2023 seems to be the year of chasing a star in the trade market. The Phoenix Suns have traded for two this year already, adding Kevin Durant in February and Bradley Beal this past weekend. The Dallas Mavericks added Kyrie Irving. Names like Zion Williamson and Damian Lillard have flooded the trade market.
The Cleveland Cavaliers aren’t in the mix for any of those names; they fired most of their bullets last offseason to add Donovan Mitchell. Yet as trade rumors swirl around center Jarrett Allen, most of the deals discussed have assumed that Cleveland would trade him for multiple role players.
That’s certainly a possibility, to give the Cavs multiple rotation wings, but if they trade Jarrett Allen they should first set their sights up, not down. Why can’t Cleveland make a move for a star on the trade market? Let’s discuss four that they might be able to put together a reasonable package for, starting with an All-NBA forward playing north of the border.
Trade target No. 1: Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors
The 29-year-old Pascal Siakam has had a really impactful career, developing from draft flier to Most Improved to second-best player on a title team to two-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA player. He is a stout defender at 6’9″ and has developed into a really strong offensive force, spinning his way through defenses. Add in his playmaking skill and he would be an excellent fit next to Evan Mobley in a new-look Cleveland frontcourt.
Why would the Raptors be willing to trade him? They built their team around three power forwards in OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes and Pascal Siakam, and at some point will need to break up that trio because only Anunoby is a plus-shooter. Allen could be an upgrade on Jakob Poeltl, or replace him if he walks in unrestricted free agency this summer. Perhaps Isaac Okoro, Allen and a handful of second-round picks get this close enough to happen, or even a sign-and-trade with Caris LeVert added into the mix.
Trade target No. 2: Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers
Jerami Grant of the Portland Trail Blazers first developed into one of the league’s better 3-and-D forwards, then took it a step forward with the Detroit Pistons in becoming an on-ball scorer and creator. He fits perfectly as the third-best offensive player on a good team and would make an excellent fit as the power forward beside Evan Mobley on the Cavaliers.
Grant is heading toward unrestricted free agency this summer, and while the Portland Trail Blazers surely hope to re-sign him, it’s very possible he tells them he is leaving and asks for a sign-and-trade to get to his preferred destination. That’s what happened with Jimmy Butler when he left the 76ers for the Heat, so there is precedent.
Add in the possibility that the Blazers either trade Damian Lillard and will want to get younger (Allen is four years younger than Grant) or use the No. 3 pick to add a power forward (Zion Williamson or Pascal Siakam being potential options) and it’s that much more conceivable that they would be open to moving Grant.
In this scenario, which we first laid out here, the Cavaliers would add Jerami Grant in a sign-and-trade while sending Allen and Isaac Okoro to the Portland Trail Blazers. They could then pursue another center to replace Allen or commit to Mobley at center full-time, but Grant would give them the lineup versatility they didn’t have with Allen position-locked at center. He shot 40.1 percent from 3-point range last season while averaging 20.5 points per game, an excellent addition offensively for every role he could play.
Trade target No. 3: DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls
The Washington Wizards finally called it. After trying to make the playoffs each season but making it just once in the last five seasons, they saw the writing on the wall and realized that their only path to building a great team was to rebuild. Are the Chicago Bulls next?
They’ve only made the playoffs once in six seasons, despite pushing their chips into the middle by trading for Nikola Vucevic and DeMar DeRozan. They have sent two lottery picks in the last three drafts to the Orlando Magic. If they finally decide to face the music, then they could be open to moving on from their star wings.
DeMar DeRozan at 33 years old is in his late prime, but he clearly has a lot of scoring punch left. He was once again an All-Star this past year, able to score from any spot on the court and shooting just enough to keep opposing defenders glued to him on the perimeter. Most teams would be hard-pressed to defend DeRozan, Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell at the same time.
There would certainly be defensive issues, but it may be something that they can work around with Mobley manning the middle. For the Bulls, they would reset their frontcourt to pair Patrick Williams and Jarrett Allen at the 5. This might be a deal that doesn’t quite work for either side, but it’s something to at least discuss if the Bulls go down this road.
Trade target No. 4: Kistaps Porzingis, Washington Wizards
What if the Cavaliers don’t want to break up their twin-towers look, but realize they need to get shooting onto the court? In that scenario, there is one player potentially available on the trade market who represents the best of both worlds: incredible size and rim protection on defense, and floor-spacing on offense.
That player is Kristaps Porzingis, the original “Unicorn” who pairs rim protection with 3-point shooting. The Washington Wizards are committing to their rebuild this summer, which will almost certainly lead to a trade if Porzingis opts into the final season of his contract. Jarrett Allen is younger and a better bet for the Wizards to build around moving forward.
After ESPN’s Zach Lowe first pitched the trade on his podcast we’ve discussed the merits of such a deal, including the pros and cons of trading for Porzingis. His injury history is certainly a concern, but the improvement he would provide on offense with his shooting without giving up too much at the other end could unlock something truly special for the Cavaliers.
There’s no guarantee any of these teams would be willing to make a deal with the Cavaliers, especially since Cleveland has no first-round picks to trade. The Cavs should at least call and ask, however, and it may be that a path to a creative deal to add a star could be accomplished.