Cavs were working on Dennis Schroder trade for months, still eyeing more moves

The Cavaliers’ trade of Dennis Schroder wasn’t some Friday afternoon impulse. It had been in the works for months.

More importantly, they don’t appear to be finished.

According to Hoops Wire sources and ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Cavs, Hornets and Schroder’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, had been working together for the “past couple months” on finding a deal that would send the veteran point guard elsewhere.

They finally found one Friday, with Cleveland sending Schroder and cash to Charlotte for Tre Mann.

Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reports the Cavs are sending roughly $4 million in cash to Charlotte. Perhaps more significant, they managed to move Schroder without attaching any draft capital.

That apparently wasn’t always an option. Fedor reports the Cavs had spoken with numerous teams about Schroder dating to around the June draft, with multiple clubs seeking first-round compensation to absorb his contract.

The Cavs waited. Eventually, a better deal emerged.

Schroder is owed $14.8 million this season, with $4.35 million guaranteed on his $15.5 million salary for 2027-28. Mann will make $8 million this season and has an $8 million team option for the following year.

So the Cavs save roughly $6.8 million immediately while gaining considerably more flexibility moving forward.

Now comes the interesting part. Charania reports that the Cavs remain in “constant” communication with James Harden, who is expected to return on a new two- or three-year contract. Harden declined his $42.3 million option earlier this summer.

The Cavs also continue to pursue forwards Peyton Watson and Jonathan Kuminga, sources said. Watson is a restricted free agent, meaning acquiring him would require cooperation from Denver, while Kuminga is unrestricted.

None of that guarantees another major move. But Friday’s trade makes a lot more sense when viewed as part of something larger.

Basically, the Cavs spent months finding a way out of Schroder’s contract without sacrificing a pick.

Now they have more room to maneuver. By all indications, they’re still trying to use it.