Top five Cleveland Cavaliers offseason trade chips
By John Suchan
Cavs trade chip No. 4: Collin Sexton
Collin Sexton is still waiting on signing a new contract with the Cavs. Could the team try trading him this offseason and either pick up a veteran player or two, following a sign-and-trade?
Sexton is likely the biggest trade asset the team has and is willing to part with if a trade option came up in discussion with other teams in the league in coming weeks. Sexton is set to become a restricted free agent next month after the draft is over. Would the Cavaliers sign him to a new contract and then trade him eventually, or could a potential sign-and-trade be the better route sooner?
Right now, Sexton has been linked to several teams from the Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards and the Indiana Pacers, among others. We’ll have to wait and see if the Cavs are all in on keeping Sexton around; it still seems they very well could be. But time will tell if he ends up being given a new deal by the Cavaliers.
Cavs trade chip No. 3: Kevin Love
The Cavaliers’ oldest player and most experienced veteran and legitimate star is Kevin Love. He’s owed a ton of money. He’s due $29 million this next season. If the Cavs were able to trade Love they might be able to find a player or an extra draft pick that would be better for the team long term.
While Love has been an important part of this past year’s team he could be a player the Cavs see as expendable and a player that some teams in the league that are trending up and are competing for championships now might be willing to trade for.
Love could provide that instant offense to another team looking for that type of sixth man player that could come off the bench like he did this past season. With Love being in the last year of his current contract other teams might be more inclined to take on a trade. Some veterans that have been brought up in trade rumors include Harrison Barnes, from the Sacramento Kings, Gordon Hayward of the Charlotte Hornets, and Mike Conley of the Utah Jazz.
While Love has been a big reason for the great season that was this past year, it might be time to trade him and give him one last run with another NBA team.