The Cleveland Cavaliers will host several free agent players at a mega workout on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Chris Haynes.
Among the participants will be guards Mario Chalmers, Lance Stephenson and Kirk Hinrich, according to the report.
Mario Chalmers has registered interest from Cleveland throughout the year, with the team keeping tabs on the 30-year-old’s progress in recovering from an Achilles injury. Chalmers has fully recovered from the injury and started on-the-court work several weeks ago, a source said.
What remains to be seen is what kind of shape Chalmers is in, with the former Miami Heat guard vigorously working on improving his stamina to get back into basketball shape this month.
Chalmers confirmed that he will work out for the team on Twitter:
On the way to Cleveland. Lets get it.
— Mario Chalmers (@mchalmers15) January 31, 2017
For Lance Stephenson, a former nemesis of LeBron James, the kind of energy, enthusiasm and spark he can provide off the bench certainly piques the Cavs’ interest.
Kirk Hinrich, another veteran guard, has been a free agent since July 1st. His last NBA game was against the Cavaliers in a playoff series back in May.
The Cavs also have some interest in veteran forward Josh Smith, along with big man J.J. Hickson, who played for the team from 2008-11, according to Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.
Cleveland has expressed interest in adding Norris Cole, with Cole and former teammate LeBron James maintaining a close relationship since parting ways in 2014. Nonetheless, it remains unclear if Cole will attend Wednesday’s workout.
LeBron James has publicly lobbied for the Cavaliers to pick up a guard in recent weeks, emphasizing the team’s need for a third ball-handler outside of himself and Kyrie Irving.
“We need a f—ing playmaker,” James said last week. “I’m not saying you can just go find one, like you can go outside and see trees. I didn’t say that.
“No disrespect to DeAndre (Liggins) or Kay (Felder), but do you think we can rely on them to help us win a playoff game right now? And it’s no disrespect to them. But it’s like, it’s not fair to them.”
James has the opportunity to reunite with one of his championship point guards from the Miami Heat, either Mario Chalmers or Norris Cole. The Cavs’ hole at back-up guard is a significant one in dire need of fixing, especially if the team hopes to contend with the Golden State Warriors in the spring.
Holding a free-agent workout and aggressively scouring the market for trades is exactly what James is asking for. For the Cavs, it is essential to find another ball-handler to ease the weight on LeBron James and Kyrie Irving’s shoulders, especially with 30-plus games remaining on the team’s schedule this season.
