Cam Reddish was a trade target that has been linked to the Cleveland Cavaliers since the beginning of the season, and realistically, since the past offseason. The 22-year-old would have given the team a much-needed scoring punch in wake of the Collin Sexton injury.
Unfortunately, the Atlanta Hawks traded Reddish, in addition to Solomon Hill and a second-round pick, to the New York Knicks in exchange for Kevin Knox and a protected first-round pick, per a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Considering the potential that many think Reddish has, the trade package to acquire him was relatively small. The Hawks did receive a project player with potential in Kevin Knox, but I was expecting more in return for such a gifted player.
While the Cavs might have missed out on a promising, young wing, there are still plenty of trade targets that could help fill the scoring void in Cleveland.
The Cavaliers can start to compete in the Eastern Conference Playoffs as soon as this season. If they want to make some real noise and go after the powerhouses in the East, then they need to do anything they can to make their offense better.
Here are three players the Cavs should target after missing out on Cam Reddish.
3 players the Cavs should target following Reddish trade – #1: Buddy Hield
Buddy Hield would be the perfect addition to a Cavaliers team that has struggled on the offensive side of the court.
The Cavs currently rank 21st in the NBA in points per game. If Buddy Hield can do anything, it’s score the basketball. Over the last four seasons, Hield is averaging 18.3 points per game in 32 minutes.
While he has a soft touch around the rim and has the skills to score in the mid-range, he does most of his damage from the three-point line. In fact, he’s actually been one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA over the last few years.
Among the top 15 players in three-point attempts this season, Hield ranks fifth in three-point efficiency at 38 percent from deep, per NBA.com. The Oklahoma product also ranks second in three-point makes, as he has since 2019-20 season.
Hield has also shown that he can serve up big performances in big games. In early October, Buddy Hield led the Kings to a big road victory over the #1 seed Phoenix Suns with 26 points and 7 threes in just 27 minutes off the bench.
Big-game capability is of the upmost importance when it comes to the Playoffs, and the Cavs should have the mindset of a serious postseason team.
What makes Hield even more valuable is that he almost never misses games. What’s the old saying? The best ability is availability? Well Buddy Hield should be the poster child of that saying. Hield has missed 3 total games of the possible 434 games in his 7-year career while averaging 28.9 minutes per game. The guy can stay on the court, shoot efficiently from the three-point line at a high clip and produce in big games that the Cavaliers are sure to participate in come the postseason. Sign me up.
The aforementioned Wojnarowski reported in July that the Lakers were nearing a trade for Buddy Hield that would have sent Kyle Kuzma and Montrezl Harrell to the Kings. The trade eventually fell through once the Lakers were able to acquire Russell Westbrook.
Considering the Kings are going through yet another losing season, I wouldn’t be surprised if they go into full-on rebuild mode and trade their vets. One can only assume that Buddy Hield would be one of those vets.
The Cavs should pounce on a trade for the 29-year-old Hield if the price is right. His skills would be the perfect complement to the playmaking abilities of Darius Garland and Rajon Rondo, among others.
For a team that sits in the middle of the pack when it comes to three-point makes and efficiency, trading for a player like Buddy Hield would pay dividends.
3 players the Cavs should target following Reddish trade – #2: Harrison Barnes
Speaking of potential casualties of a possible Kings overhaul, Harrison Barnes would fall right in line as a scoring threat in Cleveland.
Barnes has proven to be a reliable scoring threat anywhere he goes. With the Golden State Warriors, he carved out an important scoring role on a championship team by averaging 10.6 points per game during the Warriors championship run in 2015.
In Dallas, he proved that he can be the offensive focal point for a team as he led the Mavericks in scoring over the course of two seasons by averaging 19 points per game.
In Sacramento, he showed that he can play a complementary role to young players like De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton while still managing to produce on his own.
This season, Barnes is averaging 16.3 points per game on 45.3 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from three.
He hangs his hat on his offensive efficiency and the Cavs can’t get enough of that. However, he shouldn’t be painted into a corner as just some offensive help. Barnes would be an invaluable piece when it comes to life in the locker room.
From a fan’s perspective, the Cavaliers have a great locker room culture. But, they could use more championship experience. Adding Harrison Barnes to the list of champions in the locker room could help build the intangibles that any young team could use.
Kevin Love and Rajon Rondo provide that, but trading for yet another championship-caliber player could be just enough to lift the Cavs to new heights.
Similar to Hield, I can’t imagine the asking price for the 29-year-old vet is too high for the Cavs not to get involved.
Harrison Barnes won’t change life on defense, but he is an efficient scorer who can help the Cavs tremendously when it comes to putting points on the board and sharing his championship wisdom. He’s a player who can come right in and average 14 to 16 points per game without disrupting any of the promising growth of the young guys. What more can you ask for?
3 players the Cavs should target following Reddish trade – #3: Caris LeVert
Ah yes, the trade target that is constantly talked about amongst the Cavs community.
Not only do I believe he would be a seamless fit on the roster and generally make the Cavaliers a better team on offense, I also believe that he is the target most likely to be traded to Cleveland.
Similar to Cam Reddish, Caris LeVert has been linked to the Cavs as a potential trade target for quite some time now. And on Monday, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported (subscription required) that the Cavs are interested in acquiring LeVert in wake of the season-ending injuries to Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio.
Over the last three seasons, LeVert has averaged 19 points per game on 43.4 percent from the field and 33.6 percent from three. He’s just one of those players that can put the ball in the basket at a high volume, something the Cavs desperately need.
However, trading for the 27-year-old guard would come with health concerns. LeVert suffered a stress fracture in his back in the offseason, forcing him to miss the first six games of the season. Before that, LeVert suffered several injuries that forced him to miss chunks of games over his career, including a cancer diagnosis in the early part of 2021. He has since recovered.
While this does make for a risky trade target, I think the Cavaliers should still show serious interest in the 6-year vet. He satisfies everything the Cavs should want in a trade target. Not only is he a more than capable scorer, but he is also a capable ball-handler that can make plays and provide instant offense.
He has the capability of becoming the leading scorer on the team while Sexton is out. He’s not the most efficient scorer from deep, but he knows how to get to his spots and create scoring opportunities. Essentially, that’s what the Cavaliers are missing with Sexton out.
The Indiana Pacers seem to be eager to make a few moves before the trade deadline on February 10. Rumors of Myles Turner and even Domantas Sabonis being on the move have circulated over the last couple months, which makes me think the cost for LeVert shouldn’t be too lofty.
Granted, Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer did report that the Pacers are seeking multiple first-round picks for LeVert. But with them seemingly headed for a potential full-rebuild, I wouldn’t be surprised if that wouldn’t ultimately be required.
If the Cavs can get Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes or Caris LeVert without giving up too many assets, then they should absolutely make a move.
The defense in Cleveland has been phenomenal for most of the season. Now it’s time to make the offense better and let the rest of the NBA know that the Cavaliers mean business.