roster looks shaky in the hypothetical because you hope to re-sign one of Ellis or Wade this summer too.

Schröder
Merrill
LeBron farewell tour?
Mobley
Allen

We will obviously get something back for Mitchell and maybe Harden, i just have no clue what.

[Wisedude]

James Harden has to decide whether to opt into the final year of his contract by June 30, 2026 for a $42,317,307 player option for next season. If Harden opts In this final year of his contract, the Cavaliers can waive James Harden before July 11, 2026, they would incur a buyout cost of $13,317,307 for him and the Cavs take a dead cap salary hit of $13,317,307 for next season. Then, Harden becomes a free agent. If the Cavs do this, then the Cavs will have freed up many millions to sign free agents and make other trades. Harden can opt in and the Cavs could possibly trade him also at any time.

If Harden declines the player option, he is a free agent and the Cavs take no cap hit and free up lots of cap space.

[jbk1234]

I have the odds of Harden not opting in as less than 5% and that's with me including a CYA bump in the estimate. He wants a to play for a good team and get paid. There isn't a good team with cap space and a need for Harden. That's before you get to a desire to hand him the extension he'd like. He'll opt in, and then the Cavs will have a decision to make that will be dependent on decisions Mitchell and LBJ make. If LBJ wants a farewell tour in Cleveland, and if he'll sign here for what we could offer, and if that makes Mitchell want to stick around, then you can cut and stretch Harden. If LBJ wants to return but wants a Harden sized deal, then you've got to trade Harden and Strus or Schroder separately so you can engage in a S&T.

If Mitchell is just done in Cleveland, or if he'll only stay if you go all in on a Giannis trade that includes additional future draft capital, then the F.O. should get the best deal they can for Mitchell and all the math changes.

[Wisedude]

The Cavs are not trading for Giannis and Lebron is not coming back here because he wants to get paid. If the Cavs will NOT give Harden a 2-year contract then Harden will pick up the final year player option for $42.3m. Then, the Cavs can keep him, trade him if any acceptable offers or waive him by July 11 and take the $13.3m cap hit - then move on to other trades. IMO, the Cavs see Mobley as the only untouchable, all others they will take offers and discuss. Wade is a FA and gone. Harden, Strus, Shroeder, Allen are most likely trade candidates.

[jbk1234]

The Cavs are not trading for Giannis and Lebron is not coming back here because he wants to get paid. If the Cavs will NOT give Harden a 2-year contract then Harden will pick up the final year player option for $42.3m. Then, the Cavs can keep him, trade him if any acceptable offers or waive him by July 11 and take the $13.3m cap hit - then move on to other trades. IMO, the Cavs see Mobley as the only untouchable, all others they will take offers and discuss. Wade is a FA and gone. Harden, Strus, Shroeder, Allen are most likely trade candidates.

I agree regarding the former (I think people should allow for the possibility that the Cavs aren't on Giannis' list), but disagree on the latter. If Mitchell stays, I think LBJ would have some interest in returning. There's a pathway to LBJ returning on a $40M per deal if the Cavs can find a trade partner for Harden.

[Wisedude]

If I were the Cavs President/GM, I would look to move on from and trade: Harden, Ellis (FA), Strus, Wade (FA), Schroder, Porter, Allen, Bryant (FA), Nance (FA).
Harden might be untradable. When I say trade any players above, it also means you have to get the right players and draft picks in return to rebuild the roster. Might be able to do a sign-n-trade with Wade or not. Bryant and Nance are just gone. Porter probably has no trade value so just waive him if it comes to that. Have to put Mitchell out there to see what kind of offers you can get for him.

Would likely plan to keep Mobley, Tyson, Proctor, probably Tomlin, Merrill (would listen to offers but his contract is small by NBA standards).

Not into Lebron for 1 year because it messes up this team more after the one year. This team might need to retrench and get some 1st round draft picks back. if you keep Michell then it's a somewhat lesser type of re-build. If Mitchell gets traded, it's a bigger type of re-build and looking to the future more.

[Wisedude]

Windy Windhorst is at it again: James Harden will opt out this summer to re-sign with the Cavaliers on a team-friendly contract for them to dip underneath the second apron, per @WindhorstESPN.

Harden returning at a discounted figure would open up Cleveland to aggressively pursue trades.

[jbk1234]

Windy Windhorst is at it again: James Harden will opt out this summer to re-sign with the Cavaliers on a team-friendly contract for them to dip underneath the second apron, per @WindhorstESPN.

Harden returning at a discounted figure would open up Cleveland to aggressively pursue trades.

I am very curious as to what *team-friendly* means in this context. I suspect my definition is different than Windy's.

[ijspeelman]

Windy Windhorst is at it again: James Harden will opt out this summer to re-sign with the Cavaliers on a team-friendly contract for them to dip underneath the second apron, per @WindhorstESPN.

Harden returning at a discounted figure would open up Cleveland to aggressively pursue trades.

I am very curious as to what *team-friendly* means in this context. I suspect my definition is different than Windy's.

Obviously, no specifics out, but I assume its whatever it needs to be to have the Cavs under the second apron, but still be as high it can be

[jbk1234]

Windy Windhorst is at it again: James Harden will opt out this summer to re-sign with the Cavaliers on a team-friendly contract for them to dip underneath the second apron, per @WindhorstESPN.

Harden returning at a discounted figure would open up Cleveland to aggressively pursue trades.

I am very curious as to what *team-friendly* means in this context. I suspect my definition is different than Windy's.

Obviously, no specifics out, but I assume its whatever it needs to be to have the Cavs under the second apron, but still be as high it can be

The first question that occurs to me is will the 29 potential trade partners view it as team friendly? It would have to be $20M per, maaaaybe $25M per, for that to be the case.

[JujitsuFlip]

Windy Windhorst is at it again: James Harden will opt out this summer to re-sign with the Cavaliers on a team-friendly contract for them to dip underneath the second apron, per @WindhorstESPN.

Harden returning at a discounted figure would open up Cleveland to aggressively pursue trades.

I still would probably only want it for however long Mitchell extends for.

I'm thinking 2 years, really wouldn't want to offer a 37 year old a 3 year deal.

[ijspeelman]

I am very curious as to what *team-friendly* means in this context. I suspect my definition is different than Windy's.

Obviously, no specifics out, but I assume its whatever it needs to be to have the Cavs under the second apron, but still be as high it can be

The first question that occurs to me is will the 29 potential trade partners view it as team friendly? It would have to be $20M per, maaaaybe $25M per, for that to be the case.

I'm somewhat ignoring the idea of making Harden a tradable asset and thinking about what the most likely outcome is. If it were me, Harden would not be re-signed for anything more than league vet minimum.

Who are his potential suitors if he opts in and we do waive him? Or he opts out and we pull out for some reason (this won't happen)?

Not even talking about his offense, his defense alone makes him a net-negative playoff player with how the league has progressed in the last 2-3 years. He just cannot be the 2nd offensive option on this team if we expect higher results than this year (realistically, if we expect to be competitive in the 2nd round).

[JonFromVA]

Windy Windhorst is at it again: James Harden will opt out this summer to re-sign with the Cavaliers on a team-friendly contract for them to dip underneath the second apron, per @WindhorstESPN.

Harden returning at a discounted figure would open up Cleveland to aggressively pursue trades.

I am very curious as to what *team-friendly* means in this context. I suspect my definition is different than Windy's.

Yeah, re-signing Wade and Ellis and giving them any sort of a significant bump while getting under the second apron would presumably need to come out of Harden's salary and hopefully a league revenue bump.

If history repeats, we keep whichever one is willing to sign at a price that works for us and let the other walk.

My initial guess was Harden at $30M/yr for 2 or more years might get it done for both parties.

Whether he's worth even that is another very valid discussion .... but my presumption has always been this was all fait accompli when we traded for him, but maybe we'll finally find out what the deal really was.

Of course once we're under the second apron, we can start exploring Koby's favorite type of aggregating multi-team trades (assuming he's retained).

[jbk1234]

Windy Windhorst is at it again: James Harden will opt out this summer to re-sign with the Cavaliers on a team-friendly contract for them to dip underneath the second apron, per @WindhorstESPN.

Harden returning at a discounted figure would open up Cleveland to aggressively pursue trades.

I am very curious as to what *team-friendly* means in this context. I suspect my definition is different than Windy's.

Yeah, re-signing Wade and Ellis and giving them any sort of a significant bump while getting under the second apron would presumably need to come out of Harden's salary and hopefully a league revenue bump.

If history repeats, we keep whichever one is willing to sign at a price that works for us and let the other walk.

My initial guess was Harden at $30M/yr for 2 or more years might get it done for both parties.

Whether he's worth even that is another very valid discussion .... but my presumption has always been this was all fait accompli when we traded for him, but maybe we'll finally find out what the deal really was.

Of course once we're under the second apron, we can start exploring Koby's favorite type of aggregating multi-team trades (assuming he's retained).

Bringing back Wade needs to be a priority. Ellis can take a team-friendly deal or walk, or be included in a LBJ S&T with Strus and Schroder.

If you pay Harden $30M per, he's retiring here.

[jbk1234]

Read on Twitter

This is a local reporter in Milwaukee. I think Giannis has a strong preference for Miami or Boston and with the Heat sitting on two large expiring contracts the Cavs had better be really sure he'll extend here if they decide to make an offer.

[JujitsuFlip]

Read on Twitter

This is a local reporter in Milwaukee. I think Giannis has a strong preference for Miami or Boston and with the Heat sitting on two large expiring contracts the Cavs had better be really sure he'll extend here if they decide to make an offer.

That's the exact same way we landed Mitchell. It was all but a done deal that Mitchell was NYC bound and then Koby swooped in, betting against himself.

But we'll see if Koby is willing to do Mobley, #29 (draft rights), 2031 first, and a 2032 first swap. Plus whatever initial cap move is required to get us outta the 2nd apron.

I personally wouldn't do it but i would not have did the Mitchell or Harden trades either, so what do i know.

[jbk1234]

Read on Twitter

[mg]

Presti has been salivating for Mobley since before the '21 draft. I would hesitate dealing with him unless he hands over a big chunk of their warchest (FRPs + Chet + one of their wing defenders). Chet's salary balloons to 25% of the cap for next season ($41 mil) which still might be a bargain compared to Evan's $50 mil for '26-27. Not sure if the Cavs would even contemplate trading Mobley but OKC might be the one team that actually possesses the non-Giannis assets to deal for him.

[jbk1234]

Presti has been salivating for Mobley since before the '21 draft. I would hesitate dealing with him unless he hands over a big chunk of their warchest (FRPs + Chet + one of their wing defenders). Chet's salary balloons to 25% of the cap for next season ($41 mil) which still might be a bargain compared to Evan's $50 mil for '26-27. Not sure if the Cavs would even contemplate trading Mobley but OKC might be the one team that actually possesses the non-Giannis assets to deal for him.

I'm not touching Chet.

[ijspeelman]

Presti has been salivating for Mobley since before the '21 draft. I would hesitate dealing with him unless he hands over a big chunk of their warchest (FRPs + Chet + one of their wing defenders). Chet's salary balloons to 25% of the cap for next season ($41 mil) which still might be a bargain compared to Evan's $50 mil for '26-27. Not sure if the Cavs would even contemplate trading Mobley but OKC might be the one team that actually possesses the non-Giannis assets to deal for him.

I'm not touching Chet.

Chet just had one of the worst series you can possibly have (offensively), but I'd like to play devil's advocate for one second.

The double big thing has really only been a hinderance for spacing on the offensive end and that does solve that issue.

That's what I got. Def not saying I'd do this unless the deal was exactly right.