The Brooklyn Nets first-round pick, acquired in the trade sending Kyrie Irving to Boston, is slipping in the draft. Should the Cleveland Cavaliers trade it?
Danny Ainge seems to be working his magic yet again. However, with Kyrie Irving out for the entirety of the playoffs, it’s still a mystery who won the blockbuster trade of the 2017 offseason. The Cleveland Cavaliers received a coveted pick, but with seven other teams tanking, that pick might not even end up in the top seven.
If that pick doesn’t end up in the top seven, the Cleveland Cavaliers could miss out on the top six players and, on top of that, Trae Young, a player LeBron James is extremely fond of. If that’s how the order plays out, the Cavs need to be on the phones trying to get a superstar such as Kawhi Leonard.
The point of obtaining the Nets’ first-rounder was to ensure a star to replace LeBron James after his time in Cleveland is up.
But, after the top seven, the best available player is Collin Sexton, according to nbadraft.net. Players like Kevin Knox and Wendell Carter Jr. might also be available, but do they have the superstar potential that Cleveland craves?
The answer to that, in my opinion, is a no, or at least that’s the thought of most draft analysts.
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The fate of Trae Young could be determined when the Chicago Bulls take on the Brooklyn Nets at 7:30. Both currently at 27-53, the winner of this game could bounce the other one down a spot or significantly hurt their chances in the lottery.
That said, assuming Brooklyn actually tries to win this game and Chicago doesn’t, Brooklyn will escape with a win. And, the eighth pick in the 2018 NBA draft will most likely belong to Cleveland.
The only remaining problem is that there might not be a superstar for the Cavs to trade for.
Kawhi Leonard was the name previously mentioned, and outside of him, there really isn’t a market for unhappy superstars or superstars going into a contract season.
So, if the Spurs can repair their relationship with Kawhi Leonard like they did with LaMarcus Aldridge, then the Cavs are seemingly forced to keep the pick.
Would the clear-cut winner of that trade be Danny Ainge and the Boston Celtics?
This offseason will be an instrumental one for the future of the Cavaliers. With just a handful of players under contract for the following season and arguably the NBA’s best player’s status looming over their heads, every move will be crucial.
And, if the move is to trade the pick for a superstar, then you do it. But, if Kawhi Leonard or another notorious name is not available, there’s really only one option. You have to take your chances, draft a player like Knox, and then trust your staff to develop him into a star, just like Phoenix did with Devin Booker, who was drafted No. 13 in the 2015 NBA Draft.
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Now, it’s time for your thoughts. If the Cavaliers picks ends up at No. 8, should they try to trade it? Is the gap between 7 and 8, or, better yet, the gap of potential stardom between Collin Sexton and Trae Young that notable?
Let us know what you think!