A weaker 2020 FA class is even more incentive for Cavs to trade expiring pieces

The Cleveland Cavaliers could have a bunch of cap space next season with them having plenty of expiring players after 2019-20, but given that the team is focused on player development in coming years, a weaker 2020 free agent class is even more incentive for Cleveland to trade most of its expiring pieces.

This offseason in the NBA was marked by a ton of player movement via free agency and trades.

A few key trade examples are Anthony Davis now being on the Los Angeles Lakers via reported trade where the New Orleans got a bunch of pieces back in return, such as Brandon Ingram, Chris Paul (previously of the Houston Rockets) and Russell Westbrook (previously of the Oklahoma City Thunder) reportedly being swapped, and the Thunder trading Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers for a huge package of players and future draft assets.

Kawhi Leonard came to the Clips via unrestricted free agency, and will be paired with George, and along with that, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant (though next season for Durant reportedly likely won’t involve him being active, due to a reported Achilles tear) are now on the Brooklyn Nets, courtesy of unrestricted free agency.

Al Horford (last with the Boston Celtics) signed with a big Celtics’ rival, in the Philadelphia 76ers, and there was a ton of other players that joined new squads via free agency (both restricted and unrestricted), too.

The 2020 free agent class won’t involve as many notable/star players, though, and with the Cleveland Cavaliers seemingly all-in on player development in coming years, as they should be, even with them potentially having a bunch of cap space next offseason, that weaker 2020 free agent class is even more incentive for them to trade their expiring players by the 2020 NBA trade deadline.

As it stands, three of Cleveland’s guards with guaranteed spots that are expiring after next season are Jordan Clarkson, Matthew Dellavedova and Brandon Knight, and bigs John Henson and Tristan Thompson are expiring as well (all per Spotrac).

So, anyhow, according to Keith Smith of Yahoo! Sports (and several others), the Cavs are projected to have $43.4 million in salary cap space next offseason, at the moment.

Nonetheless, Cleveland is not a free agent destination historically, as The Athletic‘s Joe Vardon emphasized (subscription required).

Factoring in that, along with the weaker 2020 free agent class compared to this offseason, and it’s all the more reason to deal away their expiring pieces in favor of future draft picks (of which they could later package for a high value first-round pick potentially down the road).

Granted, that would likely greatly change their projected cap space outlook.

That’d be the right long-term move, though.