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2018 NBA Draft: Is trading down with the Philadelphia 76ers a smart move for the Cleveland Cavaliers?

By Nathan Beighle

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 6: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers and LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers look on during foul shots at the Wells Fargo Center on April 6, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ben Simmons;LeBron James
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 6: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers and LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers look on during foul shots at the Wells Fargo Center on April 6, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ben Simmons;LeBron James /
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The Cleveland Cavaliers with the No. 8 pick could double their draft picks by sliding down two spots. But, would it be a smart move?

With endless options at No. 8, the Cleveland Cavaliers will have several possible moves to make come June 21, the date of the 2018 NBA Draft. That said, is it reasonable to envision them trading down two spots?

Their partner would be none other than Eastern Conference foe Philadelphia (I wonder if the backlash the Cavs received for trading Irving to rival Boston would impact Altman here).

The 76ers have six picks in the 2018 NBA Draft, the most of any single organization. With two first-round picks, they’re the perfect team to trade two picks for one. The assumed trade is the No. 26 pick and the No. 10 pick for the No. 8 pick.

It’s an interesting yet unlikely proposal.

For Philadelphia, per NBAdraft.net, they could move up from drafting Miles Bridges to drafting Michael Porter Jr. As far as potential goes, that’s quite a jump.

For Cleveland, it’d mean sliding down, most likely drafting Collin Sexton and then potentially getting a gritty defender like Jacob Evans later in the first round.

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In my opinion, if the Cavaliers workout with Collin Sexton went as well as it should have, this type of deal would be phenomenal for them. Sexton most likely won’t be the most coveted player on the board, and there’s little evidence to think that the Knicks would take the University of Alabama point guard.

Drafting Sexton would also make Smith, Clarkson, and Hill more tradeable. The Cavaliers must make moves this offseason, and understanding that could lead to a move like this.

Even though they made a montage of trades prior to last season’s trade deadline in hopes to get younger, Cleveland is still tied with San Antonio for the oldest average age in the NBA. For a team in limbo since their superstar in on the verge of departing for the second time in his career, gaining two young players able to be developed should be a top priority.

And, if you’re Philadelphia, there no absolutely need to make this trade, but with six picks and only a few spots on the roster, they might as well wheel and deal one or more of them.

This draft is deep.

With a player like Aaron Holiday barely cracking the first round, the Cavaliers should certainly consider either making this deal or trading back into the draft. The problem with the Cavs is that with no cap room and no valuable assets outside of Love, James, Hood, and their No. 8 overall pick they have little trade flexibility.

That said, I think trading down would be a smart move for both teams. However, unlike many drafts before this one, the order of the top ten is very unforeseeable. So, just like with the trade deadline, Altman and his staff need to know the exact order and value of who they want and when they can draft them.

If their No. 1 prize is Michael Porter Jr. or Trae Young, then this isn’t the deal for them. But, if the master prize is Collin Sexton, this is exactly what the Cavs should do.

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Hopefully, Altman is at least running a possibility like this with the 76ers through his mind prior to the draft.