Cavaliers Rumors: Trade Buzz Surrounding Joe Johnson, Jamal Crawford and More

Titles are neither won nor lost in the summer months—the citizens of Cleveland know that as well as anyone—but the Cleveland Cavaliers have firmly positioned themselves as offseason "winners" following a ridiculous free-agency frenzy. 

LeBron James has watched from the dark recesses of his throne room as owner Dan Gilbert has proffered new contracts to Kevin Love (5 years, $110 million), Iman Shumpert (4 years, $40 million) and Mo Williams (2 years, $4.3 million). 

That's just the tip of the dollar-sign-shaped iceberg, though, as Cleveland still has to heap ungodly amounts of cash on Tristan Thompson and James, who both happen to have the same agent.

The Cavaliers are projected to be around $31 million over this season's luxury-tax line, per sports contract website Spotrac:

Despite all that signing and spending, Cavaliers general manager David Griffin still hasn't finished moving his chess pieces. Here's the latest look at where Cleveland currently stands on some potential trades.

Where Will Brendan Haywood's Contract Land?

Frank Franklin II/Associated Press

Normally, a 35-year-old center who played only 121 total minutes last season wouldn't be the object of affection for so many teams, but Brendan Haywood comes with an asterisk in the form of his $10.2 million non-guaranteed contract for the 2015 season. If waived by July 31, 2015, Haywood will cease to count against a team's salary cap, per Spotrac.  

The Cavaliers have reportedly dangled the Haywood contract to teams in need of cap relief, with plenty of potential suitors lining up in response, per ESPN's Brian Windhorst:

While there have been rumblings regarding offers, none have sufficiently piqued Cleveland's interest yet.

That doesn't mean a deal isn't imminent. Currently, the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers are engaging the Cavs on the Haywood front, according to a report from Fox Sports' Sam Amico:

ESPN's Marc Stein notes that the Cavs are also exploring a deal with the Brooklyn Nets, in addition to the Clippers:

While several names have been tossed around as part of the speculation, including Brooklyn's Deron Williams, the most prominent players reportedly involved in potential deals for Haywood have been Nets wing Joe Johnson and Clippers sixth man Jamal Crawford. 

Will Cleveland Really Take on Joe Johnson's Contract?

Jason DeCrow/Associated Press

Joe Johnson, set to make $24.9 million next season at the age of 34, will be the second-highest-paid player in the NBA, per HoopsHype. Apparently, that isn't enough to deter Cleveland from inquiring about his availability via trade. 

Brooklyn and Cleveland have been in talks regarding a deal centered around Johnson and Haywood's non-guaranteed contract since last week, per Windhorst:

Bringing in Johnson would leave the Cavs with a tax bill of roughly $110 million, per former Nets assistant general manager Bobby Marks:

Those numbers tend to fluctuate until all the dust has settled, but the luxury-tax repercussions and salary-cap restrictions levied upon Cleveland after such a deal would be enormous. Still, Cleveland seems committed to deepening its roster after injury woes and a thin rotation doomed the Cavs in the NBA Finals. 

Johnson, who turned 34 on June 29, is a shell of his former self. The seven-time All-Star averaged just 14.4 points per game last season, his lowest total since the 2002-2003 season, his second in the NBA, per Basketball-Reference.com.

But Johnson can still score and create, and his three-point shooting (37.1 percent on his career) would be a boon to a Cleveland bench that largely lacked offensively skilled guards and wings last season. And though he's not a dynamic defender, the 6'7", 240-pound Johnson has always been equipped to deal with of variety of players on defense. 

Bringing in Johnson, along with the acquisition of Mo Williams, would likely mean J.R. Smith isn't coming back to Cleveland this season, though the Cavs haven't entirely ruled out bringing back the mercurial chucker, per Stein:

If Cleveland is willing to take on the ridiculous tax burden, this trade could prove beneficial to all parties, and it could solidify the Cavs as not only the most talented team in the NBA, but possibly the deepest, as well. 

However, according to ESPN's Mike Mazzeo, trade talks have stalled over the past few days amidst concerns with the luxury tax in addition to the Nets wanting a third party to take on Anderson Varejao's contract:

This current impasse has allowed the Los Angeles Clippers to sneak into the contest, dangling a useful commodity of their own...

Crawford in Cleveland?

Former Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford offers all the potential scoring punch of Joe Johnson without the burdensome price tag. 

Crawford, who will turn 36 next March, is set to make $5.67 million next season, per Spotrac. 

Crawford would provide a potent blend of ball-handling and shot-making off the bench, likely taking up J.R. Smith's previous role as resident reserve gunner.

But the Cavs aren't the only team lining up for Crawford's services, per Cleveland.com's Chris Haynes:

Crawford has never shown much of a propensity for defense, but his ability to get timely buckets in difficult manners has allowed him to thrive in his given role for years. The addition of Crawford would allow coach David Blatt to get LeBron, Kyrie Irving and Love rest as needed without the looming threat of losing too much offensive production.

Giving up Haywood's non-guaranteed contract in exchange for Crawford would be a shrewd move on Griffin's part, and though Johnson might be a better overall fit, Crawford isn't exactly a terrible consolation prize, as ESPN's Jay Williams points out:

This will all likely play out over the next few days, as Cleveland certainly wants to rid itself of Haywood's contract and finalize contract negotiations with Thompson and James as soon as possible. 

The trade for Crawford looks more plausible at this point, especially financially, but with the way David Griffin has been spending Dan Gilbert's money this offseason, nothing is impossible in "The Land."