Cavs acquire Rayjon Tucker via trade with Jazz, but future 2nd-rounder included is key

The Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly acquired guard Rayjon Tucker and a future second-round pick via trade with the Utah Jazz on Friday.

The Cleveland Cavaliers made another move on Friday, during what’s been a week in which they’ve made other minor ones.

Cleveland acquired big JaVale McGee, to go with a 2026 second-round pick, via trade with the Los Angeles Lakers last weekend, and on Monday, Cleveland signed guard/wing Damyean Dotson.

From there, point guard Matthew Dellavedova was re-signed, along with that.

And recently on Friday, it was reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the Cavs traded for guard Rayjon Tucker and a future second-round pick in a deal with the Utah Jazz. Cleveland will reportedly be sending Utah cash in exchange.

Tucker, a 6-foot-5 guard, appeared sparingly last season with Utah Jazz, but played a bunch for the Milwaukee Bucks G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, in the earlier portion of that season with them. He was signed by the Jazz to a multi-year deal as a result, but with the Herd, clearly was very impressive after being an early post-draft signing as an undrafted free agent by Milwaukee.

In 16 games with the Herd in 2019-20, Tucker had 23.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per contest. He shot 38.6 percent from three-point range, too, and in three games with Utah’s G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars, had 20.3 points per outing, albeit his Herd tenure showed he could have a legitimate NBA future as a reserve guard it seems.

In 20 games active with the Jazz this past season, Tucker had 3.1 points in 8.1 minutes per game, anyhow. In any case, after starting out at Florida Gulf Coast in college, he transferred/eventually did star in his one year at Arkansas-Little Rock, and had 20.3 points per contest, including hitting 41.1 percent of his three-point attempts in 2018-19.

Tucker was quite the bucket-getter at the G League level, anyway, as he could create for himself off-the-bounce in getting to the rim and/or finishing through contact, and he showed real capability as a catch-and-shoot threat from deep.

So what jumps out to me with this deal, though? It’s not the acquisition of Tucker, frankly.

The Cavs continue to add future draft assets.

The Cavaliers again added a 2026 second-rounder in the aforementioned trade involving McGee with the Lakers, and in this Friday deal with the Jazz, they acquired another future second-rounder essentially for cash considerations.

That’s what jumps out, realistically. It’s hard to foresee Tucker, although he could have an NBA future, really, have a role with the Cavs next season, but perhaps he could with Cleveland’s G League affiliate, the Canton Charge/maybe have a 10-day deal down the road.

That’s when considering these two reports, per Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor and ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Fedor stated how Tucker has a Nov. 29 guarantee date on his contract, although that won’t be guaranteed, however, “the two sides could work to amend the date.” Fedor would also say how the Cavs “preserved their trade exception.”

From there, Marks noted how Tucker’s deal is guaranteed for $340,000, and of which factoring in Fedor’s report, touched on how Cleveland basically was awarded with a future 2, of which is reportedly set to convey in 2027, for that guaranteed number.

Plus, recently the Cavs picked up a 2025 second-rounder from Milwaukee in exchange for removing their protections on Cleveland’s 2022 first-rounder which they acquired via prior trade with them for the Bucks to complete the Jrue Holiday four-team deal. Cleveland has added three future second-rounders in the past 10 days, as Wojnarowski pointed out.

That’s not too shabby from Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman.

Adding more future second-round pick assets, including this one via Jazz deal for a pretty minor cost, is solid I guess you could call “wheeling and dealing” by Altman.

We’ll see what plays out with Tucker, whose acquisition at this point puts Cleveland at a max number of 15 players, but according to Fedor in his report referencing the deal, “Tucker is likely to be waived before Nov. 29,” that aforementioned contract guarantee date.

At any rate, as Fedor also referenced in that above tweet here for further context, if that date is “amended over the next few days,” Tucker could be able to “compete for one of the Cavs’ final roster spots in training camp.”

But again, props to Altman for the continued asset accumulation here.