ESPN Analyst: ‘This is a home run trade for the Cavaliers’

Every so often a blockbuster trade comes as a total surprise, and so it was on Thursday when the news broke that the Cleveland Cavaliers had traded for Utah Jazz All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell. After weeks of speculation that the New York Knicks would ultimately land Mitchell, it came as a shock that the Cavs stepped in at the midnight hour to make a deal.

The final trade tally was heavy for the Cavs. They sent Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, 2022 NBA lottery pick Ochai Agbaji, three unprotected first-round picks and two unprotected pick swaps. In return, the Cavs get Donovan Mitchell, one of the league’s premier offensive forces.

The Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off a blockbuster trade for Donovan Mitchell. What did one ESPN analyst have to say about the deal on first pass?

Reactions to the trade have been coming from all angles, including here on the site as we examine the team’s new young core and why this trade was a slam dunk. In the moments right after the trade itself, however, a prominent ESPN analyst was quick to share his thoughts on the trade.

Bobby Marks is a former front-office executive who now works for ESPN, producing content that both analyzes the league and specifically looks into the minute of the salary cap and league rules. His evaluation of any deal is not simply a gut reaction to the celebrities involved, but an informed response to the entire picture.

For Marks to say this is a “home run trade” is the real deal. Mitchell’s age, on-court play and long-term contract all made sense for Marks. He’s right that Mitchell’s long-term future in Cleveland is an important factor, but as things stand right now, he sees the Cavs as big winners.

Marks then stayed true to form, sharing how the numbers broke down to make the money work out.

There is a lot still to unpack from this deal, including how the starting lineup and rotation will look, whether Caris LeVert is moved, and how Mitchell and Garland fit together on offense and defense. Yet the transaction itself, while an expensive move for the Cavs, kept their core three together and set them up to take that next step forward.

To continue Marks’ metaphor, the New York Knicks struck out, while the Cavs hit the ball over the fence. Whether they win the game or not is still to be determined, but it was a power move from a team that is suddenly a power themselves in the Eastern Conference.