3 reasons why Cavaliers should not make a deadline trade
Cavaliers need to allow this group to be tested in the playoffs
Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade and Lamar Stevens have exactly ‘0’ playoff games in their ledger. Caris LeVert has nine, and Jarrett Allen has the same nine from when they were on the Brooklyn Nets. Ricky Rubio has played in just 11. That’s a huge portion of the Cavaliers’ rotation with little-to-no playoff experience whatsoever, and only Kevin Love (63) and Donovan Mitchell (39) tipping the scale in the other direction.
This group has never played a playoff game together, let alone one a series. That is a test the Cavs can only take at the end of a season, and finally this year they look positioned to take it. Will their elite defense excel in the slowed-down postseason or struggle against spaced-out lineups. Can playoff defenses put size on Garland and Mitchell to stymie the offense, or is the two-headed attack to potent?
It might be that the Cavs come out of this postseason even more convinced of their need to add a 3-and-D wing. It may also be that Dean Wade looks like the perfect fit, or Isaac Okoro proves himself indispensable. The two-big lineup could get absolutely decimated, and the front office makes the call to move Jarrett Allen in a deal for a small forward. Caris LeVert could be rewarded with a new contract or hurried out the door.
This group doesn’t have to win this year; “windows” of contention in the NBA are fleetingly short, but there are no signs that the Cavs won’t be just as good for the next couple of seasons. Gathering more information and then making a decision in the offseason lets this group breathe, face the bright lights and prove what it has. The more data the front office has, the better informed they will be on a decision to make.
dark. Next. Cavaliers swap two wings for one in ESPN trade proposal
Should the Cavaliers make a deal at the Trade Deadline? Maybe! Or maybe not. What matters is that they are patient, waiting to find the right player at the right price. They don’t need to rush, and they need to find the right guy, because the core in place in Cleveland is special enough to win it all with the right moves.