Hot starts for these Cavs trade targets could grease the skids

Hot start for Cavs trade targets: Josh Richardson

It’s not so long ago that Josh Richardson was the gem of the NBA’s eye, a tough wing defender who developed himself into a capable on-ball creator and was on a bargain contract. Then he was traded away from the Miami Heat in the Jimmy Butler deal, and he found himself failing to live up to the hype in every stop. He lasted 55 games in Philadelphia, 59 in Dallas and 44 in Boston.

Then he landed in San Antonio, and something about the water or the sunshine or visiting the Alamo seems to have resurrected his career. He is passing and creating offense as he has not in a while, and he has increased both his 3-point volume and shooting from recent seasons.

That has not made him a candidate to start on a good team, but it does seem to have indicated he still has something to offer when placed in the right role. If Ricky Rubio is delayed in his return the Cavs could scan the market for guard defenders capable of intermixing with Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland defensively, while on offense not providing the absolute ‘0’ that Isaac Okoro has thus far.

None of these options are game-changing no-brainer acquisitions, but the Cavs moved so much draft capital to get Mitchell that they have to shop in the bargain bin. Perhaps the hot shooting starts for these three wings will make them available on the trade market, and an option for Cleveland to upgrade its rotation.