Last season the Cleveland Cavaliers thrived starting what was essentially three bigs. The skillset of Lauri Markkanen allowed him to start at the 3 and space the court for Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, and the confidence he gained in Cleveland seems to be serving him well in Utah, where he was recently selected to the All-Star roster.
Defensively was where the trio truly shined, as Markkanen’s size allowed him to switch actions with both Mobley and Allen. The slivers of space in the paint are already tiny with those two seven-footers roaming around, but when they can switch perimeter actions suddenly there was no getting in. If Allen had stayed healthy down the stretch the Cavs may have finished as the league’s top defense.
The Cleveland Cavaliers thrived last season starting three bigs
Markkanen is now in Utah, and the Cavs haven’t been able to land on a replacement. They certainly have options in-house, but they’re looking around on the trade market as well. Most of the players they have been linked to are smaller wings, 2s and 3s whose focus is hitting perimeter shots. That’s certainly a need for this team.
Yet there is something alluring about leaning the other way, looking for a power forward who is skilled enough to start at the 3 and help this team unlock those size-driven switching strategies. One player going under the radar but potentially available is on the Boston Celtics. Let’s look closer at the Cavs’ trade target and how a trade might look.