It’s crazy to think that the NBA trade deadline is practically one month away, and pretty much no one has made any deals (besides Noah Vonleh getting traded to the San Antonio Spurs for basically nothing). For me, the trade deadline is one of the most exciting times of the year, especially for an NBA fan like myself. Even though I am in classes, I still check my phone every five or 10 minutes to see if anything major happened.
For the Cleveland Cavaliers, trading for a player could really help them in the playoffs, especially when it comes to shooting. I don’t think the roster they have now is suitable for the NBA Finals, or even the Conference Finals, for that matter. Sure, they have a star-studded top four, but other than that, their other players are somewhat lackluster.
Will the Cavs make a deal at the trade deadline, or does Koby Altman and his staff think that their roster is good enough? Personally, I could see it go either way. However, if I were Altman, I’d try to move some players or some of their second-rounders to see if they could get anyone in return.
There are many players on the trade market that could possibly be available. The Cavs have multiple players that should also be on the market, as well. Cedi Osman, Caris LeVert, and Isaac Okoro all should be possibly offered in certain trade scenarios, since their contracts are team-friendly.
To me, the small forward or backup center position is the most dire position to fill, so if there were a trade to happen, it would hopefully be for one of those positions. Just a quick note, I will not put together any trade ideas for these players, I am just noting these players as potential targets to be traded for. With that out of the way, here are a few trade targets the Cavaliers could look at/maybe deal for.
Potential target No. 1: Bojan Bogdanovic
According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, the Cavs are interested in both Tim Hardaway Jr. from the Dallas Mavericks, and Bojan Bogdanovic from the Detroit Pistons. Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports reported Cleveland is a Bogdanovic suitor first, also. Apparently for Detroit, they would want “either a young player with upside or additional draft capital,” from the team that acquires Bogdanovic. What do the Cavs have that Detroit might want? Well, their first-round picks are not really available, because of the Stepien Rule. Isaac Okoro might be intriguing to Detroit, so maybe he’d be included in a trade, if this were to happen.
To me, this fit works perfectly. Bojan is a solid small forward, who shoots well from distance. He isn’t the best defender in the world, but isn’t the worst, either. He shoots 41.6% from distance, which should be pleasing to Cleveland, if they were to acquire him. Also, Donovan Mitchell played with Bogdanovic for a few years in Utah, so that would be another reason for the Cavs to try to get him.
However, advanced stats and defensive rating show that Bogdanovic hurts the Pistons on the defensive end. But, their offensive rating soars 10 points higher when he is on the floor, versus when he is sitting on the bench. The Cavaliers could take the hit on defense if Bogdanovic were to come to the Cavs, as they do have the 2nd-best defensive rating this season, only behind the Memphis Grizzlies. The Cavs do have the 10th-best offensive rating as a team, which is okay, but definitely would improve if Bogdanovic was traded for.
Would I make this deal? If LeVert and Okoro were traded for Bogdanovic and a filler player, I’d hesitate a bit. Okoro still might be a good player in this league, so it would be hard to give him up. Also, the gap between Bogdanovic and LeVert isn’t that big, when it comes to skill level.
Maybe, but I would want Bogdanovic to be a better defender than he has been for Detroit, which isn’t impossible. Remember, Donovan Mitchell was considered a poor defender in Utah, and is now known as a solid perimeter defender in Cleveland. Anyway, keep an eye out to see if Bogdanovic is moved this season, as I do believe it has a strong chance of happening.
Potential target No. 2: Matisse Thybulle
I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again. I’m a sucker for good perimeter defenders, and Matisse Thybulle is one of the best of them. He’s already made the All-Defensive 2nd Team twice in his career, in his second and third season. He’s up for a new contract this offseason, and I am not sure if the Philadelphia 76ers will be willing to offer him a new deal.
Offensively speaking, he’s not really all that great. He’s shooting 41.0% from the field this season, and he is shooting 32.7% from distance. He’s also never shot over 1.0 free throw attempts per game in his entire career, which isn’t all that eye-popping. This is why Philadelphia might want to move on from him, because of his lack of offense.
However, he is a defensive monster. He isn’t getting a lot of playing time this season, so I won’t judge him for his poor stats this year. But, last season he averaged 1.7 steals per game and 1.1 blocks per game (he’s only 6’5”and getting over a block a night!). He’s also only 25 years old, so he might be able to grow more offensively.
I know this doesn’t really have a lot to do with basketball, but I loved his vlogs in the NBA bubble a few years ago. I thought that he is a really nice guy and would definitely fit well in the Cavs’ locker room. Plus, he’s only making a bit over $4 million this year, so maybe trading Dylan Windler and some second-round picks could get the deal done.
Would I trade for Thybulle? Yes, 100%. I think having someone who can be put on the opponent’s best wing or guard could be really helpful, especially in the playoffs. Giving up Windler isn’t the end of the world, and the Cavs have multiple second-round picks still available, assuming Philadelphia would accept the trade in that sense.
Potential target No. 3: Isaiah Hartenstein
I will also admit, I am a fan of Isaiah Hartenstein. He does everything you want in a backup center. He can rebound, block shots, and finish around the rim. He’s not the flashiest name in the world, but that’s okay. He plays for the New York Knicks, who have an abundance of big men, in my opinion. Sure, they just signed him this offseason, but I do think the Cavaliers would like having him on the team.
Also, Hartenstein did play for the Cavs only two seasons ago. He was traded here from the Denver Nuggets, along with two second-round picks, for JaVale McGee. Per-36 minutes, Hartenstein grabs 11.9 rebounds, and also 5.2 offensive rebounds. He isn’t the best shooter in the world, though.
Shooting 75.7% from the free throw line as a center is really good, but he isn’t much of a threat from outside the 3-point arc. This season, for the Knicks, he is shooting 24.2% from deep on 0.8 attempts per night, so he isn’t much of a reliable shooter.
To me, I would want Hartenstein because of the lack of a backup center (sorry, Robin Lopez). There isn’t a really good backup center on the roster that should play in the playoffs. I’m not sure what the Cavs could give up for Hartenstein, but it would probably have to include Cedi Osman. As much as I am a fan of Cedi, he’d probably be the one to be sent off to New York to make this deal happen.
Would I make this deal? As much as I’m a big Cedi fan, I would pull the trigger. Assuming a second-round pick or two is also sent to New York, the deal should be acceptable for both sides. Cedi is a fan favorite, so it would be hard to see him go, but if it means going far in the playoffs, I think it would be worth it.
All in all, this trade deadline is very important for the Cavs, if they want to make it far in the playoffs. Will they make a move? It’s hard to say, but I think that Koby Altman knows what he is doing.