This summer, the Cleveland Cavaliers wasted no time addressing their desperate need for improved outside shooting and wing depth. Max Strus in particular was acquired by Cleveland to add a lethal shooter on the wing, something they have missed over the last few years.
Additionally, the Cavs re-signed sixth man Caris LeVert, signed Georges Niang and Ty Jerome, and traded for Damian Jones in the early days of free agency. Recently, Cleveland also brought back a pivotal member of the 2016 championship team, big man Tristan Thompson, to provide veteran leadership and frontcourt depth.
On opening night, the majority of Cleveland’s lineups will look different from a year prior. While not every new addition will play hefty minutes, there is no doubt that the Cavaliers greatly upgraded their overall depth.
At the latest trade deadline, the Cavs remained silent to test their team’s resolve, but after a failed postseason appearance, there is no doubt that the roster needed serious upgrades. A year after the historic Donovan Mitchell trade to Cleveland, the Cavs recognized a continued need to be a buyer in the trade and free agent market.
As the 2023-24 NBA season approaches, the Cavaliers have a more versatile offense than last on paper; however, there is still room to improve. Cleveland clearly recognized this need, targeting a second sign-and-trade for Charlotte’s P.J. Washington, though it never gained serious traction. The Cavaliers were actively working to learn from their mistakes in the playoffs, but they could never have too much depth, especially on the perimeter.
Evan Mobley and Darius Garland’s continued development could lead to a major shift in the team’s needs, or perhaps simply minor changes around the edges which could be the final steps to put this team into the best of the best.
Cavs GM Koby Altman suggested that Mobley will play a larger role in the team’s offense this year and will see more time at the five spot. If the plan is to make Mobley the full-time center soon, then a change in frontcourt personnel may be in consideration.
One name in particular that the Cavaliers are missing is that of veteran point guard Ricky Rubio, who announced he felt it best to step away from professional basketball for his mental health and family. Earlier in late 2022, Rubio announced that he would retire from the NBA in time for his child to enter school, something that is not far from approaching. Rubio’s return is not inevitable, leading to a trade for another backup point guard worth exploration.
At every position, these are the best two trade targets for the Cavaliers, starting at point guard.
With Rubio’s career pause, the Cavaliers should be on the hunt to find a guard to back up Darius Garland off the bench. Offensive court vision and perimeter defense are the most crucial skills for Cleveland to consider.
In his eight-year career, veteran point guard Tyus Jones has continually become one of the league’s premier bench guards with his determination on defense and crafty offensive leadership. Last season with the Memphis Grizzlies, Jones scored career highs with 10.3 points and 5.2 assists per game as his role continually shifted from bench player to starter in the midst of Ja Morant’s unwanted headlines.
Jones was traded to the Washington Wizards this summer in a three-team trade that sent Marcus Smart to Memphis from the Boston Celtics. Jones will likely be the secondary point guard for the Wizards behind Jordan Poole. Trading for Jones gives the Cavaliers a phenomenal option off the bench in the backcourt. Jones may be the best possible replacement for Rubio, pushing the Cavs to another level of depth. As a pivotal member of a growing Memphis squad, Jones has already accumulated a handful of playoff experience at 26 years old.
With a 2022-23 All-Defensive team selection on his resume, Alex Caruso has earned a reputation as one of the best perimeter defenders in the Association. Additionally, Caruso’s career 36.5 3-point percentage sets him apart from many of his peers as a knockdown long-range threat. The 29-year-old veteran would give the Cavaliers a two-way threat who can shift the tides in a close matchup and make his teammates around him better.
Not only does Caruso have playoff experience, but he was one of the Los Angeles Lakers’ most important role players in their 2020 championship run. Alongside LeBron James, Caruso developed an ability to play both on and off the ball, making him an ideal trade target to put next to either Mitchell or Garland in a variety of lineups. Further, Caruso’s 6-foot-4-inch stature gives the Cavaliers a tall ball option at point guard, helping solve their issue with a short backcourt duo.
Jones and Caruso’s talents might make their trade value higher than the Cavaliers can easily afford, but both the Bulls and Wizards seem to be nearing a full rebuild. Should they look to shift their organization’s direction, then these two players would be perfect trade options to bolster their bench.
Looking forward to the shooting guard position, the Cavaliers can go two entirely different directions in a trade.
Similar to the point guard position, the Cavaliers would look to improve their bench options rather than search for a starting two-guard. These players give Cleveland a strong option at this spot.
While the Cavaliers are looking to contend this season, their overall youth offers space to take a chance on a prospect with great potential. Moses Moody finished his sophomore season in the NBA this season, coming off the bench for the Golden State Warriors as both a shooting guard and small forward. This versatility in playstyle gives the Cavs a long-term option for the future at both positions. His career 36.3 percent from deep and impressive defense suggests Moody is capable of becoming a legitimate 3-and-D wing threat in Cleveland.
Looking at the Warriors’ roster, they have a surplus of wings, probably leaving Moody the scraps behind Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, and Gary Payton II. For that reason, Moody would be a buy-low option for the Cavs with real potential in the near future to be a solid rotation piece. His best positional fit may not be shooting guard in the end, but that only gives Cleveland even better forward depth.
Whereas Moses Moody’s value to Cleveland is his future potential, Gary Trent, Jr. of the Toronto Raptors is a guaranteed immediate producer at the shooting guard spot. Since joining the Raptors in 2021, Trent continually gives Toronto a go-to option on the perimeter both on offense and defense. Putting Trent on the Cavaliers provides an instant impact on the wing, either as a second-unit shooting guard or starting small forward on some nights.
The problem in trading for Trent comes from matching salaries. This season, Trent will make $18.5 million, meaning that a trade package for Trent will not be as simple as Moody. The Cavaliers would likely have to part with Caris LeVert once he is trade eligible, which leads to a question regarding which player can provide more for the Cavaliers. Otherwise, the Cavs would need to stack numerous contracts together, hurting their overall depth for Trent. If the Cavaliers are certain Trent can answer a number of questions for them this season, then a deal for the 24-year-old wing may be worth the effort.
Moving into small forward, the Cavaliers need to add a small forward who can fix the problems created by their current options.
Currently, Isaac Okoro and Max Strus will be the two players with the most playtime at the three spot, but their undersized build could lead to another problem for the Cavaliers. Trading for another small forward would need to address this. Diminishing a player’s value down only to their height is usually poor practice, but Cleveland’s undersized backcourt leads to a serious need to build out a tall roster around them as much as possible.
If the Washington Wizards continue their roster fire sale into this next season, trading for sharpshooter Corey Kispert could greatly improve the Cavaliers at small forward. Joining the league after four seasons at Gonzaga, Kispert is approaching his third season at 24 years old. In his two years with the Wizards, he has averaged 9.6 points and knocked down 39.1 percent of his 4.7 3-point attempts.
Standing at 6-foot 7-inches, Kispert gives Cleveland a tall forward who can shoot from deep and provide immediate impact for the Cavs. Trading for a proven player such as Kispert is not as simple as a couple of second-round picks and filler contracts. To get Kispert, the Cavs would likely need to include Isaac Okoro and other players. Kispert would ideally give the Cavaliers a lethal threat on the perimeter every night, but they would need to consider the cost.
Beating the Royce O’Neale drum may be growing old in Cleveland, but the skillset he brings to the table and the history of interest from the Cavaliers cannot be overstated. Secondly, the Cavs did not hesitate to value a player’s connections to Donovan Mitchell in their deals this summer. Georges Niang was Mitchell’s teammate in Utah, and Ty Jerome was a grade school AAU teammate of his. Royce O’Neale was also a member of the Mitchell-led Jazz and has kept close ties to the All-NBA guard ever since.
O’Neale is a prototypical 3-and-D wing and has the size to handle taller wings, standing at 6-foot 6 inches and weighing 226 pounds. In his last two seasons, O’Neale sank 38.9 percent of his 4.75 3-point attempts per game. O’Neale’s volume and accuracy make it hard to imagine a world where his presence on the Cavaliers is not an instant match. Defensively, O’Neale is no slouch. Where Max Strus’ biggest flaw is his inconsistency on defense, O’Neale’s is not. Over his career, the 30-year-old veteran has a 110 defensive rating and recorded a .102 defensive win share last season, per NBA.com.
Thus far, all prospects are focused on high-end role players. Outside of the small forward position, none of the names mentioned would be in contention for the starting lineup. For the power forward position, the Cavaliers could be looking for a major shift.
Currently, the Cavaliers might have their best depth at the power forward position with both Niang and Wade behind rising star Evan Mobley. If the Cavs look to upgrade, it would likely be a part of a larger dynamic shift in the frontcourt duo of Mobley and Allen. These two players could play a big role in Cleveland should that happen.
Another young entry on this list, Tari Eason could bring the Cavaliers a dynamic option to be the number one choice for power forward when Mobley plays the center. With only one year in the NBA so far, Eason would not be an immediate replacement for Jarrett Allen, and the Cavaliers do not need to panic and trade Allen after one bad playoff showing. At 22 years old, though, Eason can provide the Cavaliers with a young player who has already shown real talent and can continue to develop within Cleveland’s system.
If Allen does eventually leave the Cavaliers, then Eason would easily slide into the frontcourt with Mobley as a four. In his rookie season, Eason averaged 9.3 points and 6 rebounds in 21.5 minutes played per game. Defensively, Eason’s 6-foot-8-inch stature and his athletic play allow him to maintain his poise against either small or power forwards. Eason can provide guaranteed production at a young age and improve along with Cleveland’s young core.
If the Cavaliers do decide to part ways with Jarrett Allen this season in order to move Mobley to the five, targeting Kyle Anderson from the Minnesota Timberwolves would be a great move. Again, there is no need to wave goodbye to an All-Star center after a single bad playoff series, but if the Cavaliers do view Mobley as a center more than a forward, the separation of the two will become inevitable. Should it arrive this year, Anderson is a player who can play both the four and the three spot, giving the Cavaliers greater depth at forward and a knockdown shooter in the frontcourt.
In his first year with Minnesota last season, Anderson shot 41 percent from 3-point range on 1.5 attempts per night. His volume is not at the level of other forwards, but Anderson will consistently perform at a high level both offensively and defensively and does not need the ball in his hands to create his own shot. Trading Jarrett Allen for a ball-dominant, high-scoring forward would only complicate the team’s dynamic with Garland, Mitchell, and Mobley already present.
Funnily enough, Mobley may get some experience with a player of Anderson’s archetype this season regardless, seeing as Niang and Anderson are both known for their slow speed but lethal shooting. If Anderson did become a trade target for Cleveland, then the transition could prove to be faster than expected.
Last but not least, the Cavaliers could look to find a center with an entirely new skill set for their future.
There would be no reason to buy high on a center in Cleveland. This summer, the Cavaliers targeted two cheap centers to fill minutes off the bench in place of injury or stylistic need. These two centers would fill a similar spot but provide a different type of archetype.
The third Wizard on this list, Mike Muscala joined the ranks in Washington in part of the Kristaps Porzingis three-team deal along with Tyus Jones. Muscala has carved out a spot in the league for himself through his floor-stretching ability and serviceable interior defense. In truth, that is all the Cavaliers would really need from him. Any addition to the Cleveland frontcourt is a cherry on top, so finding a cheap 3-point shooter at the center position simply gives head coach J.B. Bickerstaff a chance to experiment with a wildly different lineup.
Muscala only appeared in 20 games last season for the Celtics, averaging 16.2 minutes per game. He is not a high-usage player and is only making $3.5 million next season. The Cavaliers could buy low on a talented big man who can offer more versatility in their offense and maintain their defense when Allen or Mobley are unavailable.
In essence, trading for Zach Collins from the San Antonio Spurs would be for a similar purpose as Muscala, though Collins would probably garner more overall time on the court. Last season, Collins scored 11.6 points per game in 22.9 minutes. He is typically relegated to a bench role but has all the makings of a worthwhile starting center. With Victor Wembanyama joining the Spurs, Collins might see a severely reduced role and want to find a new environment. Although he would be in the second unit still, the Cavaliers could offer him hefty minutes as both a center and power forward.
Shooting 37.4 percent from deep last season gives Collins the same versatility that Muscala offers but with a better overall skillset. You do pay for what you get, though, and that means the Cavaliers would need to match Collins’ $7.7 million salary in a trade. While his contract is well deserved, it is over double that of Muscala’s.
If the Cavaliers could not give Collins a large role coming off the bench, they may find it too expensive to bring him on board as they continue to creep nearer to the Luxury Tax threshold already. Collins would undoubtedly fit on Cleveland’s roster in the right deal, though.
The Cavaliers will surely look to improve their roster in the 2023-24 season. Their moves this offseason prove they recognize a championship window is beginning to open, and now is the time to capitalize on that opportunity.
Where the right improvements can be made is not immediately clear, but wherever it may be, these ten players could all play a part in bringing hardware to the Land once more.