Cavs can sign a max player in 2019

The Cleveland Cavaliers could sign a max free agent next summer if they play their cards right.

By waiving the partially guaranteed contracts of George Hill and J.R. Smith at the end of the 2018-2019 season, the Cleveland Cavaliers will have nearly $25 million next offseason — that’s just enough to sign a player (with less than seven years of NBA experience) to a maximum contract in 2019.

If they can free up another $5 million, which could include waiving the partially guarantee contract of aging sharpshooter Kyle Korver, they’ll be able to sign any player with ten years or less of NBA experience to a max contract.

However, even after waiving Hill, Smith and Korver, in order to acquire a max player, one of two things must happen: trading All-Star Kevin Love or letting restricted free agent Rodney Hood leave in the offseason.

After signing rookie point guard Collin Sexton, and if the Cavaliers re-sign Hood, they’ll have little to no cap space despite waiving Hill and Smith.

In sum, in order to sign a max player Nextel offseason, the Cavs have to let Hood walk this season or trade Love before the start of next year’s free agency.

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While Hood hasn’t been nearly as well-received in Cleveland as Love has been, it’s worth noting that he’s nearly five years younger on a rebuilding team. With the nearly 30-year-old Love earning about $50 million over the next two seasons, trading him to a team with salary space (rather than letting Hood walk) would be their best bet.

On the one hand, they’ll create a large trade exception that they can use to acquire more pieces. On the other hand, in order to keep their first-round pick from the Kyle Korver trade, the Cavaliers have to finish the season with a top-10 pick.

With Hood and Love on the roster, their keeping the first-round pick is possible but unlikely.

It’s almost counterintuitive but if the Cavaliers want to be successful in the long-run, they have to make sacrifices in the short-term.

Trading Love for cap relief would lead to a worse season record but net them a trade exception they can use on a big-named player, the cap space to sign a max player next summer and at least one first-round pick.

Letting Hood walk gives them everything but the large trade exception and they’ll have spurned a young player who can be under contract for years for an older player with two seasons left on his contract.

Either way, when the 2019 offseason rolls around, these are two players the Cavs can target for max contracts: Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson and Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl Anthony-Towns (restricted free agent).

Thompson, one-half of the Splash Brothers, fits naturally for the Cavs with his abilities as an off-ball spot-up threat. He’s also an elite defender who would complement Sexton’s slashing style on offense and aggressive defense in the backcourt.

Anthony-Towns, one of the best offensive big men in the league, would be an interesting fit beside Love offensively but terrible defensively considering KAT’s inside-outside scoring prowess and lack of physicality and defensive awareness.

Both players averaged at least 20.0 points per game last season and are highly respected throughout the league, by players and coaches alike.

A Big Three of Sexton, Anthony-Towns (or Thompson) and Hood (or Love) won’t be   considered championship-contenders but they’ll be an entertaining and competitive young core that should consistently make the playoffs. Add in another top-10 pick and their future is even brighter.

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