What If Wednesdays: What if the Cavs traded the 8th pick in 2018?
Cavs: Comparing “What If” to now
Ultimately, the Cavs decided against trading that 8th pick. They brought on Collin Sexton to the roster, who would become the first piece in what would be another post-James-era rebuild. But this time the rebuild felt different. With Koby Altman as GM, the Cavs’ next phase of life has looked bright, for the most part.
The current roster of Darius Garland, Collin Sexton Isaac Okoro, potential rookie of the year in-the-making Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, and a bench of Ricky Rubio, Lauri Markkanen, Kevin Love, Cedi Osman, Dylan Windler, and more is a heck of a team. This current Cavs team might not be on anyone’s radar for a championship anytime soon given the intense depth of the Eastern Conference. However, no one should count this team out as a potential playoff contender.
Sitting at 5th place in the East with a 7-4 record, this Cavs team is not the same one from recent years. In my opinion, if the Cavs had traded that 8th pick back in 2018, sure it might have convinced LeBron to stay, and having someone like Paul George or Kemba Walker suit up in the Wine and Gold would have been great to see, but at the end of the day I do not believe it would have been worth it.
dark. Next. Previewing the Cavs' upcoming four-game homestand
Is LeBron the greatest basketball player of all time? I would venture to say yes, yet one man should not make or break the future of an entire franchise. If James was bound to leave for LA anyways, those hypothetical trades would have been for nothing. I firmly believe that this dynamic youthful Cavs team has the potential to put Cleveland back on the map in the NBA. So in retrospect, the Cavs did the right thing keeping that 8th and initiating their rebuilding phase.