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Pros and cons of a Cavs trade for Clippers’ Luke Kennard

By Josh Cornelissen

Luke Kennard, LA Clippers. Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Clarkson Creative/Getty Images
Luke Kennard, LA Clippers. Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Clarkson Creative/Getty Images /
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Luke Kennard, LA Clippers. Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images /

The Cleveland Cavaliers are set at three positions, for the remainder of this season and hopefully for years and years to come. Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen form a talented core that forms the outside shell of their starting lineup.

What should fill the middle of that lineup, the oh-so-valuable wing positions? There are options on the roster but each comes with potential issues, from Lauri Markkanen‘s fit at the 3 to Isaac Okoro‘s lack of spacing to Collin Sexton‘s defensive liability and potential contract cost at the 2.

The Cavs are rumored to be canvassing the league to “land a significant wing contributor” to join their young core. They could go after a blockbuster option such as Jaylen Brown or Brandon Ingram — neither of whom are necessarily available — or go for a combo forward such as Harrison Barnes. The other option is to find an offense-first option at a lower cost who can provide the secondary playmaking and perimeter scoring punch the Cavs are missing with Sexton and Ricky Rubio out.

The Cavs are looking for a scoring upgrade on the wing. Could Luke Kennard on the Clippers be a worthy trade target?

One player who could fill that need and may be available on the trade market is Luke Kennard of the LA Clippers. The former Duke Blue Devils star began his career as a late-lottery pick of the Detroit Pistons, but prior to last season was traded to the LA Clippers and signed to a contract extension.

His play for the Clippers since then has been up-and-down, but the bottom line is that he doesn’t appear to be a key member of their core moving forward, yet is owed another $51 million over the next three seasons. For a team that is balancing on the line between pushing to contend when its stars return this season or selling veterans to reduce costs while the stars continue to heal, players such as Kennard could be available for trade.

Let’s look at what a Kennard trade could look like for the Cavs, and from there discuss the pros and cons of making a deal for the sharpshooting 2-guard.