Top five Cleveland Cavaliers offseason trade chips

Cavs trade chip No. 2: Isaac Okoro

While Love is that older player that some teams might find appealing, Isaac Okoro is that young player that would be attractive to another squad because he’s learning a lot in only his first two seasons with the Cavs and he’ll continue to get better. Okoro’s defense is outstanding already and he could help a team needing better defensive play.

His offensive game improved in Year 2 but it’s still a work in progress. He actually had a worse scoring average in his sophomore season when he averaged 8.8 points a game, albeit playing a bit less.

Okoro was a starter these past two seasons. His shooting accuracy improved as he went up from 42% from the floor to 48% percent this last season. But Okoro’s biggest trade value might be his age and that potential upside he has. He’s still only 21 years old.

If Okoro were to be traded it would likely include a teammate like Cedi Osman seemingly, or a different player, the 14th pick, in what’d formally be after the pick, or even the next player we’ll discuss.

Cavs trade chip No. 1: Caris LeVert

Caris LeVert was traded to Cleveland last winter in hopes that he’d be the difference in helping the team reach the playoffs. That didn’t happen. LeVert was also hurt for some of his time with the Cavs so that stalled some of his progress with the team.

LeVert has a lot of experience as both a starter and a bench player, however. And a playoff team in the league might look to LeVert in either role and he could definitely help an established team.

The Cavs were asking a lot from LeVert last season on short notice. Given a new full season with the team could make a big difference next year. But LeVert seems to be a player the Cavaliers might include in any potential trade. He wasn’t with the team that long and making him a part of a trade package might be what the Cavs need to do to trade for a player that might make a bigger difference to the team.

The Cavs are a rising team in the league and despite the team having to potentially trade a player or two, the team at least has options more now because of their recent successes. Trading the No. 14 pick for more picks or throwing that pick in to gain a veteran player (formally post-draft) in the NBA already seems like the best option in my opinion at this point.

The team already has a nice nucleus of young talent and gaining a more savvy established player in the league seems more of a benefit to the team.