Cleveland Paid Two Second-Round Picks to Open Two Trade Exceptions
On July 27, 2015, the Cavaliers sent veterans Brendan Haywood and Mike Miller to Portland along with future second-round choices in 2019 and 2020. The first selection was the more favorable of Minnesota's and the Lakers' 2019 picks, later associated with No. 40 Justin James; the other ultimately became No. 32 Vernon Carey Jr. in 2020. Portland's official announcement lists the players, conditional pick origin and cash considerations. Cleveland created traded-player exceptions of approximately $10.5 million and $2.8 million by removing the veteran contracts. This wasn't a trade in which Portland sent Cleveland an incoming starting player or first-round prospect. It was a transaction about salary and future options, with the two future seconds providing compensation to a club able to absorb the contracts.
Haywood and Miller Did Not Become Portland's New Frontcourt and Wing Core
Haywood was 35 and had been used sparingly in Cleveland, while Miller's shooting career was winding down after a long and productive stretch with several teams. Portland did not keep them as major regular-season 2015-16 rotation contributors, choosing instead to manage contracts and roster space. Their past success on Cleveland and Miami postseason teams should not be counted as direct Portland production. The Blazers obtained two separate draft-right opportunities that eventually matured several years later, giving the club a return that was more durable than the veterans themselves. However, later NBA careers by Justin James or Vernon Carey Jr. belong to the teams where those players actually signed and played, not automatically to the Blazers. Portland's B- inherited grade credits receiving future assets for facilitating cap flexibility elsewhere.
The Cavaliers Used Exception and Tax Flexibility Rather Than Acquired Players
Cleveland saved salary and luxury-tax exposure while creating the two exceptions, one tied to Haywood's sizable non-guaranteed contract. Those tools allowed the Cavaliers to consider future roster additions without requiring an immediate signed player in July. Their inherited B grade reflects financial and transactional flexibility, even though the team surrendered two draft selections to gain it. Cleveland went on to win the 2016 NBA championship, but that collective result was not directly supplied by a player received in this deal because no player came back. The original comparison is future Portland draft assets against Cleveland's cash and contract tools. The Cavaliers Win label gives the exception-based planning a narrow advantage while acknowledging that Portland gained two genuine picks rather than empty compensation.
Final Verdict
Cavaliers Win. Cleveland earns B for two traded-player exceptions worth roughly $10.5 million and $2.8 million and cash consideration, while moving Brendan Haywood and Mike Miller. Portland gets B- for the veterans plus two future seconds later tied to No. 40 Justin James and No. 32 Vernon Carey Jr. The principal Cleveland benefit was contract flexibility.