Report: Cavs Engaged in Serious Talks about 3-Way Trade with Nuggets, Pacers to Bring Paul George to Cleveland

According to a report from Chris B. Haynes and Marc Stein of ESPN, the Cleveland Cavaliers engaged in serious talks about a three-way trade with the Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers, which would have sent Kevin Love to Denver and Paul George to Cleveland.

Sources told ESPN that the Cavaliers engaged in serious three-way trade discussions leading up to the NBA draft on a deal that would have brought them George from the Indiana Pacers and landed Kevin Love, George’s fellow Eastern Conference All-Star, with the Denver Nuggets.

The three teams ultimately could not agree to a final trade construction in time to complete a deal on draft night Thursday, but sources say the Cavaliers won’t abandon their trade pursuit of George, believing that acquiring the 27-year-old and George potentially winning a championship next season alongside LeBron James is the one scenario that could convince the two-way menace to abandon his well-chronicled desire to join the Los Angeles Lakers as soon as possible.

The specific players Denver would have sent to Indiana are not immediately known, but veteran forwards Kenneth Faried and Wilson Chandler and guard Emmanuel Mudiay are all known to be available. The Nuggets, sources say, have made versatile big man Nikola Jokic and prized first-year guard Jamal Murray off limits in trade discussions.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst subsequently said in an NBA on ESPN Radio interview Thursday night that both Anthony and the Bulls’ Dwyane Wade are candidates to sign with the Cavaliers in free agency this summer if they can secure buyouts from Chicago and New York, respectively.

– Marc Stein, Chris B. Haynes (ESPN)

There’s a lot to unravel in the full report, but the bottom line was that a deal could not be reached before the draft and the Cavs are still in pursuit of George.

At this point, Cleveland’s best chance at acquiring George appears it would involve a third team because Love was not an appealing enough option to a Pacers franchise in rebuild mode.

We’ll continue to monitor this situation, which could last all summer and possibly beyond.