Going into his third year with the Cleveland Cavaliers, former USC Trojan Evan Mobley will be a leader for Cleveland’s offense. The young big man has shown glimpses of great court vision and a willingness to pass. With the improved shooting the Cavaliers signed this offseason, running Mobley as the offensive hub in a 1-in 4-out gameplan may become a common sighting for the Cleveland faithful.
Georges Niang and Dean Wade will probably see most of their minutes as the four spot, serving as floor spacers with Mobley at the center of the offense.
President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman also expressed a desire to slot Mobley into the center role more often this coming season, leaving a lingering question of Jarrett Allen‘s role on the team.
Could the Cavaliers trade Jarrett Allen?
Last season, Allen was a primary source of Cleveland’s league-leading defense. His presence inside deterred many opponents’ drives. Averaging 1.2 blocks and 9.8 rebounds in the 2022-23 season, the Fro’s dominance on defense earned him respect across the league.
The duo of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen has risen Cleveland’s identity as a defense first team to new heights, led by head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, a man who has proven himself as a great defensive coach.
Although Allen has helped guide the Cavaliers to their current status, Mobley’s progression and the lack of floor spacing between the two bigs has continually raised concerns about their long term fit next to one another. While Altman has repeatedly stated he has no plans to trade Allen this offseason, the results of Mobley at the five may change his perspective.
Mobley will need time to transition to the five, so Allen’s departure from Cleveland will not happen until close to the trade deadline. This gives the Cavaliers an opportunity to trade for players originally unavailable due to having been recently traded or signed this offseason.
These three trade proposals would bring the Cavaliers an ideal fit at four next to Evan Mobley if he’s ready to serve as the full-time five this season.
Bringing back a Cleveland favorite
Two summers ago, the Cavaliers completed a sign-and-trade with the Chicago Bulls and Portland Trailblazers to acquire Lauri Markkanen. In that deal, Cleveland sent Larry Nance, Jr., son of Cavs legend Larry Nance, to Portland. Since then, Nance, Jr. landed himself with the New Orleans Pelicans and has continued to be a solid role player in the NBA.
As the NBA Draft came and went, a number of reports suggested that the Pelicans were targeting a trade for Jarrett Allen. In return, the Cavs would purportedly get Jonas Valanciunas, as NOLA wanted a defense-first, traditional center next to Zion Williamson.
The deal never happened. The Cavaliers were not interested in shipping Allen at the draft.
Should the Pelicans still have interest in Allen in the midseason, then Cleveland may have an intriguing trade partner.
Here’s the deal:
If the Cavs are moving Mobley to the five, trading for an offensive center would seem redundant. Perhaps a third team is involved for New Orleans to unload Valanciunas, but this would answer each team’s questions if it happened.
For the Cavaliers, they bring in two players who can play multiple positions of need and receive a possible first-round pick from the Bucks. The Milwaukee will almost certainly not materialize into anything shockingly valuable, but an extra first-round pick is certainly the value one of the best defensive centers deserves.
Herbert Jones, a 6-foot 7-inches forward, would likely start at the four spot next to Mobley, though he could play backup minutes at the small forward as well.
As for the Ohio native Nance, Jr., his return would place him in a backup big role, both as a power forward and center. Additionally, the return of Larry Nance, Jr. would boost the Cavaliers’ culture, as he developed a strong connection with nearly every teammate in Cleveland.
With Pete Nance on the Cleveland Charge in the G-League, a Nance family reunion would be a tremendous sight for the Cavs.
On the other side of the deal, the Pelicans gain the traditional center they are seeking without losing any of their core players. They also acquire a pass-first point guard to serve as a veteran leader for a young core needing to develop. Right now, NOLA does not have a pure point guard, and Rubio gives them that.
The fact that an extra team would need to be involved if New Orleans does not want to keep Valanciunas and Allen may complicate this trade too much for either side.
For the next trade, the Cavaliers negotiate with a young team needing to find a defensive identity.
Taking a chance on P.J. Washington
It may seem as though NBA free agency has ended. Nobody is signing with any teams right now, and rosters are filling up. Once glance at available players, though, shows a wealth of talent looking for a contract.
One such player is Charlotte’s restricted free agent P.J. Washington. After having an improved season due to Miles Bridges’ absence, Washington has yet to sign a new deal with the Hornets or anybody else. At this rate, accepting the Hornets’ $8.49 million qualifying offer for this season, freeing him up to be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
At 24 years old, Washington fits in with Cleveland’s timeline and has already gained his foundation as a worthy power forward in the NBA. He is a steady shooter and solid defender, making him an ideal partner in crime for EV4.
Here’s the deal:
This trade may at first look like a robbery for the Hornets. They get two young prospects in Allen and Okoro while also finally getting off of Gordon Hayward’s $31.5 million contract.
The value for the Cavaliers goes beyond the initial impact. Hayward, when healthy, is another valuable rotation forward in their lineup. Although he has a long history of injury, his deal expires next summer, freeing up some increasingly useful cap space for Cleveland with both Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley eventually needing contract extensions.
Alongside taking on Hayward’s salary, the Cavaliers receive two picks, one in the second round and one in the first. With LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Jarrett Allen, the Hornets would have one of their best trios in recent history. The pick would likely be outside of the top five, but the protection gives Charlotte a slight safety net should things fall apart.
Secondly, though Isaac Okoro is steadily improving as an overall NBA talent, he is not the archetype of wing the Cavaliers needed him to be. It’s time to move on from Okoro, and P.J. Washington as a starting four next to Mobley is the perfect move.
In the 2022-23 season, Washington shot 5.9 3-point attempts per game, connecting on 34.8 percent of them. With 15.7 points per game, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks each night, Washington is developing into a prototypical two-way forward.
Though his defense is not at the same dominance of Allen, a frontcourt of Washington and Mobley would maintain Cleveland’s defensive power and evolve their offensive capabilities.
Since Washington will be on a new contract this season, trading for him will not be possible until a few months into the regular season. If Charlotte is not looking to retain Washington for the long haul, essentially swapping him and two picks for both Allen and Okoro is a no-brainer for the Hornets.
Both players would instantly raise Charlotte’s defense drastically from last season’s dismal 114.7, the league’s 20th-best defense per NBA.com stats tracking.
Finally, the Cavaliers orchestrate a deal to bring a forward with proven Playoff accolades in a major three-team deal that makes Cleveland an instant contender.
Trading for Kyle Kuzma is the perfect fit for the Cavaliers
The Cavaliers were embarrassed in the 2023 Playoffs in part due to their lack of experience. The perfect partner with Mobley would not only have Playoff experience but is an NBA champion.
Former Los Angeles Laker and current Washington Wizard Kyle Kuzma would thrive under the Cavaliers’ system.
The Wizards already have Daniel Gafford, a rising talent at center, on their roster. To complete this deal, a third team would get involved. That team? The Dallas Mavericks. Other than the Pelicans, Dallas was the team most interested in pursuing Allen in trade talks before the NBA Draft. They have seemingly not ended their search yet, meaning Allen may still be a player on their target board.
After signing a new contract with the Wizards, Kuzma will be ineligible for trade until Jan 15, 2024. This still fits in the timeline the Cavaliers would have for the trade, even giving them until after the NBA In-Season Tournament as a test of the team’s competitive strength.
What does this trade look like?
In this deal, the Cavaliers acquire both Kuzma and Tim Hardaway, Jr., another player Cleveland reportedly has shown interest in over the last year. As mentioned above, the Mavericks have pursued a Jarrett Allen trade in the recent past, and bringing in Rubio and Okoro as well only sweetens the deal.
Is this too insane for the Cavaliers to do it? Neither Kuzma nor Hardaway, Jr. are on cheap or expiring deals. If the Cavaliers lose Rubio, they would have to trust Ty Jerome to carry the bulk of backup guard minutes. Can they trust him?
The short answer to all of these is yes. The trade is worth it for Cleveland. Trading for a borderline All-Star in Kuzma who has already won the Finals and another floor-spacing wing catapults the Cavaliers into the top of the East. Losing Dean Wade and Okoro is not nothing after giving up Allen, but guaranteeing Kuzma in Cleveland for the next four seasons is an opportunity that only a madman would dislike.
Last year, Kuzma scored 21.2 points, rebounded 7.2 misses, and assisted 3.7 times each game. His shooting splits took a slight dip from previous seasons, but with the improved floor spacing in Cleveland, his chances to regain his form would be immense.
The 2017 first-round pick is a tenacious competitor and expressed a desire to compete for another ring prior to this summer. With Mobley, Darius Garland, and Donovan Mitchell, that wish would come true.
Although the Wizards have Jordan Poole and a decent young core, their roster is almost certain to end their season outside of the postseason. Cashing in on their talent now gives them a bright future ahead. They traded Kristaps Porzingis, suggesting a full rebuild is in the near future.
While the Mavericks have been hesitant to surrender Josh Green in any trades, their return is worth the price of admission. The youth, defensive identity and veteran presence give the Mavericks a chance at serious Playoff contention as the Western Conference continues to stack up with talent.
Perhaps none of these trades materialize. If so, they would certainly look different in many ways from these proposals. But, if the Cavaliers are serious about focusing their offense around Evan Mobley at the five with shooters on the perimeter, each of these trades would be ideal starting points for Cleveland’s high aspirations.