Joe Harris Trade Rumors: Cavaliers Would Be 'Very Interested' in Nets SF If Available

The Cleveland Cavaliers would reportedly target forward Joe Harris if he's made available by the Brooklyn Nets ahead of the 2022 NBA trade deadline on Feb. 10.

Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reported the Cavs' interest in the veteran sharpshooter Friday on the Wine and Gold Talk Podcast (via HoopsHype).

"If the Nets make Joe Harris available—and I'm not saying that they're going to—but if they make him available, the Cavs would be very interested there," Fedor said.

Harris hasn't played since Nov. 14 because of an ankle injury that required surgery.

Nets head coach Steve Nash said Wednesday the forward's recovery has been "trickier than we thought," as he still hasn't received clearance to resume full basketball activities despite completing the initial four-to-eight week recovery timetable.

"Yeah, so I think he's ... not full [ramp-up mode]," Nash told reporters. "He's not fully cleared to do everything yet. He's got to get back to that, and he's got to get his high-intensity stuff in. So, he's not there yet."

Harris averaged 11.3 points and 4.0 rebounds in 14 appearances this season before the injury. He remained one of the NBA's best three-point shooters, knocking down 2.9 threes per game while shooting 46.6 percent from beyond the arc.

Rookie Cam Thomas has stepped up to help fill the void on the wing. Bruce Brown, Kessler Edwards and David Duke Jr. have also seen additional playing time at the 3.

The Nets' depth could make Harris expendable ahead of the trade deadline, though interested teams may want the 30-year-old University of Virginia product to fully recover from the injury before making a deal.

Cleveland doesn't seem like an ideal trade partner on the surface, however, since Brooklyn would likely seek a proven, high-end wing defender if it was going to move Harris.

That said, it sounds like the Cavs will at least check in if the 2019 Three-Point Contest champion lands on the block over the next few weeks.