Cleveland Cavaliers: Would Using Anderson Varejao’s Trade Exception Help?

Could the Cleveland Cavaliers use their $9.6 million trade exception from Anderson Varejao to help facilitate a deal with opposing teams?

The Cleveland Cavaliers, possessors of no player another team is fighting to acquire, could go another route to sweeten the deal for opposing execs. With Anderson Varejao‘s $9.6 million trade exception still available from last year’s trade that sent Varejao to Portland, the Cavs could accept an overpaid player from an opposing squad.

Looking around the league, there are just a few players who may not be living up to their contract and have a tradeable point guard on the team that the Cavs can use (if they’re not the point guard themselves). Monta Ellis, Ricky Rubio, Nikola Pekovic, Tyreke Evans and Omer Asik are all players whose play, or lack of play, doesn’t match the value of their contracts.

However, why would any of these teams make a deal? Blake Griffin could be on his way out of Los Angeles soon and shedding salary in order to offer Griffin a max contract could be their best move. Griffin could fit well on the Indiana Pacers or New Orleans Pelicans. As far as the Minnesota Timberwolves go, Rubio’s trade value has dropped significantly, according to The Vertical’s Chris Mannix.

Pekovic won’t play at all this season and will ultimately have only played in 43 games over a span of three seasons after this year’s campaign is finished.

The first step for the Cleveland Cavaliers will be to offer opposing teams a combination of players whose contracts expire this year. Chris Andersen, Mo Williams and Jordan McRae all fit the bill but outside McRae’s potential as a scorer there isn’t much value there for a team even if they are just trying to shred salary. Offering Mike Dunleavy Jr., whose contract will expire after next season, is perhaps the biggest asset the Cavs have in terms players with NBA experience. In addition, Dunleavy Jr. is a player who would fit well on the Pacers, Pelicans or the Timberwolves.

If that’s not enough, the draft rights to Cedi Osman or Sir’Dominic Pointer could be used as well. The lithe “Jedi” Osman is lighting it up in the Euroleague, currently shooting 48.8 percent from three-point range. Pointer is a non-shooter, however he’s versatile and a plus defender. The Cleveland Cavaliers also have a first round pick in the 2017 NBA Draft that they’d likely be more interested in trading than Osman.

In sum, between the youth that the Cavs can offer another team and the potential to shed salary to chase Griffin, there’s an opportunity for the Cleveland Cavaliers to make a deal for a player they feel can truly help them on their quest to repeat as NBA champions. Without having made a move yet, the team seems to have snuffed at the offers they’ve heard for their players thus far.

Perhaps Cleveland Cavaliers general manager David Griffin could persuade league execs to trade players with overpriced contracts to them in exchange for a couple of young prospects, a veteran shooter, and the chance to pry Griffin away from Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan. The idea of Griffin teaming up with Anthony Davis and Buddy Hield in New Orleans or Paul George and Myles Turner in Indiana is exciting. Even for an individual that’s not a fan of either of those fans in particular.

Can the Cavs’ front office pull it off?

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Do you think that the Cleveland Cavaliers should use their $9.6 million trade exception to acquire a player? Let us know in the comments section or Twitter @KJG_NBA.