East Rumors: Cavs, Jarrett Allen, Sixers, Tyrese Maxey, Heat

Cavaliers

It appears the Cavaliers aren’t done exploring trades and the free-agent market after signing the likes of forward/guard Max Strus, forward Georges Niang, guard Ty Jerome and center Damian Jones.

In fact, they still may be working on something big.

Per Marc Stein of The Stein Line, there are “some whispers this week that the Cavaliers are more open to trading Jarrett Allen than advertised.”

Meanwhile, sources have told Hoops Wire that the Cavs have discussed Allen, but it would take quite a bit in return for them to actually trade him. One source said the Cavs would only trade Allen in a “slam dunk” of a move.

• The Warriors withdrew their qualifying offer to Jerome, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent and sign with the Cavs. Jerome had his best game of last season in Cleveland, when he scored 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting on Jan. 20.

76ers

The 76ers are reportedly making it clear that guard Tyrese Maxey is not available in trade talks.

“They want you to know that you can’t have Tyrese Maxey,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective podcast. “Prime Michael Jordan is available? Don’t call. 25-year-old LeBron James is available? Lose our number. Giannis Antetokounmpo says, ‘I want to be a Sixer’? If Tyrese Maxey is the ask, just keep walking. … I don’t trust them at all on that, but I will say to you that is what is being said.”

Still, others believe the Sixers would deal Maxey in the right deal — namely if Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard were to be part of the return.

Heat

The Heat are willing to discuss anyone except guard/forward Jimmy Butler or power forward Bam Adebayo as part of a Lillard trade, per Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

“Put it this way, they basically have loaded up one of those PODS dumpsters in front of the Trail Blazers and said, ‘Take anyone out of here you want besides Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler,’” Winderman said on NBA TV. “Maybe they’ll go back and forth on Caleb Martin a little, but it’s basically, sort of, ‘Come and pick and choose. Tell us what you want. Anything else is yours.’

“The Heat are all-in on this. This is their moment. There’s a reason they didn’t go hard after Bradley Beal. There’s a reason they held off on some other moves. This is their play.”

• As we relayed here, the Blazers are exploring Lillard trades with more than just the Heat. (Full post)

“ … there have been some whispers this week that the Cavaliers are more open to trading Jarrett Allen than advertised.” – @TheSteinLine

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— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) July 2, 2023