Cavs Trade Help From An Unlikely Place?

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ season is just four games old, meaning that they have seventy-eight more regular season games to find their full stride before the postseason begins in April. With such a small sample size any sort of talk about changes to be made to improve the roster are extremely premature.

That being said, it’s far more likely than not that changes will eventually happen. While the Cavaliers have a ton of talent, there are several areas this team will eventually need to address. The most obvious area is defense. While the need for a rim protector is well-documented, the Cavaliers would also benefit by adding a strong perimeter defender who could knock down open shots (what team wouldn’t really?).

On the wing, Bucks shooting guard Jared Dudley could potentially fill a need as a “3-and-D” player.

In many ways this team is similar to the Miami Heat during the Big Three’s first season together. While there was a strong core, the supporting cast still needed some work. The Heat eventually added players such as Shane Battier, Ray Allen, and Chris Andersen to bolster their rotation. Over the next several months, both during this season and in the summer afterwards, the Cavaliers will look to fill out the rest of their roster with the quality pieces needed to contend for a championship for multiple years. One team likely destined for the lottery may have several pieces that could fit a Cavs trade, the owners of the worst record in the NBA last season, the Milwaukee Bucks.

Typically a team like the Bucks would simply be a mix of young players and aging veterans, all of whom would be ill-equipped to help a playoff team. However there are several players on in Milwaukee who not only fit the Cavaliers’ needs in terms of defense and shooting, but are also likely available for pieces the Cavaliers can afford to give up.

On the wing, Bucks shooting guard Jared Dudley could potentially fill a need as a “3-and-D” player. After becoming a successful role player for the Phoenix Suns, Dudley joined the Clippers last season as part of the Eric Bledsoe trade. Figured by many to be a big part of the Clippers rotations, Dudley struggled due to what he said was a pair of knee injuries. While he still posted a positive real plus-minus on the defensive end, he was no longer the force he used to be. However his offense was what really fell off a cliff. From the 2008-2009 season through 2012-2013 Dudley always posted a three point percentage of 38.3% or higher and a true shooting percentage of at least 56.2%. While with the Clippers he shot a league average 36% from deep and his true shooting percentage was a mediocre 54.1%. Dudley’s per minute numbers in rebounds and assists also dropped, contributing to what can be seen as a disastrous season for him. Still, Dudley is just 29 years old with a game that isn’t predicated on athleticism. If he can show his old form (he is admittedly off to a slow start with the Bucks), then Dudley could be the kind of player Cleveland needs to space the floor for the big three and keep LeBron James from having to guard the opposing team’s best wing player every night. Dudley’s salary (guaranteed for this season only) fits nicely into the “Keith Bogans” trade exception. That and second round pick could get the deal done.

Another, much younger, big man the Cavaliers could try to pry away is John Henson. The twenty-four year old Henson is an interesting player from an analytics standpoint.

Another veteran who could help the Cavaliers is center Zaza Pachulia. At thirty years old, Pachulia is in his twelfth year in the NBA, having been selected in the second round of the 2003 NBA Draft (Cleveland selected that James guy first overall). During his time in the league Pachulia has been a solid, if unspectacular big man who has started about one-third of the games he has played in. Known for his high skill level, Pachulia is a good rebounder who can face-up, score in the post, and pass well on offense. On the defensive end, while Pachulia is not a shot blocker, he is a tough, physical defender who makes opponents work. As a Cavaliers fan, I hated when they played Pachulia for many of the same reasons fans of other teams hated Anderson Varejao. He’s a disruptive force who drives opponents crazy. Another plus is his extensive playoff experience during his time with the Atlanta Hawks. While not the rim protector the Cavaliers may prefer, there is no doubt that Pachulia could help this team and would be a huge upgrade over Brendan Haywood and Lou Amundson. Owed a bit over $5 million both this season and the next, Pachulia could also likely be had using the trade exception and one or two second round picks.

Another, much younger, big man the Cavaliers could try to pry away is John Henson. The twenty-four year old Henson is an interesting player from an analytics standpoint. A wiry thing forward/center, he’s been a highly efficient player thus far in his career and sports a career PER of 18.0. When you see that Henson shot 53.% from the floor while averaging 15.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, and 2.2 assists per 36 minutes of action, he seems like the kind of young player that should be part of Milwaukee’s core for years to come. Yet despite these numbers, the Bucks were a far better team with Henson on the bench. In fact, Henson ranked last among all centers in Real Plus Minus last season. Perhaps because of this Henson averaged only 26.5 minutes per game last season, and is playing a paltry fourteen minutes per game so far this season. Still, Henson’s efficiency, athleticism, and potential for rim protection make him an intriguing young big man that many teams would be love to take a chance at. A trade for Henson would almost definitely cost the Cavaliers a first round pick if the trade exception is used, and a Dion Waiters for Dudley and Henson trade may make more sense than Cavalier fans would care to admit (provided Dellavedova returns soon to backup Kyrie Irving). Regardless, John Henson is undoubtedly a young big man to keep an eye on.

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The final Buck the Cavaliers could eventually hone in on is one who likely wouldn’t be acquired until after the season, Bucks center Larry Sanders. As has been documented on numerous occasions, Brendan Haywood’s contract for next season is fully unguaranteed and worth over $10 million. Sanders is currently in the first year of a four-year $44 million dollar deal which pays him exactly $11 million per year. Sanders at his best is a core player for any team; an elite rebounder and rim protector who does a terrific job rolling to the rim, ala Tyson Chandler. Unfortunately Sanders at his worst is a malcontent who has fought with teammates such as Monta Ellis and Gary Neal, not mention having broken his hand during a fight in a nightclub last season. He has also been suspended for violating the league’s substance abuse policy due to marijuana use. However at just 26 years old, Sanders could be a force in the middle for a championship contender for years to come. He’ll need a strong locker room to succeed, but the Cavaliers should have that by next season. Another bonus for Cavalier fans is that Sanders’s extracurricular activities likely drive down his trade value to the point where he likely wouldn’t cost them much more than John Henson would.

So there you have it, a trio of Milwaukee Bucks that could help the Cleveland Cavaliers deliver this area it’s first championship since 1964. As the months go by the Cavaliers will likely look at these players and many others before making any significant moves. One thing we know for sure though, owner Dan Gilbert and general manager David Griffin will leave no stone unturned in their quest to raise a banner at Quicken Loans Arena.

Do you think the Cavs should pursue any of these players?