Now the Cavs absolutely have to trade away Caris LeVert

Cavs absolutely have to trade Caris LeVert: Can they do it?

Caris LeVert surely has some value around the league. The Cavs’ reportedly paid as much as they did at February’s trade deadline because they were outbidding other teams like the New York Knicks. His end to the season with the Cavs was rocky, but most of that was injury-related.

The difficulty in moving LeVert is that as a 28-year-old player on an expiring contract, he would be most valuable for a team trying to win. Most of those teams want to keep their two-way wings. Rebuilding teams won’t trade for him, at least not with much return. Of the other group of teams, formerly-rebuilding teams now hoping to win, they tend to be stocked with backcourt players — teams like the Sacramento Kings and Washington Wizards.

If the Cavs could attach a sweetener to LeVert’s contract it’s possible they could find something, but they just traded most of their draft capital for Donovan Mitchell. They can offer a few second-round picks, or a player like Dylan Windler or Lamar Stevens, but those don’t move the needle much.

There may be a few potential trades out there, however, and the Cavs need to canvas the league to try to find one. LeVert doesn’t fit with this roster, and his expiring deal and limited role will only reduce his value as the season goes on. The Cavs absolutely need to trade Caris LeVert, and they need to do it soon.