Keeping track of all of a team’s assets is a tricky proposition. Each NBA team has somewhere around 15 players, a couple of two-way contracts and a bevy of draft picks. Those players could be under contract, non-guaranteed, restricted or unrestricted free agents, and so on. The Cleveland Cavaliers have players in all of those categories.
They also have to take all of those assets and value them, both against each other and the rest of the league. If executing a 1-for-2 trade, which player on the roster would they cut? If a team asks for Player B instead of Player A, is that a better or worse deal for the Cavs. Do they say yes or hang up the phone?
The Cavs have a lot of players to make decisions on this summer. Who on the roster should be kept, traded or cut as they make this team better?
Let’s try and sneak into the front office and peek at that evaluation chart. How is the team likely to value its various players, and what does the future hold for each? If the Cavs get their way in seeking upgrades for the team, who would be on the move or expendable, and who is likely to be sticking around?
Let’s keep it simple and break things down into three categories. Heading into the offseason and the frenzy of transactions, which players on the roster do the Cavs plan to keep? Who is available in a trade for the right price? And finally, which players are they likely to cut to add higher-value options using those roster slots?