King James Gospel
Fansided

10 Off-season moves the Cleveland Cavaliers must make if LeBron James leaves

By Tony Pesta

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images /
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CHARLOTTE, NC – MARCH 28: George Hill #3 of the Cleveland Cavaliers handles the ball against Kemba Walker #15 of the Charlotte Hornets on March 28, 2018 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC – MARCH 28: George Hill #3 of the Cleveland Cavaliers handles the ball against Kemba Walker #15 of the Charlotte Hornets on March 28, 2018 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Players 2-3: Tristan Thompson, George Hill

The next player’s the Cavaliers need to address are Tristan Thompson and George Hill. Should the Cavaliers keep these players on the roster?

Thompson is 27 years old and will be playing in his eighth NBA season. Thompson has likely reached his max potential as a scrappy rebounder. Rebounding is an extremely valuable asset to have in the NBA. However, that’s about all Thompson is capable of doing. Furthermore, he has one of the highest contracts on the team.

With all this being said, there is no real reason for the Cavaliers to stick with Thompson. But, it may not be easy to trade him away. Not many teams will be eager to acquire a player such as Thompson. As previously stated, he is an overpaid player who has already reached his peak.

Similar to Thompson, Hill falls in the same boat. Hill is 32 years old and is past his prime. Also, Hill has an unnecessarily large contract. This will make it hard for the Cavaliers to find a trading partner for Hill.

Both of these players will not have their contracts ended until the 2020 NBA off-season. Meaning, the Cavaliers may be stuck with them for quite some time.

Perhaps the Cavaliers best move would be to buy both of these players out and cut their losses. This way, the team won’t be forced to pay Hill and Thompson in the future. Giving the team an opportunity to open up cap space to sign more impactful players.