3 burning questions we hope are answered at Cavs Media Day

3 burning questions for Cavs Media Day: Why trade Lauri Markkanen?

The Cleveland Cavaliers did a three-for-one swap earlier this month when they traded Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji and Collin Sexton (the latter as a sign-and-trade participant) to the Utah Jazz for Donovan Mitchell. That stacking of players was necessary in order to match Mitchell’s salary; it’s called “aggregation” and was necessary no matter which players the Cavs sent back.

Sexton being a part of the deal was a given; the Cavs needed to move him, the Jazz have been reportedly interested in him for a long time, and he signed for a strong salary amount. Likewise, Ochai Agbaji as this year’s rookie selection was always going to be in the deal as the Jazz collect young talent.

The question is whether Lauri Markkanen had to be a part of the trade. Why not Caris LeVert? For the Cavs, the addition of Mitchell made LeVert that much more redundant on this team, while Markkanen played a clear role and could have continued to start at small forward.

Did the Cavs move Markkanen because they wanted the salary cap flexibility next summer? That seems unlikely given that they have already agreed to a contract extension &#$#(#@*$ with Dean Wade, something they likely don’t do with serious cap space designs for next summer.

Was it therefore the Jazz demanding that Markkanen, not LeVert, be included in the trade? He is under contract for another two seasons longer than LeVert, which may be meaningful if the Jazz want to keep him around. If he is just another flotsam veteran contract to flip, would LeVert have been more valuable?

Keeping Markkanen would have given the Cavs a boost, and given his dominant play in EuroBasket 2022 would have afforded them a solid piece to keep in the second ring of their core. If it took a second-round pick to make it LeVert in the deal instead, should the Cavs have paid it? Hopefully Koby Altman speaks to why Markkanen was in the trade.