As deadline nears, can Cavaliers corral deal?

LeBron James said he won’t be traded, though every other move should be on the table for the Cavaliers.

It’s just unclear if anything can make a difference.

The Cavaliers are a team that’s deeply in a rut and badly in need of a change to jump-start a season that shows signs of slipping away. But they’re down to their final hours to find help via trade, with the deadline set for Thursday.

Impact players are traded, but this season the biggest ones may have already been moved. Jimmy Butler, Chris Paul, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony all were dealt over the summer, as was Kyrie Irving — in a move that may have backfired for the Cavs. Their former point guard has led Boston to the top of the Eastern Conference, while Isaiah Thomas has struggled in the brief time he’s been available since returning from his hip injury.

Cleveland also acquired the Brooklyn Nets’ No. 1 pick in that deal, a likely high lottery selection.

The deadline was moved up this season, with the NBA feeling it would give players who are dealt a chance to use the all-star break to get acclimated to their new situations. The deadline previously was at the end of the break.

• The Clippers signed Lou Williams to a three-year contract extension Wednesday, rewarding the NBA’s best scorer off the bench with the long-term security he sought. The contract is worth $24 million.

• The Knicks traded center Willy Hernangomez to the Hornets.

The Knicks will receive secondround picks in the 2020 and 2021 drafts, plus forward Johnny O’Bryant in the deal.