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Fansided

Cavaliers swap two wings for one in ESPN trade proposal

By Josh Cornelissen

CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 31: Isaac Okoro #35 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket around Josh Hart #3 of the New Orleans Pelicans during the third quarter at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on January 31, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Pelicans 93-90. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 31: Isaac Okoro #35 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket around Josh Hart #3 of the New Orleans Pelicans during the third quarter at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on January 31, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Pelicans 93-90. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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Cleveland Cavaliers
Josh Hart, Portland Trail Blazers. Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images /

Would the Cavaliers make this trade?

The question now becomes whether the Cleveland Cavaliers would make this trade. Josh Hart is a player the Cavs have been interested in going back to his days in New Orleans. He is a smart player and savvy defender, using leverage and positioning to be an excellent team defender. The Trail Blazers have been playing him at the 3 and even the 4 because of his elite rebounding; he is averaging 8.1 rebounds per game.

The problem is Hart’s shooting, and it’s both why he might be available and why he might not be a good fit for the Cavaliers. Hart has been an inconsistent shooter during his career, but what has changed this season is he has become a shooting recluse, only taking two per game. An NBA team has to get two or ideally 3-4 times that many attempts from the small forward position, especially for a team with two non-shooting bigs in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.

Cleveland doesn’t have a ton of assets, so they can’t afford to be unrealistic with their shopping list. Some fringe rotation players and a few second-round picks isn’t going to net them prime Danny Green or Robert Horry. Yet because the Cavs have so few assets, they can’t afford to shoot them on a player who doesn’t bring both defense and shooting. Otherwise, they’d be better off with what they already have.

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Hart is a tremendous player, and the Cavs would love to have him in the rotation. Lineups with Kevin Love on the court could survive with Hart and absolutely clean the glass. That being said, Hart’s lack of a shot would cripple the starting lineup, and trading both Isaac Okoro and Cedi Osman for a player who isn’t a viable starter just isn’t the right move to make.