I think this summer is the ideal time to make a run at him and bring him back to where he belongs.
If I'm Griffin, my free agency/trade goals are:
1.) sign Mo Williams to a vet min contract.
2.) trade Haywood's contract for Andre Igoudala
GS is going to probably give Draymond the max and they should want to shed some salary and avoid the tax. Haywood gets them out of the final 2 years of Iggy's deal.
The Cavs then have legitimate back ups for Kyrie and LeBron.
This could be the core:
Irving - Williams - Dellavedova
Smith - Shumpert - Harris
James - Igoudala - Miller
Love - Thompson - Jones
Mozgov - Varejao - Perkins
That would mean a team salary of circa $120M, per my estimates. I don't think that's reasonable.
I think the Haywood contract only gets used to bring back significant salary if Love leaves. Maybe Griffin can work a deal that would bring back less salary, but it would be tricky since it would involve multiple teams.
Maybe the Haywood contract can be used if JR Smith leaves, which I'd say is fairly likely. Smith will want to be paid since this will be his last multiyear contract, and I personally don't know how much, or how many years, I'd be willing to tie up with him as he declines as a player.
I would think an Iguodala deal would be possible, but suspect GS would prefer dumping the final year of David Lee's contract. From the Cavs' perspective, this actually would be good because Lee plays Love's position. If Smith leaves in free agency, Iguodala isn't the best replacement. Iguodala would be a better replacement for Shumpert, in case he leaves as a RFA.
I unfortunately think Mo Williams' recent play has him above veteran minimum salary range. I agree that signing him would be ideal, but I'd only give him the minimum. Maybe the biannual exception, but the Cavs won't have that if they are above the apron.
Despite that inflated salary structure, I actually don't like the front court very much, given the uncertainly surrounding AV's health. I really don't want Perkins back. I'd prefer signing a vet who can still actually play. You'll be able to find a decent one cheap as a free agent, especially since the Cavs will be an attractive destination and they would be offering a defined role as a 4th big. Or use that front court roster spot for the Cavs' 1st round pick this year (roughly #24).
For that matter, you don't leave a spot for the Cavs' pick. Would the pick be included in the Iggy deal?
As others have said, Miller has a player option for next year and recently said he is returning. But maybe he will decide he really can't realistically play anymore and he does retire. I mean, we can hope so. I don't want both him and James Jones clogging up the bottom of the roster. Jones has at least shown he has the ability to run up and down the court and hit an occasional shot.
But as I see it, even if all the free agents are back (Smith, Shump, Love, TT, Delly, plus Miller opts in) AND Varejao is able to play, the Cavs will still need a PG and a wing/combo forward who can backup LeBron (this player would effectively replace Shawn Marion). Assuming they can't use the Haywood contract, and simply waive him, they will have the following tools: taxpayers MLE ($3.5M), 1st round pick, 1 or 2 minimum contracts.