Cavs trade Haywood, Miller to Blazers

The team now has the ability to absorb more salary in exchange for the trade exceptions, so the Cavs are very likely to be linked to any teams that start falling out contention early. The Cavs traded Mike Miller and Brendan Haywood to the Portland Trail Blazers in a deal that is obviously intended to shed salary. Haywood appeared in 22 games and checked in at 1.6 points per game.

Recently, the Blazers have contacted Cavs management that they are willing to trade for Haywood on the terms that they include a future pick with him.

It has been reported for weeks now that Haywood would be traded.

Despite the talks and should he be waived, Haywood says he does not plan to retire. “BHC was required to be a contract last year, and the trade exceptions (Hereafter referred to as “$10.5” and “$2.85”) don’t even have to do that.

Haywood’s $10.5 million deal for 2015-16 is non-guaranteed if the Blazers waive him before August 1, so expect that to happen, and Miller is a buyout candidate with 2.8 million due to him in 2015-16.

Regardless, this is another example of how it can pay off to have copious amounts of cap space when rebuilding in the National Basketball Association.

Miller was due $2.8 million after picking up his player option with the Cavs this offseason. They’re not going to make a huge difference, but you might as well pick them up. Gobert looks like a max player, Gordon Hayward is already there and guys like Trey Burke and Rod Hood could get sizable raises if they continue along their trajectory.

The Miami Heat are one of at least four teams interested to snag Mike Miller, who is expected to be available in free-agency market after the Cleveland Cavaliers traded him, Brendan Haywood and two second-round picks to the Portland Trail Blazers for cash considerations. The second is Cleveland’s own 2020 second-round pick.

It’s no secret that part of the reason LeBron returned to Cleveland was the level of control he’d have over the makeup of the roster. He followed James, a close friend, on his return to Cleveland.

It’s easy for fans to overstate the value of trade exceptions.

In short, the Sixers could potentially get a 2nd round pick for literally nothing at all. “Costs Portland nothing to get something from having enough unused space”, Kyler said.