NBA Rumors: Potential Cavs trade, Damian Lillard update, Harden regrade

NBA Rumors: Cavs interested in P.J. Washington sign-and-trade

P.J. Washington is the biggest name left unsigned as the NBA free agency period stagnates. Washington desires a long-term deal worth $20 million annually, a request the Charlotte Hornets are unwilling to oblige. His options are running thin, but one contender is reportedly in the mix.

According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, the Cavaliers are interested in a potential sign-and-trade for Washington. The Cavs don’t have the cap space to sign Washington outright. Meanwhile, the Hornets risk losing Washington for nothing in 2024 if he accepts his qualifying offer, a la Miles Bridges. If his exit is inevitable, might as well squeeze assets out of it.

The best-case scenario for Charlotte is probably a package built around Isaac Okoro ($8.9 million) and salary filler. The Hornets would then have Okoro’s looming extension to deal with, but he won’t demand as much as Washington. Okoro is a hard-nosed defender who could benefit from Charlotte’s up-tempo offense and the playmaking acumen of LaMelo Ball.

The Cavs’ interest in Washington makes complete sense. A lack of playable wing depth sunk Cleveland in the playoffs. Washington, at 6-foot-8, is a genuine four to five-position defender who can handle physical matchups on the wing and provide complementary scoring on offense. He averaged 15.7 points and 4.9 rebounds in 32.6 minutes on .444/.348/.730 splits with Charlotte last season.

The Hornets would be loath to give up a full-time starter for pennies on the dollar, but the arrival of Brandon Miller and the return of Miles Bridges does cut into available playing time on the wing. Plus, any contract approaching Washington’s desired annual value of $20 million is steep. He could easily play up to such a contract, but the Hornets are a fickle small market team with no clear direction. Washington risks falling through the cracks.