Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer is reporting on twitter that the Cavaliers will participate in a sign-and-trade with Miami Heat, sending out LeBron James for four draft picks and a massive trade exception.
“Sources say Cavs will get 4 picks: 2 1st, 2 2nd,” Windhorst writes. “Cavs also will receive a trade exception of up to $16 million.”
Initially, it was believed the Cavaliers would not participate in a sign-and-trade so that they would not be seen as complicit in James’s exit from Cleveland. In the end, the Cavaliers likely realized that it was better to come away with something rather than nothing.
The trade exception gives the Cavaliers the potential to be a major player in this summer’s free agent and trade market. David Aldridge of NBA.com, for example, says Cleveland could make a run at Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Al Jefferson, who is known to be on the trading block.