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Anticipating Mo Williams' retirement, the Cleveland Cavaliers contacted free agent point guards Mario Chalmers, Norris Cole and Kirk Hinrich this offseason, according to cleveland.com's Joe Vardon.

The Cavaliers are reportedly "in no rush" to sign any of them, preferring to let rookie Kay Felder show what he can do in training camp and give Jordan McCrae and Markel Brown a chance to prove they can handle the ball. Even if a signing isn't imminent, though, it would be wise to remember that Cleveland has these guys on its radar. It would be strange for the defending champions to go the entire season with just one proven point guard and a rookie as his only real backup.

Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole with the Heat
Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole are reportedly on Cleveland's radar. USATSI

A quick look at the three options:

  • Chalmers not only has experience playing with LeBron James, he fits how the Cavaliers play. He does not need the ball in his hands and has been effective next to James as a defender and spot-up shooter. When healthy last season, he capably started for the Memphis Grizzlies. Unfortunately, though, he tore his Achilles tendon in March and has been recovering ever since.
  • Like Chalmers, Cole knows what James expects because of their time together with the Miami Heat. When he had his jersey retired at Cleveland State in February, James was in attendance. He's the youngest of the three players, and he averaged a career-high 10.6 points and 3.7 assists in 26.6 minutes for the banged-up New Orleans Pelicans last season.
  • Hinrich, 35, is significantly older than Chalmers and Cole. He's not the excellent perimeter defender that he used to be, but he knows how to run an offense and might be most amenable to a small role. Before he was sent to the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline, he made 41.1 percent of his 3-pointers for the Chicago Bulls last year.