Two Cavaliers Traded Player Exceptions Expire

Two traded player exceptions that the Cavaliers could have used to acquire a player without sending out any salary have expired. The two TPEs were acquired when Cleveland traded Anderson Varejao and Jared Cunningham at last season’s deadline, and expired on February 20, a year after they were created.

The Cavs actually already made use of one of the two trade exceptions, using a portion of the $9.6MM+ Varejao TPE when they acquired Kyle Korver last month. Absorbing Korver’s $5.2MM+ salary into that exception reduced its value to about $4.4MM. Meanwhile, the Cunningham TPE was a modest one to begin with, worth about $947K, and was never likely to be used.

Even without those two trade exceptions, the Cavs have plenty of options if they want to make a deal at this week’s deadline. Cleveland still has four TPEs, including one worth about $4.84MM created by Mike Dunleavy‘s outgoing salary last month, and another worth $2.19MM (Mo Williams‘ salary). There’s also nothing stopping the club from sending out salaries of its own if it wants to acquire a player earning $5MM+.

According to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, the Cavs continue to talk to teams about potential trades, and will likely explore their options right up until a deal is made or the deadline passes.

Meanwhile, as Arthur Hill of Hoops Rumors detailed over the weekend, today represents the first day that the Cavs could re-add Varejao to their roster, if they so choose. Teams can’t re-acquire a player within a year of trading him, but that year has now passed and Varejao is currently a free agent. That’s not to say a reunion is likely, but it’s still worth noting.