Cavaliers trade rumors: Should Cavs flip Okoro for this veteran wing?

Would the Cavaliers trade Okoro for Richardson?

This deal works for the Spurs, but should it work for the Cleveland Cavaliers? Questions like that always come down to an organization’s belief in a young player. If the Cavs give up on Okoro too soon, they will regret selling low on him. If they hold on too long, he loses his value and they are stuck without the upgrade they needed.

Josh Richardson deserves credit for how he has improved his offensive game. The career 36.5 percent 3-point shooter has shot 38.9 percent with the Spurs over the 61 games he has played for the team. He is better at positioning himself off the ball and looks like a player who could fill a role on a better team.

With that being said, Richardson has worked hard to simply become something close to what Okoro is now. “Ice” is not quite as stout as Richardson but otherwise is a superior defender, while the decent on-ball creation Richardson offers isn’t needed on the Cavs. Offensively Okoro still has work to do on his jump-shot, but it’s certainly much better than it was.

Trading Okoro for Richardson is a low-ceiling move that discard his potential for the mere possibility of an upgrade now. There is not much evidence that Richardson would represent an upgrade on what Okoro is offering now, and the upside still there with Okoro makes this a deal to pass on.