Grade the Trade: Cavaliers join three-team pitch to add former champion

The Cleveland Cavaliers made some major moves this offseason, using every resource available to them to add shooting to the roster. Given the way that their offense was strangled in the playoffs by the New York Knicks, that priority this summer is very understandable.

The potential problem, however, is that in adding shooting they didn’t necessarily add defense. Playing Max Strus or Georges Niang alongside Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland could open up the court with proper floor spacing, but it introduces potential defensive issues. The Cavs’ only true two-way perimeter player might be Dean Wade, and that’s only if his shot returns to him this year.

The Cavaliers don’t have many 3-and-D players

The Cavaliers had the “D” and added the “3” but they don’t really have “3-and-D”. That’s not necessarily their fault; there wasn’t a high-level 3-and-D wing in their price range this summer. Even so, it should remain a priority for the Cavs to find such a player to add to their rotation.

Thankfully for the Cavaliers, other teams are still looking for upgrades as well. Our sister site over at Wiz of Awes recently built a three-team deal that would land a former champion in Cleveland, a player with a proven track record as a 3-and-D wing who can survive in the playoffs. Let’s take a look at the pitch and see whether it’s worth it for the teams involved.