The Cleveland Cavaliers are exploring the trade value of second-year forward Dion Waiters, ESPN reported Thursday, citing sources with knowledge of the situation.

According to the report, the Cavaliers gauged the interests of the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, and the Philadelphia 76ers. Cleveland is interested in trading for Knicks guard Iman Shumpert, 76ers versatile forward Evan Turner, and Bulls veteran forward Luol Deng.

Waiters, who was selected by the Cavaliers as the fourth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, is reportedly being shopped due to his alleged contentious relationship with Cavs superstar point guard Kyrie Irving.

Waiters also reportedly has a troublesome relationship with third-year forward Tristan Thompson.

Earlier reports stated that Waiters and Thompson got into an altercation during their players-only meeting after their humbling 29-point defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Nov. 13.

"Irving called the meeting after the game, and every player spoke. When Waiters was given the floor, he criticized Thompson and Irving, accusing them of playing "buddy ball'' and often refusing to pass to him. Thompson took umbrage with Waiters' words and went back at him verbally. The two confronted each other, but teammates intervened before it could escalate into a fight," a source told ESPN.

After the heated altercation during the players-only meeting, Waiters reportedly had a three-hour meeting with coach Mike Brown and general manager Chris Grant. During said meeting, Waiters allegedly did not directly asked for a trade, but the former Syracuse standout brought up the possibility to Brown and Grant.

But when asked on Wednesday about the trade rumors, Waiters, whose point production is down to 13.8 from 14.7 points per game last season, reiterated that he doesn't want to be traded, saying that he is happy in Cleveland.

"That's nonsense," Waiters said in an interview with The News-Herald. "I'm happy. I'm not happy we're losing. But I'm happy here."

When the Cavaliers drafted Waiters, he was viewed as the perfect backcourt partner to Irving, but the Irving-Waiters combo has yet to produce good results for the Cavs, which are off to a dismal 4-11 start this season.