Cavs Trade Talks ‘Very, Very Preliminary’

We caught wind of some pre-Draft trade rumors yesterday, but don’t hold your breath—it appears the three teams involved are nowhere near a deal just yet. Via the Akron Beacon Journal: “The Cavaliers were in talks with the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves for a deal that would give them the top two picks in the draft, according to an ESPN.com report Saturday. One league source outside the Cavs organization confirmed talks as ‘very, very preliminary,’ and another debunked the idea of the Pistons getting involved. With the first and fourth picks and a hefty trade exception at their disposal, the Cavs have the potential to be one of the more active teams before the NBA Draft on June 23. In the proposed deal, as reported by ESPN, the Cavs would absorb Richard Hamilton with their trade exception and get the Pistons’ No. 8 pick in the draft as compensation for swallowing the remaining $21.5 million on his deal. The Cavs would negotiate a buyout package for Hamilton, making him free to sign with any team. Then they would send the fourth and eighth picks to the Timberwolves for the second pick and use it on Arizona forward Derrick Williams after selecting Duke point guard Kyrie Irving first overall. All of that seems unlikely, however, given the looming lockout that will slice off a portion of the money owed to Hamilton. That makes his contract a little more bearable for the Pistons.”