4. Brendan Haywood, Cleveland Cavaliers
Critics have charged that LeBron James is the de facto general manager of the team, with reports that he’s in daily contact with the team about who to pursue in the free agent market. That’s in addition to his recruitment of former Heat teammates James Jones and Mike Miller to a roster that reached the NBA Finals.
One reason that the Heat could be interested is the fact that the Cavaliers hold a unique bargaining chip with the contact of veteran center Brendan Haywood. He has a non-guaranteed deal for this year that would pay him $10.5 million, but either Cleveland or whatever team he’s dealt to can simply release him by August 1 and gain some salary cap room.
Given the fact that James has a connection with both players (though his relationship with Chalmers is open to question) and that lack of depth ended up dooming the Cavs in the Finals, this has possibilities. Throw in the fact that the Heat could be the beneficiary of releasing Haywood, and this might be the best possible scenario of making something out of nothing.
Next: Jamal Crawford Los Angeles Clippers
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