The NBA Trade Deadline is scheduled for Feb. 9 and there are too many rumors that include Cleveland Cavaliers to name right now. However, there are five players on the Wine and Gold that are untouchable this trade go-around, or it seems. These players are off-limits and hopefully, the Cavs organization is sharing this with the rest of the league.
While players like Caris LeVert, Cedi Osman, Isaac Okoro, Kevin Love, and Dylan Windler continue to be the primary candidates to be dealt and are fair game, these Cavaliers are the core players of this team going forward.
Player No. 5: Dean Wade
Dean Wade is not going anywhere because he literally signed a contract extension within the last six months. While Wade isn’t the high-flying scoring machine that some fans want, he’s providing all the other things on the court that help give his team a chance at the win most nights.
You can’t replace good defense, hustle, and effort, and Wade does that every game. Many Cleveland fans have ignored how important Wade is to this current team’s success. It’s easy to pay attention to the team’s stars every night like Donovan Mitchell or Evan Mobley.
But, what you are missing while watching those guys is that Wade, when he’s on the court, is doing all the little things to help his teammates. It might be diving for a ball that is flying out of bounds or it could be getting in a defensive position to pull down a rebound when his opponent is flat-footed and being lazy on the rebound.
Whatever Wade is doing, it’s usually the right decision on the court, which is something that can’t be undersold. Without his efforts, I don’t believe this team would be in the position they are in now.
While the team can win many games just by having a player like Donovan Mitchell on the court, Wade still provides the defense and effort that you need from your lesser stars on the team. They may not get the credit that they deserve most nights but without these less glamorous players, the Cavaliers are just an average team.