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Report: Cavaliers, Rockets both in talks to trade for Corey Brewer of Timberwolves

Minnesota is a rebuilding team with some veteran players on it, ones contending teams could use, which made them putting guys on the trade block this season more than likely.

First up, Corey Brewer. That according to Marc Stein of ESPN, who described trade talks as “active.”

Sources told ESPN.com that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets have emerged as the most serious suitors for Brewer, whose arrival would be a notable boost for either team in terms of depth.

Minnesota is believed to be seeking future assets in exchange for Brewer as it tries to accelerate its rebuilding effort in the wake of trading star power forward Kevin Love to the Cavaliers in August. Both Cleveland and Houston possess a trade exception large enough to absorb Brewer’s $4.7 million salary, meaning that both teams would likely be able to acquire Brewer by merely surrendering future draft compensation and without giving up any key players.

Brewer also has a player option for $4.9 million next season, one he likely would pick up but that could become an issue.

Key factor for team acquiring Corey Brewer, I've been told, is getting Brewer to waive player option for 2015-16.

— Jeff Zillgitt (@JeffZillgitt) November 16, 2014

Likely there will be other teams in this mix as it moves along.

Cleveland is looking for some wing depth, LeBron James is averaging 39 minutes a night and they would like to be able to get him a little more rest. Plus Brewer and Kevin Love formed a combo that got some easy buckets in Minnesota — nobody leaks out as the shot goes up more than Brewer and Love is the master of the long outlet pass.

Brewer in Houston would be another athlete to throw in their up-tempo attack, he could come in off the bench and just attack the rim, giving them depth to rest James Harden for stretches. Brewer struggles in halfcourt offenses, particularly more fluid ones like the Cavs run, and he’s not a three point shooter. He’s also a riverboat gambler on defense who makes some steals but often gets burned and would leave Dwight Howard a lot to clean up at the rim in Houston.

Something to watch, and expect this to be the first of multiple Timberwolves veterans to be traded this season.