How Cavaliers leap into blockbuster trade to land starting SF

Would the Cavaliers accept this trade?

Now comes the key question for the Cleveland Cavaliers: if the Trail Blazers are in, and the Pelicans say yes, do the Cavs accept this trade? Are they ready to break up the Jarrett Allen – Evan Mobley pairing that just lifted the Cavs to the No. 1 defense in the league?

The team certainly won’t do it for low-end starters, but Trey Murphy III offers the potential to be much more. In his 22-year-old season last year, he averaged 14.5 points with 40.6 percent shooting from deep, and his true-shooting percentage of 65 percent was 11th in the league among players taking at least six shots per game. The guy can shoot, and his game attacking the basket exploded last season.

He’s also quite capable defensively, averaging 1.1 steals per game and a block every other, with the size at 6’9″ to defend most forwards but also the quickness to stay with many guards. He defended 2-4 with ease last season and occasionally some point guards.

Murphy is already a solid two-way small forward for the Cavaliers to plug into their starting spot, but he could become even more. There is a very real chance he becomes more of a Mikal Bridges than just a Danny Green, and that’s a scary proposition for the league. If the Cavs were able to bring him in, he could become their fourth tentpole star.

Do the Cavaliers make this trade? Yes, they probably do, adding bulk in the middle to help replace Jarrett Allen in Jonas Valanciunas and a high-upside two-way wing at the 3. Add in a late-lottery pick to add a shooter to the bench, and the Cavs would get value from trading a beloved member of their team. This is the kind of deal that turns a good team into a great one.