NBA Notes: Cavs, Jonathan Kuminga, Peyton Watson, Hornets, Derrick Williams

Cavaliers

The Cavaliers’ offseason appears to be stuck in waiting mode.

John Hobbs of Cavaliers On SI wrote that Cleveland’s pursuit of restricted free agents Jonathan Kuminga and Peyton Watson has helped slow the rest of its summer, including the expected re-signing of James Harden.

Harden still wants to remain with the Cavs, but has given the organization some room to continue working on the roster before finalizing a deal. That seems to be where Kuminga and Watson come in.

Both players would likely require a sign-and-trade, and Cleveland has been linked to both throughout the offseason. ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne recently said on NBA Today that the Cavs are still “poking around” on Watson, which may be part of the reason Harden has remained patient.

The issue, of course, is price. Watson may be the more difficult target, with the Nuggets believed to still value him highly. Hobbs noted that Denver is expected to want at least one first-round pick in any deal involving Watson.

Kuminga may be more attainable, but his next contract remains a factor, too.

So the Cavs are in a holding pattern, or so it seems. They missed on LeBron James, added Mario Hezonja, and still have Harden’s return sitting out there as the next major piece of business.

Hornets

The Hornets have more players than roster spots. That means someone has to go.

As Owen O’Connor of Hornets On SI noted, Charlotte currently has 17 players under standard contracts and will need to get down to 15 before the regular season.

That may not be easy after an offseason that reshaped the roster around Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel and Coby White. The Hornets moved on from LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, then added veterans such as Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and Naz Reid.

O’Connor listed Tre Mann, Dorian Finney-Smith and Pat Connaughton as three names worth watching.

Mann is the most interesting of the group. Before a back injury derailed him, he looked like a possible long-term sixth man in Charlotte. Last season was a struggle, but the Hornets are not exactly overflowing with ball-handlers.

Finney-Smith could be harder to move because of his contract. Charlotte acquired him from Houston along with second-round picks, but he is still owed more than $40 million over the final three years of his deal.

Connaughton may be the simplest decision financially. He is entering the final year of his contract at $3.8 million, though he made the roster last season after entering camp as no sure thing.

In other words, Charlotte has some depth. Now it has to decide which depth actually fits.

International

Derrick Williams is still going. The former No. 2 overall pick has signed with the Seoul Samsung Thunders in South Korea, as Dario Skerletic of Sportando relayed from the team’s announcement.

Williams, 35, last played in the NBA during the 2017-18 season, when he had a brief stint with the Lakers. He appeared in 428 NBA games with the Timberwolves, Kings, Knicks, Heat, Cavaliers and Lakers, averaging 8.9 points and 4.0 rebounds.

Since then, Williams has continued his career overseas, with stops in China, Germany, Turkey, Spain, Israel, Greece, Puerto Rico and Korea.

He spent last season with Suwon KT Sonicboom, so this will be his second straight year in South Korea.