3 increasingly bold ways for Cavs to enter Russell Westbrook trade

3 bold ways for Cavs to enter Westbrook trade: Trading for Westbrook himself

Finally, we come to the boldest option of them all. What if the Cleveland Cavaliers traded for Russell Westbrook himself?

That seems insane on the surface. Westbrook has very little to offer a winning team at this point in his career, and his salary of $47 million is an incredible burden for any team to bear. Why would the Cavs give up multiple players to take on one of the most difficult player/contract situations in the league?

The answer is that the Cavs should be playing the long game. Their entire core is very young, and they aren’t going to win a title this season. In trading for Westbrook, the Cavs would be adding a couple of high-upside draft picks to reload when the team is ready to contend in a few years. With Westbrook coming off the books next summer, they could still make use of their cap space to add another major piece. Players will want to come and play with the young core of stars that has been assembled in Cleveland.

The Donovan Mitchell trade made it less likely the Cavs want to get involved in a deal now, but suffice it to say that the Cavs should be doing their due diligence in staying abreast of the Westbrook trade discussions, in case there is an opportunity to step into a deal and upgrade the roster. Whether it’s adding a player, a pick or both, this front office has shown in the past and the present that they aren’t afraid to jump into a trade, to the benefit of the team.