Cavs Trade Rumors: 4 teams, 4 Cedi Osman trade offers
Cavs Trade Rumors: Dallas Mavericks
Why Mavericks are Interested: The Mavericks run a heliocentric offense around Luka Doncic, and the best players to slot into rotation minutes with him are shooters who don’t need the ball in their hands. They have a decent number of players who could fit that bill, but Josh Green has completely failed to develop a workable NBA jumper and Reggie Bullock, signed to fill that role, is shooting just 34.1 percent from deep this year.
Cedi Osman could get the Mavericks more of a steady shooting presence and another body in the wing rotation, To do so they would likely have to give up legitimate draft capital of their own to use Dwight Powell as matching salary, or (as laid out above) they could execute a different kind of deal. Instead of paying through the nose to retain Dorian Finney-Smith this summer they could move him now, add Green as a developmental wing who better fits the Cavs’ timeline, and then get back Osman and a first-round pick they can then flip to add another piece, possibly then with Powell’s contract as matching salary.
That’s a lot of moving parts. Suffice it to say, Dallas’ interest in Osman makes sense, but things get complicated quickly when you try to start working out a deal.
Would Cavs say yes? Dorian Finney-Smith absolutely fills a need on this team, a combination of Osman and Lamar Stevens with a long, consistent track record. He can guard up to point guards and down to power forwards or even some centers, and would fit in a variety of lineups. Green has shown potential with more playing time this season and the Cavs can afford to be patient with him.
The problem is that Finney-Smith is on an expiring contract and due for a significant pay raise. Not only would that press the Cavs up against the luxury tax (and likely over) as early as next season, there is no indication he wants to stay in Cleveland. They need to find a wing with some playmaking or creation pop. Finney-Smith is an excellent player for any playoff team, but he doesn’t solve the Cavs’ biggest needs and thus won’t be worth a first-round pick.
Verdict: Probably not.