Cedi Osman should be the centerpiece of a trade package for Carmelo Anthony
Cedi Osman should be the centerpiece of the Cleveland Cavaliers trade package for New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony.
What if I told you that Cleveland Cavaliers small forward Cedi Osman, a 22-year old rookie who was a sensational player for the EuroLeague’s Anadolu Efes after being selected 31st overall in the 2015 NBA Draft, should be the centerpiece of a trade package for New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony.
In all, Osman played for Anadolu for four seasons (not including his season with their junior team). After showing potential as a high-motor three-and-D prospect early on, the man they call “Jedi” has expanded his game every season and being drafted seems to have his accelerated his growth over the past two seasons.
As previously mentioned, Osman’s strengths were as a standstill shooter and slasher on offense. On the other end, Osman’s lateral agility, technique and instincts allowed him to excel as a perimeter defender. In addition, Osman’s hustle and timing allowed him to come up with more than a few chasedown blocks.
Those skills alone would make Osman have a valuable player for the Cavs or Knicks, teams lacking young players capable of filling a three-and-D role.
A team also lacking on wings that could attack the rim and collapse the defense so that, even if the slashing player didn’t score, the defense would have to rotate and, hopefully, leave a man open.
Osman also had the semblance a solid post game early on, which he’s since developed. When Osman sees he has the physical advantage, and at 6-foot-8 and 215 pounds that could happen consistently, he can operate with his back to the basket. This will not allow him to get high percentage looks around the basket but create for others in the event that draws a double-team.
Osman has solid court vision which is mostly seen in the pick-and-roll rather than drive-and-kicks. The point-forward ability he displays is a gift that only the best forwards in the league have and it makes him an even more enticing prospect.
So is the fact that he’s grown comfortable shooting threes off-the-dribble, improved his ball-handling and seems to enjoy acting the part of the crowd pleaser as displayed by his played in EuroBasket 2017.
In six games, Osman averaged 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.0 steals and 0.7 blocks per game while shooting 35.1 percent from three-point range (6.2 attempts per game). He also got to the free-throw line 6.3 times per game.
Consequentially, with his versatility, scoring ability and potential, Osman would be a valuable prospect for any team.
That’s why when reading what the New York Knicks wanted in exchange for Anthony and the teams he’d be willing to waive his no-trade clause for (per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski), Osman made perfect sense for both sides.
"Since the hiring of Scott Perry as general manager in July, New York has changed course on the asking price for Anthony and has been pushing for a return of assets that Houston is unable to provide. Perry has been looking for a scoring wing to replace Anthony’s production, short-term contracts and draft assets, league sources said."
Packaged alongside Iman Shumpert and Channing Frye (two short-term contracts), Osman is a scoring small forward that will actually remain on the team past this season (unlike Paul George of the Oklahoma City Thunder) and has yet to reach their peak let alone the end of their peak (unlike Ryan Anderson of the Houston Rockets). The Cavs also have a first-round pick in 2018 (their original selection) that could be used to acquire Anthony.
As the Knicks move towards a rebuild, Osman, Kristaps Porzingis and Frank Ntilikina could prove to be a solid core to build around. A young and moldable Big Three.
For the Cavs, Anthony is a perennial All-Star who not only would help them replace Isaiah Thomas’ scoring but make them a very dangerous team on offense when fully healthy. With Anthony, Thomas, Kevin Love, Derrick Rose and LeBron James on the court together, there can be no doubling and that’s unfortunate for opposing teams since there’d be so much space for James, Rose and Thomas to attack the rim. Also unfortunate because four of those players are likely to score on their matchup in isolation, especially going one-on-one. Love could switch onto smaller defenders time and time again, attack the rim or just launch away from three.
Defensively, despite the poor reputation many of those players have, they’re each capable of holding their ground as individual defenders and have enough experience to excel as a team defense.
The Cleveland Cavaliers would have a Death Lineup of their own, with Dwyane Wade possibly coming into the fold as well. The previously mentioned lineup was one option, while replacing Rose (midrange efficiency), Thomas (size) or Love (team speed) with Wade unlocks options for them to match up against virtually any defense.