This offseason, it’s clear the Cleveland Cavaliers must bring in perimeter shooting and/or wing help to supplement their core players, and generally, the bench needs some juice.
The bench play for the Cavaliers was an issue throughout last season, and in the playoffs, while the four key guys for Cleveland did not play to their standards, it’s not as if the bench provided much, either.
As we hinted at, the Cavs have to find ways to add more perimeter shooting/spacing this offseason, and it’s logical that they’ve been linked to various trade targets, and in the same light, possible free agency targets. Along with the wing need, backup 5 is an area Cleveland needs more legitimacy, and having a stretch 4 in the rotation could do wonders for Cleveland.
That said, Cleveland may want to address the backup lead guard situation, too.
It’s reasonable to believe Ricky Rubio can bounce back from a forgettable season, as he’ll be further along in his recovery from his second ACL tear, and heading into next season, he should be more comfortable.
Although, there’s some uncertainty moving forward as it pertains to the Rubio outlook, and whether or not Cleveland were to bring in insurance in case of Rubio being possibly being ineffective, it’s fair to be skeptical about him.
Rubio also discussed on an appearance on the podcast La Satona last month how he is “starting to consider” his return back to playing in Barcelona, (as h/t Johnny Askounis of EuroHoops.net) close to home, and finishing out his playing basketball in Europe. He hit on how he has “two years” left on his deal and even possibly “one,” with his 2024-25 season only partially-guaranteed.
With those things in mind, veterans such as Reggie Jackson and Austin Rivers could be sensible depth signings this offseason, or perhaps the Cavaliers could pursue viable depth via trade. In that realm, a player who could give the Cavs bench a jolt could be T.J. McConnell of the Indiana Pacers.
McConnell was a player the Cavaliers were previously linked to as a possible free agency signing before he ultimately re-signed with Indiana in the 2021 offseason, and he is a quality player. Given how the Pacers have to be prioritizing young players getting minutes from here, though, McConnell would seem to be attainable, and the Cavs would be wise to try to acquire him.
McConnell would inject life into the Cavs bench, and has the makings of a great trade target.
McConnell would bring more legitimacy to the Cavaliers backup lead guard spot, and for stretches of games, he could be a tone-setter for Cleveland with the energy he’d provide.
McConnell could inject tons of life into the Cavs bench
Defensively, McConnell is an on-ball pest at the point-of-attack, and his tenacity there would be a terrific fit with the Cavaliers. This isn’t discounting what Raul Neto brought in his spurts last season, but McConnell is just more of a disruptor on that end of the floor, which leads to transition buckets the other way and tons of deflections. He’s posted splits of 2.0 steals per-36 minutes and a steal rate of 2.7 percent over his eight seasons.
McConnell’s hands have been magnets on defense for years, and he had a robust 2.2 deflections per contest in 2022-23, per NBA.com’s hustle data. He also had 3.5 deflections per outing in the 2020-21 campaign, which was third in the Association.
McConnell could be an instant impact defender for Cleveland, if they were to acquire him via trade, but he could provide an offensive lift in bench minutes, too. His hustle play and constant energy plays could make a difference in the postseason as well.
On offense, McConnell might not have the quite the vision of Rubio, however, his rim pressure, pick-and-roll play and ability to push pace all have led to him being a very productive bench playmaker over the years. He can still make a variety of passes, and his penetration could lead to quality looks for a number of Cavs in stretches he’s out there to give Darius Garland some rest.
Over his time with Indiana, McConnell has averaged 5.5 assists in 21.9 minutes per game, to 1.7 turnovers. Now, he will turn it over to some extent but the good far outweighs the bad with McConnell having the ball for stretches, and as a scorer, he can create his own offense.
McConnell is not a deep shooting threat, which is a reasonable critique. Despite that, and him being a 6-foot-1 lead guard, he is a crafty finisher near the rim as a driver, on floaters and his mid-range play is outstanding. He can hit teardrops and in the deeper paint, can regularly cash in on fadeaways.
McConnell has converted on 48.1 percent of his shot attempts from 10-16 feet out over his eight seasons on a frequency of 22.7 percent. Whether it’s in secondary transition, on catch-and-go cuts or in pick-and-roll, McConnell is very adept at hitting shots from that range, even with his lack of three-point shooting.
Now, one might question if the Pacers would be willing to deal McConnell, then. He is a quality player for Indy, is a meaningful vet presence to have for young guys and is a high quality, two-way player. Dealing him could be worthwhile for both the Pacers and Cavs, though.
A McConnell trade could be logical for both the Cavs and Pacers
Objectively, McConnell would seem attainable, in the time leading into the 2023 NBA Draft here, or in coming months ahead.
McConnell is 31, and with the emergence of Tyrese Haliburton, and Andrew Nembhard being a player who needs valuable reps in years to come, one would assume McConnell could be on the move in the near future. Indiana is rebuilding, and McConnell could be a viable trade candidate.
The Cavaliers have possible trade chips in players such as Isaac Okoro, Cedi Osman (whose deal is non-guaranteed for 2023-24), and future second-round picks they could use in trades this offseason, so maybe they’d consider dealing for McConnell.
Perhaps Rubio, with his 2024-25 deal only partially-guaranteed for $4.25 million, Okoro, Cleveland’s 2023 second-rounder, and another future second-rounder could be a framework of a deal for McConnell and Chris Duarte, alternatively?
Duarte’s role fluctuated last season after a promising rookie year, but he was involved in trade rumors, and could seemingly become available, so maybe Indiana would value Okoro’s defense and pick up an asset or two for him/McConnell. Rubio could still be a nice veteran to have for a season, too, for what it’s worth.
Overall, while it wouldn’t be a splashy acquisition, McConnell would inject life into the Cavaliers bench, and would be a great trade target this offseason.
He did miss most of the 2021-22 season due to a wrist injury, but he’s been available for the vast majority of the other seven seasons of his career, also dating to his first four seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers. His two-way skill set could be a welcomed addition to Cleveland.