Making an ill-advised panic trade could ruin the Cavaliers season
Following their unfortunate postseason exit, some Cavaliers were constantly featured in trade rumors. With the pressure for success rising, early season trials could convince Cleveland’s front office to ship off their talent for worse returns.
Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen has seen his name in trade proposals all summer due to his poor showing in the playoffs and overall concerns of long-term fit next to Evan Mobley. If the Cavaliers look to in-season trades as a solution, Allen will probably see his name on the trade block once again.
Though nearly every team would have reason to want Allen on their team, the return for Allen could be less than inspiring, leading to a worse outcome for the Cavaliers than a patient approach would yield.
Secondly, Caris LeVert’s inconsistent role with Cleveland might continue if the Cavs prioritize integrating their summer acquisitions over properly valuing LeVert’s skill set. His roughly $16 million salary next season could be a worthy trade piece but could easily ruin Cleveland’s growth with the wrong deal.
A poor open to the season cannot lead to panic trades. If the Cavs were able to find the right trade package for Allen’s value, they likely would have found it this summer. Building a championship roster will take time, and impatient trades would ruin the improvements already made.
Finally, the overall mismanagement of the roster, both in coaching and trades, could lead to the worst disaster the Cavaliers could (but do not have to) face this season.