CLEVELAND (AP) - Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue hopes a midseason tryout session will upgrade the team’s roster after the NBA champions posted a losing record in January.
The Cavaliers, who finished 7-8 last month, had workouts for several veteran free agents at their training facility Wednesday. Kirk Hinrich, Mario Chalmers, Lance Stephenson and Jordan Farmar are among the players trying out for the team.
Lue said the workout went well, but didn’t say if it would result in signing a player.
“It’s a step in the process,” he said. “We’re looking at trying to get better. Not sure if it’s a point guard, not sure if it’s a playmaker, not sure if it’s a big.”
The Cavaliers began the season 28-8, but stumbled through most of January and were 32-15 going into Wednesday’s game against Minnesota.
Injuries have also played a factor in Cleveland’s rough stretch. All-Star forward Kevin Love will miss Wednesday’s game with back spasms after sitting out Monday’s loss in Dallas. Lue hopes Love will return Saturday when the Cavaliers face the New York Knicks.
LeBron James questioned last week whether the front office was satisfied with one championship and called the team’s roster “top heavy.” Cleveland has an open roster spot, and general manager David Griffin has two trade exceptions he could use.
Shooting guard Kyle Korver was acquired in a trade with Atlanta last month but Cleveland is searching for a backup point guard, a position the team has been trying to fill since Matthew Dellavedova left as a free agent last summer.
Hinrich, a 15-year veteran, has averaged 10.9 points and 4.8 rebounds. Chalmers and James were teammates in Miami when the Heat reached the Finals four straight years. Chalmers has been out of the league since suffering a torn Achilles last season for Memphis.
Stephenson was waived by New Orleans after tearing his groin earlier in the season while Farmar appeared in two games with Sacramento.
Love missed a game last month with back problems and was forced to leave Sunday’s win over Oklahoma City in the first half. An MRI on Monday showed no structural damage and he went through shooting drills Wednesday.
Guard J.R. Smith broke his right thumb in December and could be out until the playoffs. Smith had the cast removed, but Lue said he’s limited to handling the ball with his left hand.
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