Is pitched trade for Hawks guard the right swing for Cavs?

Cavs trade for Hawks guard: Would they do it?

The player that the Cleveland Cavaliers most need in their starting lineup is a classic 3-and-D wing, a guy with size, defensive chops and a lethal 3-point shot. The problem is that everyone needs that kind of player, and even if you have one, having more is better. They are rarely available on the trade market.

The Cavs have the version of that player that skews toward defense, but trading for Bogdanovic would allow them to skew in the other direction. Bogdanovic is a very talented offensive player, a career 38.5 percent shooter from 3-point range hitting 40.8 percent this season. He is a decent playmaker who thrives on attacking mismatches when a team’s primary option warps the defense.

At 6’6″ he doesn’t have the ideal size for what the Cavs want to do defensively at the 3, but that’s an inch taller than Isaac Okoro and the same height as Lamar Stevens. His wingspan of 6’11” will help him guard up at the 3 as well. Basketball Reference estimates that he has played 72 percent of his minutes at one of the forward spots and just 27 percent at shooting guard, a shift likely spurred on by the presence of Young and Murray. Bogdanovic could do something similar with the Cavs.

Is Bogdanovic the best version of what the Cavs want? No, but they may not be able to get that. Bogdanovic gives them a lockdown shooter and a good secondary playmaker who is less redundant playing with the team’s on-ball stars than LeVert was. Defensively, Bogdanovic is below-average, but in the Cavs’ scheme, it’s not unreasonable to think he could take a step forward, just as players like Lauri Markkanen and Donovan Mitchell have.

In the end, this isn’t a bad use of LeVert’s expiring contract, and Bogdanovic has a lot of talent. That being said, the Cavs should hope they can find a more seamless fit that helps them maintain their defensive identity.

Grade: B-