The Cleveland Cavaliers have been previously reported as being one of the three clubs that are expected to be “sellers” nearing the trade deadline period, according to ESPN’s Tim McMahon on ESPN’s Brian Windhorst’s The Hoop Collective podcast. Plenty of Cavs rumors about potential trades have been floating around, particularly Andre Drummond.
Of course, given what’s played out involving the Cavaliers and Drummond/his camp, the club has reportedly been searching for a trade for the expiring big. The Cavaliers have reportedly had trade discussions with the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat involving Drummond, and in terms of clubs that have been linked to Drummond, you can view more here.
The Dallas Mavericks, which were a club that have been rumored to have interest in Dre, of which you can view the reported details about above, reportedly are not interested in acquiring Drummond via potential trade, though. Per a report from Sam Amico of Forty Eight Minutes and OutKick, the Mavs would only have interest in Drummond via buyout, if that were to play out, and the same would go for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Regarding others, Amico noted how the Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics and LA Clippers and continue to be linked to Drummond, albeit they would seem to be via buyout.
The New York Knicks, would appear to be a sensible Drummond trade partner, though, and per one of Amico’s sources, the Knicks are considered the “frontrunner” for Drummond, and Amico hit on how the Portland Trail Blazers have been a club linked to Drummond as well, for what it’s worth.
Additionally, the Chicago Bulls, per a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (subscription required) “have registered interest in Drummond,” albeit Charania did state that “skepticism remains” in regards to if the Cavs will end up finding a logical trade.
Perhaps a potential Drummond deal involving the Bulls, given that Drummond is expiring, even while he is set to make $28.7 million this season, could involve him being sent there in exchange for the expiring Otto Porter Jr., whose been a subject of trade rumors as well?
A future second-round pick added to a deal would be something I’d expect to be involved, too; after all, Porter has had injury concerns in recent seasons, and has been shut down of late because of a back injury.
Albeit Porter is a quality shooting wing that can get his in the pull-up game when healthy, and could perhaps be a player Cleveland could look to re-sign in the upcoming offseason as a veteran presence that can aid in the development of Isaac Okoro and perhaps a wing Cleveland looks to draft?
We’ll have to see if something involved Cleveland and Chicago plays out, anyhow.
Before that Drummond bit from Charania, though, he did also state in his report that the Cavaliers have “also been open to discussing” dealing Cedi Osman, Taurean Prince and JaVale McGee in the “right deal,” per his sources.
Cavs rumors about Osman, Prince and McGee being potentially available aren’t surprising, really.
With Osman and Prince, factoring in Isaac Okoro and Dylan Windler, and Cleveland potentially selecting a big-time prospect such as Jonathan Kuminga or Jalen Green in the upcoming draft, it’s not shocking that those two vets could potentially be had.
Granted, both have value for this Cavs team, with Osman having had 10.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per outing this season, primarily as a bench contributor, whereas Prince has had 8.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists per outing, also as mostly a bench contributor.
The latter of course, was a mid-January trade acquisition by way of the Brooklyn Nets, albeit was not clearly the centerpiece involved in that, whereas Jarrett Allen, whose set to be Cleveland’s 5 man of the future, was.
Prince, whose shot 40.6 percent from three-point range with the Cavaliers in 25 appearances thus far, though, has done a nice job as a rotational floor spacer, and similarly to Cedi, has in the ball movement sense. And before he recently got banged up involving left ankle soreness, had been a solid on-ball presence.
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Nonetheless, with both, when considering how Okoro and Windler have been progressing, and with Osman being on a fairly team-friendly, declining contract going onward, and with Prince being set to be expiring after next season (when he’ll make $13 million), these Cavs rumors aren’t that shocking.
Plus, even two-way forward Lamar Stevens, whose proven to be a very solid defender for spurts and has given Cleveland energy, making his presence felt, perhaps his emergence could have played into that, too.
In terms of potential Osman suitors, the aforementioned Amico did report that the Nets and Clippers have shown interest in Cedi.
Albeit maybe the Cavs and Bulls could work out a deal involving Drummond and either Prince or Osman sent out, plus one of Cleveland’s second-round picks in coming years, in exchange Porter Jr. and Tomas Satoransky?
Sato is a valuable player for Chicago, but Coby White, with Zach LaVine, Thaddeus Young and others could make up for it in the playmaking sense, and Osman could help from a rotational standpoint somewhat. We’ll again, have to see about Cedi and Taurean, though.
And lastly, on the subject of McGee, he’s been a rumored trade candidate previously, factoring in him being a capable backup 5, having plenty of postseason experience/being a recent three-time NBA champion, and him seemingly being a key leadership/locker room presence.
McGee, who was acquired via trade before the season from the Lakers, is on an expiring $4.2 million deal, too, and in terms of potential trade partners for him, Amico reported how one opposing executive stated the Milwaukee Bucks may an interest in McGee, and Brooklyn has. It’d also seem that the Miami Heat and Golden State Warrriors could be in the market for him?
Brooklyn does have Nicolas Claxton seemingly back in the fold, but McGee was reportedly a target for them before, and for the Heat and Warriors, both are thin when it comes to available 5s right now from a depth standpoint. And while the Nets were granted a $5.7 million disabled player exception, the Warriors were previously granted a $9.3 million DPE and the Heat were granted a $4.7 million one.
So factoring in the Cavs potentially being able to return a backup big in a possible Drummond deal, such as Nerlens Noel, or perhaps via free agency/team-friendly deal after the March 25 deadline, such as maybe Dewayne Dedmon, maybe a McGee deal for a second-round pick could be a realistic one?
I don’t know if the Cavaliers would consider that as qualifying for the “right deal,” in Charania’s sources’ words, but it could give Cleveland more roster flexibility for a potential Drummond deal.
And as a side note here, Amico also reported that in the realm of other possible Cavs trade candidates, Cleveland would “love” to move Kevin Love, albeit one opposing general manager predicated ‘That’s not happening.'” Love’s barely played this season due to a right calf strain/reaggravation, and these sort of rumors involving him are nothing new.
Amico would then report how “several contenders” are expected to make a run at Larry Nance Jr., who seems likely to return from a fractured left hand soon, but the Cavs have “no desire” to move Nance.
Rest assured, more Cavs rumors about possible trades, obviously involving Drummond, and perhaps involving Osman, Prince and/or McGee over the All-Star break would seem set to come. It will be fun to see if any deals do happen fairly soon, even.