Report: Cavaliers trying to unload JR Smith, Tristan Thompson contracts

Dan Gilbert is said to be running the Cleveland Cavaliers now, and he appears to be doing everything he can to dismantle the team as we know it.

Not only is he at odds with LeBron James and making plans for the future rather than trying to win it all now, but he is also trying to get rid of some of the contracts handed out to LeBron’s friends.

USA Today’s Sam Amick said in a chat published on Monday that Cavs GM Koby Altman (who is viewed as being controlled by Gilbert) is trying to trade Tristan Thompson and JR Smith. From Amick:

Cavs general manager Koby Altman is trying hard to shed the contracts of Tristan Thompson (two years, $36 million remaining) and J.R. Smith ($14.7 million next season, team option worth $15.6 million in 2019-20 with $3.8 million guaranteed), two players who were re-signed in large part because of LeBron’s omnipresent influence.

Amick further reported that the Cavaliers offered the Clippers Thompson, Smith and the Cavaliers’ first-round pick for DeAndre Jordan. That makes plenty of sense considering a previous report said the Cavs had offered the Clippers a similar package for Jordan, with Iman Shumpert included instead of Smith.

Jordan is among the players the Cavs reportedly have been targeting in a trade. George Hill is another, but that deal reportedly stalled over a buyout issue.

The Cavs are running out of time to improve this year’s squad.