Magic Johnson is taking the long view on the usage of LeBron James and referenced how he hopes the Los Angeles Lakers don't make the same mistakes the Cleveland Cavaliers did.

"We are trying to make sure that we watch his minutes but also that we don't run everything through him because now it is Cleveland all over again and we don't want that," Johnson said in an interview on SiriusXM NBA Radio. "We want to get up and down."

Johnson wants to keep James as fresh as possible for seasons to come and that's why they prioritized signing playmakers like Rajon Rondo and Lance Stephenson.

"Basically minutes, trying to make sure we don't overplay him and then also usage of the ball in his hands," Johnson told SiriusXM NBA Radio. "We got a lot of ballhandlers so we feel we won't overuse him in terms of his ballhandling and also every play has to run through him. I think we got proven scorers -- Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram ... and then when you have two point guards like Ball and Rondo, we don't have to have LeBron having the ball in his hands all the time."

The Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to trade Kyle Korver to the Utah Jazz for Alec Burks and two future second round picks.

Utah is sending 2020 and 2021 second-round picks to Cleveland, league sources said. The 2021 pick is via the Washington Wizards.

The Cavaliers had been shopping Korver for several weeks.

Korver played for the Jazz earlier in his career.

Burks is on a $11.53 million expiring contract, which could have value before the trade deadline.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have begun to express to rival teams that they may be willing to take on long-term salary as the trade deadline approaches, according to sources.

The Cavaliers have trade assets in Kyle Korver and George Hill. Hill is owed just $1 million in guaranteed money next season.

While a lot of teams have cap space this offseason, the Cavaliers are willing to look out a few years to be a dumping ground for a contract.

Kevin Love expects to return from his toe surgery after the first of the year.

When Love underwent the surgery on Nov. 2, the original timetable was six weeks, which would be Dec. 14.

"There's just no telling at this time with the weight-bearing injury what it is going to be like moving forward, but I expect to be back sometime after the new year," Love said.

Love had surgery to rectify a painful big toe injury on his left foot. 

Love signed a four-year, $120 million contract extension this summer.

J.R. Smith and the Cleveland Cavaliers have mutually agreed for him to leave the team as they work to facilitate a trade.

Smith has been at odds with the front office for the entire season.

"The organization wishes JR and his family well and appreciates and thanks him for his contributions in the community, to the team and his role in the 2016 NBA Championship," said the Cavaliers in a statement.

At 2-13, the Cleveland Cavaliers now have the worst record in the NBA.

J.R. Smith believes the Cavaliers always planned to be bad this season.

“I don’t think the goal is to win. The goal isn’t to go out there and try to get as many wins as you can,” Smith said. “I think the goal is to develop and lose to get lottery picks. I think that was always the plan.”

Smith is not interested in being part of the rebuild

“Not if the goal isn’t to compete, to win,” he said.

Smith has requested a trade twice, but he remains with the franchise because he's refused to accept a buyout. Smith doesn't currently have a relationship with Koby Altman.

When Koby Altman was dealing with the trade request of Kyrie Irving, he asked LeBron James if he would commit to the franchise long-term if Irving was not traded. James said that he wouldn't commit to that stipulation.

James was adamant that the Cavaliers not trade Irving, especially not to the Boston Celtics.

The Cavaliers traded Irving to the Celtics and James signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on July 1, 2018.

When LeBron James was informed that the Cleveland Cavaliers were going to trade Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics, he was adamant on a call with Koby Altman immediately thereafter that they don't trade Irving to Boston. James wanted the Cavaliers to keep Irving altogether.

According to four separate accounts of the conversation, Altman told James the trade would not occur.

A few minutes later, word broke that the Cavaliers agreed to trade Irving to the Celtics in principle.

When James was shown the news, he dropped a pen he was using to sign jerseys for Upper Deck and slumped in his chair.

“Everyone knows that when Kyrie got traded it was the beginning of the end for everything. It’s not a secret,” James said in an interview with The Athletic.

James doesn't feel as though he was lied to by Altman as much as Altman was overruled by Dan Gilbert.

“You realize at that point in time, take nothing from Koby, because Koby (was just named GM), but at that point in time, you realize that Koby’s not the only one running the team, as (former GM David Griffin) had done, and that’s why Griff was let go pretty much,” James said.

A large reason why Irving requested a trade from the Cavaliers was because he no longer wanted to played with James. Irving told the Cavaliers that he'd go ahead with a knee surgery he needed if he wasn't traded.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed Andrew Harrison to a two-way contract.

Harrison (6-6, 213) appeared in one game with the Memphis Grizzlies this season. 

In a related move, the Cavaliers waived Two-Way forward John Holland.

George Hill will miss approximately 1-2 weeks with a right shoulder sprain.

Hill was a late scratch in Wednesday night's home game against Oklahoma City after experiencing continued discomfort and soreness in his shoulder. Additional evaluation and an MRI at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health confirmed the sprain.

Hill will now undergo a period of treatment and rehabilitation. His status will be updated as appropriate.