Cavs may want to consider trading for Kings’ Alex Len

The Cleveland Cavaliers took their swing a couple of days ago in trading for Indiana Pacers guard/wing Caris LeVert, in what was in exchange for Ricky Rubio’s expiring contract, Cleveland’s lottery-protected first-round pick in 2022, and for this draft, Cleveland’s 2022 second-rounder via the Houston Rockets. The Cavs sent a 2027 second-rounder via the Utah Jazz to Indiana, too, and the Pacers attached a 2022 second-rounder via the Miami Heat with LeVert.

With the Cavaliers’ injuries to their backcourt, with Rubio himself being lost for the season, and Collin Sexton likely not returning this season, it was not surprising to see that trade go down. LeVert was a player that was linked to the Cavs for some time as a potential trade target, among others, and Cleveland was reportedly trying to trade for him on the weekend prior to that.

We’ll have to see as far as the outlook for Sexton, who appears set to restricted free agency this summer, but the Cavaliers do reportedly want to keep him, per Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype. LeVert is a player that is extension-eligible this upcoming offseason, though, and one would assume Cleveland and him/his representation will try to get something done.

It would behoove the Cavs, in my opinion, to try to keep Sexton around long-term, too; it’s not certain as to what will play out. I do think that with LeVert having dealt with injuries throughout his career, that it’d be beneficial to have Sexton around too, however. And Darius Garland himself, who is currently dealing with back soreness, has at times had nagging ailments here and there in his near-2.5 seasons thus far.

Anyway, while it was understandable that the Cavaliers made that LeVert move to help Garland and the offensive outlook, in my opinion, even with it being a significant issue, the Cavs might want to look into getting a more legitimate reserve 5 via trade, too.

Evan Mobley is still a guy I’d expect to get minutes at the 5 in non-Jarrett Allen spurts, and I’m fine with that, or perhaps Kevin Love at times. That said, I do still believe that with Ed Davis being realistically out of the rotation and being floated around in trade rumors and not being an on-floor contributor normally, perhaps Cleveland could float him and a future second-round pick in exchange for capable backup 5s.

One that comes to mind that would seem to be realistic is Alex Len of the Sacramento Kings. I’d get if the Cavs possibly inquired about Mohamed Bamba, (perhaps in a multi-team deal) or Nerlens Noel, but those don’t seem that realistic.

Now, as an aside, many have suggested that the Cavaliers maybe look to deal for more guard insurance, and per reports from Evan Dammarell of Right Down Euclid and Fear The Sword and Jared Weiss of The Athletic, the team has had trade conversations with the Boston Celtics centered on Dennis Schroder (both subscription required).

Perhaps a deal potentially were to get done to land Schroder, and Dammarell a couple of weeks in a report suggested Dylan Windler, Kevin Pangos and Cleveland’s 2022 second via San Antonio could maybe get that done. Weiss reported how the Cavs are still in the mix for Schroder too, and could put together a package involving “two of” Pangos, Windler or Davis, to go with a pick it seems for Schroder, from a luxury tax standpoint.

Maybe whether or not that hypothetical were to ensue, the Cavaliers could still make a trade for Len, in exchange for Davis and a future second-round pick for Len sent to the Kings?

The Cavs could use playable depth at the 5, and with that in mind, they may want to consider trading for Len.

With the Kings having so many bigs, and recently trading for Domantas Sabonis, per Adrian Wojnarowski, I would think Len could be had, for an expiring in Davis and a future second, perhaps Cleveland’s in 2023 or 2025. He’s fallen out of the rotation, for the most part, of late, anyhow. That doesn’t mean he’s not useful for bench stretches.

Granted, I’d get from a leadership standpoint, if he were to be bought out by Indiana following his trade there, if the Cavs picked up former longtime Cav Tristan Thompson after that possibility, and Dammarell suggested that if Davis were moved. So many among the Cavs Twitterverse did as well, as one would assume.

The Cavaliers could maybe look into that with Collin Sexton’s Disabled Player Exception if they weren’t in luxury tax range following maybe a different move; we’d have to see.

To me, though, a potential Len acquisition wouldn’t cost much, Cleveland would still not be in luxury tax territory, even post-Schroder deal likely, and the 7-foot, 250-pound Len could be an additional rim protector for Cleveland from a reserve perspective.

Sure, fouling is an issue with Len, as evidenced by him having 4.9 fouls per-36 minutes for his career, but he’s been far more impactful defensively on the interior in recent seasons as he’s filled out, with 2.0 blocks per-36 minutes in the last three seasons, despite bouncing around.

And in filling in for Allen, fouling isn’t as big of a concern. In working with the Cavs staff, and with having other guys around him such as Evan Mobley, Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade perhaps, that could help Len as well.

Additionally, while I wouldn’t get a ton of looks, Len, who has had 6.3 points in 16.8 minutes per outing with Sacramento this season and 7.1 points per game with the Washington Wizards following a trade last season, is more of a legitimate offensive threat than say, Thompson. That’s as a finisher in occasional post-up situations and/or as a roller/cutter, and he’s far more viable than Davis when he has gotten minutes.

Len has shown some capability in the mid-range to hit open looks, also, which could aid Cleveland’s offense a bit in non-Allen minutes.

So to reiterate, though it’s not necessarily a big concern, the Cavaliers might want to consider acquiring another playable 5 via trade, and Len, who turns 29 in June, might be a logical trade target. He’s a player that’s signed through next season as well, when he’ll be due to make $3.9 million.

The Cavs could seemingly flip him if they wanted to in the offseason via trade down the road, too, to that point.