Two reasons for the Cleveland Cavaliers to trade back with the Clippers

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CLEVELAND, OH – JUNE 08: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers sits on the bench late in the game against the Golden State Warriors during Game Four of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on June 8, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

The Cleveland Cavaliers might be on the outside looking in with the eighth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, whether LeBron James stays or goes, and trading down in a deep draft could be a sound move for their future.

The Cleveland Cavaliers did get to the NBA Finals for a fourth consecutive time, thanks to James.

They need to get younger, though, regardless if he is still with Cleveland or not next season. The Cavs must get better on an individual level defensively, and their playmaking must be more consistent outside of James.

This team got swept in the Finals by the Golden State Warriors, and with a likely better Eastern Conference next year, their issues could be even more magnified if they don’t lessen the burden on LeBron.

If James is gone, then trading back to get younger and/or accumulating more pieces is probably an even smarter move. Head coach Tyronn Lue, who said he intends to return next season, per Cleveland.com’s Joe Vardon, needs an infusion of youth in his rotation.

The Cavaliers could contribute to that youth movement by simply selecting a prospect with their eighth pick, but in my opinion, moving back in a deep draft is a smarter long-term move. The Cavs, particularly if they lose James, have a long way to go in improving their versatility on both ends of the floor. A player of James’ caliber puts a Band-Aid over a lot of weaknesses.

A team that could be a potential trade partner for Cleveland in this scenario is the Los Angeles Clippers.

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The Clips have “made calls to several teams with a Top-10 pick to try to make a trade,” per The Athletic’s Michael Scotto, (h/t Bryan Kalbrosky of Hoops Hype). Kevin O’ Connor of The Ringer reported that Michael Porter Jr. has been linked to the organization, (again, h/t Kalbrosky).

Porter could blossom into a volume perimeter scorer in the Association with his shooting ability, combined with his 6’11” height as a modern stretch-four prospect. He might be counted on to replace some of mid-season acquisition Tobias Harris’ production, who is on the trade block with an expiring contract after next year, as Scotto suggested.

During this past trade deadline, the Cavaliers and Clippers were in discussions surrounding a possible trade involving DeAndre Jordan, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, but “Clippers general manager Michael Winger explained to (Cavs GM) [Koby] Altman that LA didn’t want another shooting guard,” in reference to then-Cavalier Iman Shumpert.

That said, LeBron and Lue were among those in the Cleveland organization that had reportedly expressed interest in Jordan, per The Athletic’s Jason Lloyd. Jordan didn’t have nearly the same elite block totals last season, but he is still a feared presence around the basket for opposing drivers and could help wipe the glass clean in a big way.