The Cleveland Cavaliers may look at adding another backup behind LeBron James for depth and free agent players like Tayshaun Prince, Landry Fields, Dorell Wright, Rasual Butler, Shawne Williams, Hedo Turkoglu, Michael Beasley or Jordan Hamilton could be options behind Richard Jefferson and this comes as Sasha Kaun could be a target if the team adds a big man behind Timofey Mozgov.
The Cavaliers have been active this offseason in signing back Iman Shumpert, Kevin Love, LeBron James, Matthew Dellavedova and James Jones and now they are looking to finish off the roster. According to Pro Basketball Talk, the team is continuing talks with Tristan Thompson and the Cavs are also looking to bring back JR Smith on a deal. The Cavs also could look at adding more off the free agent market, as Greg Swartz at Bleacher Report writes that the team will need to manage LeBron's minutes this season.
James made another deep run in the playoffs and as he gets older he will need more time off during the season to stay fresh. The Cavs are in it for the long haul again this coming season and while Richard Jefferson is a solid option to play behind James, the team could use a bit more depth there. According to Cleveland.com, Tayshaun Prince, Dorell Wright, Rasual Butler and Michael Beasley could be potential options. Cleveland.com reported right as free agency opened that the Cavs "reached out" to Prince, but no deal came close to happening.
Prince or Wright are likely the best options depending on what happens with Smith and Thompson for the Cavs. The money they have to spend will change depending on those deals, but either way, the team should be looking to add more. Wright is 29 and could be a solid backup, while Prince comes in after putting up 7.5 points and 3.6 rebounds while shooting over 45 percent from long range. Prince could be a nice fit and he has veteran experience playing for contenders.
The Cavaliers have reportedly considered making a move with Kaun, as Anderson Varejao is coming back after an injury and he has had injury problems over the past few years. The Cavs have the drat rights to Kaun, who is playing in Russia. The Cavs like Mozgov as the primary center after the way he played last season and adding another player like Kaun or another free agent could be good for depth and keeping Mozgov fresh. The Cavs have made a number of moves for depth already with Mo Williams, Jefferson and bringing James Jones back, but there is more they can do.
The Cavaliers are also working to bring back Tristan Thompson and JR Smith, but right now there has been no major movement on those fronts. According to Brian Windhorst at ESPN, Thompson and the Cavs are apart on talks heading into the middle of August and the sides have made "no real progress" over the last month or so. The Cavs also have two trade exceptions to use this season and one report has Jamal Crawford as a potential option to bring in.
According to Chris Haynes, Crawford is open to playing for the Cavs. If the Cavs don't sign Smith, a deal for Crawford could be an option to bring in, as his role with the Clippers is likely going to be diminished this season.
Check here for more on the Cavaliers offseason moves, options for LeBron James depth and more on the Cavs potential trade options, including Jamal Crawford.