The latest free agent target for LeBron James and the Cavaliers is Shawn Marion, who spotted dining with the team’s front-office brass on Monday in Cleveland. The Cavs can only offer the veteran minimum to Marion. Per ESPN:
Cavaliers general manager David Griffin has a strong relationship with Marion from their Phoenix days together and Cleveland, sources said, would love to bring Marion in to add depth, experience and versatility to a core that is expected to also feature Kevin Love if the Cavs complete their long-anticipated trade with Minnesota for the All-Star power forward later this month.
Marion is a natural target for the Indiana Pacers in the wake of the devastating injury suffered over the weekend by Paul George, but sources said that the Cavaliers — thanks to the presence of James — have the upper hand over Indiana or anyone else recruiting Marion at this juncture.
There was mutual interest in Marion’s return to the Mavericks, but that option appeared to vanish last month when the Houston Rockets elected not to match Dallas’ three-year, $46 million offer sheet to restricted free agent Chandler Parsons. Marion’s exit — after his irreplaceable contributions to Dallas’ title team in 2011 — was then essentially sealed by the Mavericks’ subsequent deal with former Orlando Magic point guard Jameer Nelson, leaving only minimum money to offer the 36-year-old.
Hey @WojYahooNBA that's @matrix31 meeting with Blatt. Is there anything there? pic.twitter.com/FE58werDX5
— Gator Schouten (@gatorschouten) August 4, 2014
