REPORT: Cavaliers were mystery team in Kevin Durant sweepstakes; could another move be coming next?

REPORT: Cavaliers were mystery team in Kevin Durant sweepstakes; could another move be coming next?

Yesterday was not only game 7 of the NBA Finals, but Kevin Durant got traded again heading to Houston for Jalen Green, Dylan Brooks, the number 10 pick, and 5 2nd round picks over the next couple of years. It came out afterwards. Sean’s reported that the Cavs were one of the mystery teams that were at least interested in some regard in Kevin Durant. I wanted to ask you guys this question. When it came out that the Cavs were a mystery team. Do you believe they actually had some in-depth discussions with Phoenix on a deal for Durant? How was it? What would they have offered? Like what’s realistic? Well, I wanted to ask you guys first because my theory is they simply made a call so Kobe can cover himself and say, yeah, we were interested. I made a call. I thought that I thought the two owners hated each other. Why would they make a deal. So why would they, — why would he give us
— might have gone like this. Is there any chance our two owners can find common ground to make a deal? And and the answer might have been like, uh, no, click. Yeah, according to Jason, it’s like next level hatred, not even according to Jason, that is factual knowledge that they have been speaking on each other’s wives and dogs, yeah, once it gets to that, yeah, you can’t even come back from that. So it was a no, no, no, but I think, I think Mike’s right. I think, I think. You gotta, you gotta make the call. You got to at least explore it, and I think he tried, and I think it was immediately shut down. — How much
— of a difference maker at this point in his career is Kevin Durant? — He’s
— a difference maker. He’s come on. — He’s a
— Phoenix. Phoenix is a mess. Last season he shot over 40% from three. He was the number one mid-range shooter in terms of efficiency in basketball. Averaged 27 points per game. He’s not the defensive player he was. That’s the main difference. He used to be an elite defensive player too. Now. He’s big, but he’s not lying down. He can score and he’s still a legit situation. He can win a championship. — I believe
— it, I think it’s interesting because outside of the Cavs, the Rockets are the most fraudulent team in the NBA. And so them making this trade is interesting to see — if he can see
— what I like the Rockets. — I would say
— fraudulent I like they got knocked out — early in the playoffs two years in a
— row. I mean they’ — weren’t
— good 2 years ago, Mike. I’m looking up. No, I don’t think they were that good. They, they’ve been in the playoffs the last two years. Am I making that up? No, — they
— missed the playoffs last year. All right then. I’m on crack. They were, they were 41 and 41. Yeah, I, they were 500, yeah, so they were, you know, they, they lost in the first round. Oh, listen. Oh, I liked them a lot. Oh, I liked them a lot. They’re not even close to being. Oh, I like them. Go ahead. — Is there
— any team as fraudulent as the Cavs right now in the NBA? No, Mike, will you, Cavs homer admit that the Cavs are the most fraudulent team in the NBA. Um, And they’re coming off a 64 win season in which they won it’s, it’s hard to argue against it when you have that level of rey and success and, and that little playoff success. It’s, it’s hard to argue against it. The Lakers are probably more fraudulent though. Really? In the, in the way they get hyped. Yeah, well, they’re the Lakers, you know, the the Sixers are the most fraudulent team. Steve Becker’s the Sixers are the most fraudulent. I mean, that is the worst, the top 10 worst take. How are the Sixers just aren’t good. What are you talking about? Yeah, — when
— you look at the pieces they have though, they have and beat Paul George, Max, right? That’s why I say they’re fraudulent. You look at the pieces they have and you’re like, it’s kind of like Phoenix. God, how can they suck so much? Phoenix was very fraudulent too. Uh, my thought process on how this Cavs Durant mystery thing. So there’s all this outside pressure for Kobe to make a move, right? Yeah, people want to blow up the core 4. Yes, Kobe’s assembled this core 4. He’s wanted this core 4 to stay together. This was his baby. He put this core 4 together. Oh my God, Mike, I’m gonna have to throw you through a window. You say core one more time. He put the core 4 together. He believes in the core 4. He even added DeAndre Hunter to the core 4. My gut tells me. Based on the number of obstacles to make any kind of deal between the Cavs and the Suns for Durant work from a financial standpoint. The conversation went something like this. Um, would you guys do Dean Wade and Isaac Akoro in a bunch of seconds for Kevin? No. So the Suns and they go, who would you talk to the Cavs and he’s not lying. It gives Kobe an out and I’m I’m just, I’m I’m not reporting this. I’m just it gives Kobe an out to say, hey, look, we, we were aggressive, we made a call. We were one of the mystery teams involved in the deal. When they, there was no way they were making that deal because as we talked about that when I proposed the Durant trade, financially it just there was no way to make it work. Does anybody feel better because supposedly the Cavs made a call? — Why would that change any
— BR? I don’t care. It’s a perception. He’s trying. He tried. I tried. It’s one thing buying that. No, but, you know, in the NBA perception is everything. Well, I think there are a lot of people that will believe. Because they were listed as a mystery team that they made some sort of legitimate offer in reality they didn’t they didn’t, they did, maybe they didn’t. — I don’t know they
— didn’t get it done what they should be doing is finding a way to get rid of Dean Wade and the Coral’s contracts to get under. Those guys, well, listen, — he better
— keep trying. There’s nobody taking us. This is the Houston, the old NBA teams would take expiring contracts all the time. It was like a benefit. It’s not anymore. The fact that the fact that you, the fact that they got, he got an extension like that is even wild to me. Like Coro got extended like that. Like that was crazy. And they circles us back to the Cavs being the favorites of the East. Who was on the roster besides, so you have Hunter Struce and the core 4, those 6, and who else is on the roster? — And
— they won’t even start. Hunter. Well, I think the other teams we’ve, we’ve established that two of the other would-be favorites have debilitating injuries to their best player. So at best you’re looking at Tatum makes it back next year. Halliburton’s not. He got injured on the last day of this season. Tatum’s not playing. 12 months. I guarantee you you’re at the end of the year and we forget Damian — Lillard to Achilles he’s agedlen
— Tyson right now the 7th player on the Cavs. Without bringing back, yeah, yeah, probably is, yeah. I mean, a Cora and Wade might be here, — but they’re
— useless players. Well, you almost dismiss and the core 4. Well, who else has a core 4? They don’t have. What does that even mean? No no — no
— you know what it means that means they’ve got 4 pieces that they’re building around that are pivotal. Look, you can, I, I agree with you. What, what has it gotten us? Nothing. Yeah, but if you’re a team and you’ve got 4 guys that are getting they’re in the conversation for All-Stars and Defensive Player of the Year and MVP, that’s pretty damn. — Jared
— Allen Jared Allen was in the conversation for a potential all-star. I mean he was an All-Star two years ago, — wasn’t
— he? He was, he was, he was, listen, he, he’s, he’s, how many other teams have 4 All-Stars? He’s a. Not a lot. Jared Jared Allen is a role player. Mike, Mike, they don’t bully. What good is it done? — Jared Oklahoma City’s got two
— guys. That’s a separate argument, and I agree with that argument, but you know this, this core here’s the label that you hate so much. I mean, — you know
— what Jared Allen Award he should have won is, is the Sharmin Award for being the softest player in the league. — I would put it
— to you like this. Then we got super chats. Jared Allen is not better than what Tristan Thompson gave you when you were when he was when it when it was when it was when he was like, I would take him Tristan Thompson. Jared Allen is not half of what Tristan Thompson was. So he’s he’s offensively a little bit, — but
— I don’t even know if he. Say that there’s the same putback guy Tristan Thompson was an offensive rebounding machine. Here’s what I’m saying. I get what they’re saying. He was one of the first guys that they got in the building on the in the trade. They said, OK, we’re gonna get, we got Jared Allen. They draft him, so they had to invite him in the core 4. I get it, — but he’s
— more you want to change the name to the core 3? No. Big 3 that’s not a big 3. They got, they got spades. — They got
— you can’t be a big 3 with two little guards. — They got
— 1, — but you can be a
— core 4. How can you be a core 4 that’s the core 4. I’m making a joke I’m calling. No, I’m calling them spades, one of the possible. — That’s what they
— are. How about the never been to a conference final 4? You said about a lot of teams. — They better hope but
— no none of these other teams have a core 4 nick. Mike? Call them what you want to. If Evan Mobley gonna average 25 next year, you call them whatever they want to be called.

The Cleveland Cavaliers were recently revealed as one of the mystery teams involved in discussions surrounding Kevin Durant before his trade to the Houston Rockets. While a deal never materialized, the Cavs’ willingness to explore such a blockbuster move signals an aggressive mindset from the front office. Coming off a 64-win season and a top seed in the Eastern Conference, Cleveland appears focused on taking the next step toward true title contention—and is clearly willing to think big.

This report raises an intriguing question: if the Cavs were seriously in on Durant, could another bold move be on the horizon? With several valuable trade assets and a front office that has shown it’s not afraid to swing, Cleveland could still look to upgrade its roster ahead of training camp. Whether it’s a veteran scorer, versatile wing, or frontcourt depth, don’t be surprised if the Cavaliers make another push to reshape the roster before the season tips off.

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