Cavs pull out of multiteam trade talk

Akron Beacon Journal

LAS VEGAS

Shortly after reports began circulating Tuesday that the Cavaliers were pulling out of the Dwight Howard trade talks, general manager Chris Grant boarded a plane following Team USA’s practice here and returned to Cleveland.

In truth, that was the most movement the Cavs had made in three days.

The Cavaliers were never really engaged in the trade talks initially and their involvement was overblown from the start, a league source with direct knowledge of the negotiations reiterated on Tuesday.

While national reports painted the Cavs as difficult to deal with and hesitant to make the trade for fear of the backlash it would create, the simple reality is the Cavs never believed they were close to making a deal.

Sources indicated to the Beacon Journal on Sunday that there was no real substance to the trade negotiations and maintained that for the wild 72-hour ride that the Brooklyn Nets and Orlando Magic dragged the NBA through while trying to hammer out a deal that would’ve sent Howard to the Nets.

An Eastern Conference executive said Sunday the Nets were frantically reaching out to any and all teams with available cap space.