Report: Cavaliers Interested In Nets’ Dorian Finney-Smith, Cameron Johnson

According to NBA insider Zach Lowe of ESPN, the Cleveland Cavaliers are interested in Brooklyn Nets wings Dorian Finney-Smith and Cameron Johnson.

The Nets, who are rebuilding after trading Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks, are open to trading other veterans for the right price. 

“There is a very good team in here somewhere, even if maximizing it — for now — might require Kenny Atkinson, the Cavs’ new head coach, to stagger minutes pretty strictly between the team’s two foundational guards and its two key bigs,” Lowe wrote. “The Cavs have the depth to pull that off, though they are still searching for that archetypal 3-and-D wing. (They’d have interest in one of Dorian Finney-Smith and Cameron Johnson in Brooklyn, sources said, but they have only one future first-round pick — their 2031 pick — available to trade.)”

The Cavaliers lost to the Boston Celtics in the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs in five games. They fired JB Bickerstaff and hired Kenny Atkinson, who signed a five-year deal. 

Cleveland also signed Donovan Mitchell to a three-year extension. The franchise is building around Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. 

Johnson appeared in 58 games for the Nets in 2023-24. He averaged 13.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.3 blocks while shooting 44.6% from the field, 39.1% from beyond the arc and 78.9% from the free-throw line. 

The 28-year-old Johnson has career averages of 11.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.3 blocks with the Phoenix Suns and Nets. The sharpshooter will make $23.6 million next season.

Finney-Smith averaged 8.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.6 blocks for the Nets in 2023-24 while shooting 42.1% from the field, 34.8% from beyond the arc and 71.7% from the free-throw line. He’ll make $14.9 million in 2024-25. 

Finney-Smith has career averages of 8.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.5 blocks with the Dallas Mavericks and Nets.