Cleveland Cavaliers trades: Daniel Gibson retained after Lakers' late push

The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't make a move as Thursday's NBA trade deadline, passed despite late interest in guard Daniel Gibson reportedly coming from the Los Angeles Lakers. With a need for shooters and for point guard help, the Lakers were offering bench players such as Steve Blake, Darius Morris, Chris Duhon and Devin Ebanks, according to HoopsWorld.com.

With the Cavaliers looking to free cap space as they continue their rebuild around a young nucleus of Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, Tyler Zeller and Dion Waiters, veterans such as Gibson were on the block.

Gibson's $4.8 million deal was expiring after this season and could have garnered a package including younger projects. Forward Luke Walton and his $6.1 million contract was also apparently on the block, as was wing Omri Casspi, who is in the final year of a $2.7 million contract. The San Antonio Spurs reportedly showed some interest in acquiring Casspi, the Israeli swingman who might have been dealt for Spurs forward DeJuan Blair, according to Steve Kyler.

Those three could have been appealing to other teams looking to wipe their books clean after this year. However, the market was rich in similar contracts, making it difficult for Cleveland to coerce any other team into taking any of the veterans.

One of the bigger names on Cleveland's roster as the trade deadline approached was recently-acquired big man Marreese Speights. The Cavs received Speights in part of the deal that sent Jon Leuer to the Memphis Grizzlies, and his $4.2 million contract has a player option after this offseason that Speights is not expected to pick up.

At 25 years old, Speights could have been an attractive trade piece for Cleveland.

Now, Cleveland will turn its attention toward former Ohio State center Greg Oden, who has been in talks with several teams about returning to the NBA following multiple knee surgeries, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. Among suitors for Oden are the Miami Heat, who opened a roster spot before the deadline by shedding little-used big man Dexter Pittman from the roster.

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