Cleveland Cavaliers: Top 5 Trade Targets That Fit Into Their Reduced Trade Exception

Langston Galloway

Langston Galloway is more of a combo guard than pure point guard though if you look closely you can see a player that’s possesses the skill-set of a player like Mario Chalmers. Yet Chalmers, the guy that was being barked at by LeBron James in Miami and who tore his Achilles just last year, may not be the best fit for Cleveland. Finding a player that’s like Chalmers but isn’t Chalmers could be the Cavs’ best bet.

Galloway is a player who can facilitate a bit but is more likely to make the right pass period than try to get an assist. He’s also a strong three-point shooter (hitting 37.7 percent of threes this season) and plays decent defense because of his long wingspan. With a good handle of the ball, Galloway can also get to the rim consistently. There, Galloway will consistently finish at the rim as he’s converted shots 0-3 feet away at a 54.0 percent rate over his career.

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Galloway, a journeyman player who is bunched in with a solid group of backcourt players. Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans, Tim Frazier, E’Twaun Moore and Buddy Girls should make Galloway expendable for the right price. If the Pelicans simply wanted to find a catch-and-shoot player for the future and reduce their payroll so that they can re-sign Holiday, Terrence Jones, Donatas Motiejunas and possibly Evans, trading Galloway (and possibly Alexis Ajinca) into a trade exception is the way to go.

To trade for Galloway, the Cavs would have to give up Chris Andersen. Andersen, who started his career with New Orleans (when they were the Hornets and not the Pelicans), is out for the season with a torn ACL and could be waived by the Pelicans. Such a move would cost the Pelicans just a little under $1 million in dead money but they’d save up to $9 million if both Galloway and Ajinca are traded.