Cavs rumors: NBA executive reportedly ‘strongly’ believes Cleveland will trade #5

The Cleveland Cavaliers are set to have the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, but a recent report essentially suggests otherwise. Maybe we’ll see more Cavs rumors to come then?

At this juncture, the Cleveland Cavaliers are due to make the fifth overall selection in the 2020 NBA Draft, as KJG’s Grant Puskar previously touched on. I still believe at that selection, they should be able to land a high quality defender, such as Auburn’s Isaac Okoro, Florida State’s Devin Vassell or USC’s Onyeka Okongwu.

That type of piece could help the Cavs get going in the direction, and could help the team scope/impact winning as well, from my perspective, as opposed to another more ball-dominant scoring type, such as Georgia’s Anthony Edwards.

That said, it obviously would be a selection that’d be a really young player that could have issues early, and that’s evident.

Considering that, a recent report from Monday noted that Cleveland might not be making that selection.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are reportedly looking to trade their #5 pick, according to an opposing NBA executive. Perhaps there will be more Cavs rumors to come regarding that.

Per a report on Monday from Sports Illustrated‘s Sam Amico, one opposing NBA executive “strongly” believes the Cavs will not end up adding that pick to their roster.

"“They don’t want that (No. 5 overall) draft pick,” he told SI.com. “I don’t know that for certainty — but I’ve spoken to enough people over there that I know they don’t really want to bring in another young unknown.“I strongly believe they will end up trading it.”"

Amico would go on to highlight how Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, per that NBA executive, wants to see the Cavs get on the winning track this next season. From there, Amico noted how that NBA executive and “several other SI sources” clearly stated that Gilbert, who is continuing to recover from a May 2019 stroke, “wants the Cavs to start winning some games and generating interest.”

Amico would go on to demonstrate how the Cavaliers have a number of young pieces getting their share of burn. They drafted Darius Garland last season, Collin Sexton the year prior, and noted how Kevin Porter Jr. was a key bench player, and how Dylan Windler, who missed all of 2019 due to complications regarding a stress reaction in his left leg, should seemingly be in the mix going forward.

The point the opposing NBA executive would then make, via Amico, is that he believes the Cavaliers aren’t looking for more youth via the aforementioned fifth pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

"“It’s one thing to be young and exciting,” he told SI. “I’m not sure the Cavs are there. They are young. I don’t think they want to move forward by adding more youth. You win in this league with veteran players.”"

Amico would then transcribe how that opposing NBA exec would emphasize how the Cavs would absolutely do a deal for Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons if the opportunity were to present itself. That came in response to a report/suggestion as a potential scenario maybe to come by Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor, of which you can view more on here.

Here was more from that aforementioned exec, again, though, per Amico on Simmons.

"“Of course they would, and they would be able to offer as good of a package as anyone else,” he said. “I’m guessing (Simmons) is the type of player they want, as opposed to another draft pick — young, proven, would sell jerseys and win games.”"

Yes, obviously, one would think that the Cavs would be interested in a deal for Simmons if that were to become a possible scenario, but as Forbes‘ Evan Dammarell detailed, Simmons is not at all a realistic trade target for Cleveland, and that if Philly really looked to do it, “there are plenty of better offers out there.”

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For more in regards to that, you can view further details here as far as a package, but again, Cleveland’s ability to do so for Simmons just seems anything but realistic, despite that opposing NBA executive’s comments above via Amico.

Dammarell himself would note that Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine could be a player the Cavs could potentially target, but to me, given LaVine’s defensive woes feasibly not translating to furthering a path to a winning trajectory, I’d pass there.

Simmons is the only player I’d consider otherwise than drafting a player at #5, and actually landing him is seemingly a pipe dream.

For the Cavs, at this point, given that it’s so early, it’s tough to really read much into this report from Amico, but perhaps we’ll see more Cavs rumors to come regarding the club potentially looking to trade #5 for a deal centered on an established player.

Albeit again, especially when you consider the Cavaliers could get a high quality defensive piece for coming years such as Okoro, and that the 2021 NBA Draft is set to be loaded with potential stars that could be a franchise centerpiece, I’d rather Cleveland not uproot their rebuilding trajectory personally.

Simmons is not a player that the Cavs can honestly land, and not having Kevin Love, who’d have to be moved in a potential deal for Simmons, would hurt the Cavaliers’ offense in the short term anyway. Love is fresh off hitting 37.4 percent of a career-high 7.0 three-point attempts per game in 2019-20, and his presence helps space the floor for Cleveland’s leading scorer this now-past season in Sexton (20.8 points per game) and others.

So again, from my perspective, I’d still expect the Cavs to add another piece, feasibly at that #5 selection, in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Their player development staff has done a terrific job with Sexton in his development, for instance, and I believe with how J.B. Bickerstaff had the club playing leading into the novel coronavirus-induced hiatus, adding a young high quality defender and gradually building is more feasible.

Given Dammarell’s piece, and how Simmons (who needs to get healthy), frankly, is still such a huge player for Philly, I’d still expect that to be the case.

Could I be wrong? Sure, but it’s tough to read much into this report at this juncture, and it’s difficult to see the Cavs be serious contenders for a postseason appearance this next season, regardless, whereas the year following would seem reasonable.