Ranking the Cleveland Cavaliers’ top 3 trade targets

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been quiet over the last month, with naught but a rumor of interest in now-signed P.J. Washington floating out of the organization. With no current Cavaliers playing in the FIBA World Cup there isn’t much news of any kind swirling around the team.

That doesn’t mean they aren’t still working on ways to make the team better, be that via free agency or the trade market. With a limited number of assets available, the Cavaliers will need to be targeted with the players they pursue via trade, but they are certainly looking at options.

Recently, Bleacher Report ran a piece identifying the top 3 trade targets for every team in the league. Let’s take the three players they tabbed as targets for the Cavs and rank them from “interesting” to “scintillating,” starting with a familiar name.

Trade target No. 3: Royce O’Neale, Brooklyn Nets

The Cavaliers have been linked to Brooklyn Nets wing Royce O’Neale frequently over the past year, as he fits the bill of a 3-and-D forward who could potentially be available at the Cavs’ price point. The Brooklyn Nets have a wealth of wings and won’t be able to play all of them big minutes, so moving at least one for draft capital makes sense.

O’Neale would be a helpful addition, but it’s not clear how much of an addition he would be. Do the Cavs give him a starting job? Or is he simply a rotation player while the minutes are maximized for Max Strus and Caris LeVert? He has a good defensive track record and an above-average shot, but a move for O’Neale also doesn’t come with much upside. Trading for him is a good idea, but it’s also not unlocking some new version of the Cavs.