Cavaliers and Kings Continue Trade Talks as Deadline Nears
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The Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings, fresh off a three-team weekend trade that also involved the Chicago Bulls, are still pursuing additional moves before Thursday’s trade deadline, according to Brett Siegel of Clutch Points.
Cleveland’s focus: shedding salary
Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman is actively shopping guard Lonzo Ball and injured wing Max Strus, hoping to drop the team below the second tax apron. Saturday’s acquisition of Keon Ellis, Dennis Schröder and Emanuel Miller — with DeAndre Hunter going to Sacramento and Dario Saric plus two second-round picks heading to Chicago — cut Cleveland’s overage from $22 million to $13.9 million and set its payroll at $221.7 million.
Ball, earning $10 million this season with a $10 million club option for 2026-27, is averaging 4.6 points and 3.9 assists in 20.8 minutes. Moving his contract is expected to require draft compensation. Strus, sidelined after offseason left foot surgery, is making nearly $16 million this year and has $16.66 million guaranteed for next season. If he is not moved this week, he is projected to be a prominent offseason trade candidate.
Sacramento weighing multiple possibilities
The Kings are gauging the market for Malik Monk, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis. While DeRozan and Sabonis are considered unlikely to move before the deadline, Toronto has shown interest in Sabonis as center Jakob Poeltl deals with back issues. A potential Raptors package could feature RJ Barrett, a player Sacramento reportedly likes.
Monk, in the second season of a four-year, $78 million contract, has drawn exploratory inquiries from the Timberwolves. Sacramento could also use his deal to facilitate other league-wide transactions. In addition, the club is expected to convert rookie big man Dylan Cardwell from a two-way pact to a standard NBA contract.
Background on the Hunter talks
Before Saturday’s agreement, both Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Lakers pursued DeAndre Hunter. The Lakers proposed a package centered on Rui Hachimura and Dalton Knecht but ended discussions when no extra assets were included to offset the final season of Hunter’s deal. Milwaukee was willing to part with Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis.
The league’s trade window closes Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.
Source: HoopsRumors
