Though the NBA season has only just started, trade season has never ended. The Cleveland Cavaliers made critical improvements this offseason in free agency, but a well-crafted trade could bolster their chances in the new season even further.
During the summer, their first and foremost target was 3-point shooting and forward depth. After acquiring Max Strus from the Miami Heat in a sign-and-trade, the Cavs have entrusted Strus as the fifth starter for his offensive versatility, athleticism and playoff experience. Niang has cultivated a reputation as a true sharpshooter, shooting 40 percent from 3-point range throughout his career.
These additions and changes signify a shift in team mentality, expanding their scoring options and overhauling their sluggish offensive pacing from the year prior. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff suggested a focus on transforming the Cavaliers into a dynamic offense, citing Strus’ constant movement and unique skillset as a driving factor in this metamorphosis.
If Cleveland is serious in their motivations to move toward another championship for the franchise, they will likely find themselves active on the trade market by the 2024 deadline.
The best trade options will probably be focused on rounding out the edges with a strong nucleus already present in Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen; yet, if the Cavaliers struggle to find footing or answers to their lingering questions, they may be ready for a larger impact on the trade scene.
There are a number of paths the Cavaliers can follow to improve their roster once they get a full view of where they sit in the East. Starting in Cleveland’s own Eastern Conference, this is the first of a two-part article identifying the best trade prospect from each of Cleveland’s 29 rivals across the Association.
Not all targets are blue-chip players, but instead, we will be focusing on a realistic, viable but impactful prospect on each team.
After establishing himself as a solid backup guard with the Phoenix Suns, Cameron Payne has a whirlwind of an offseason.
Included in the blockbuster Bradley Beal trade, Payne was sent to the San Antonio Spurs who waived him shortly thereafter. Since then, Payne joined the Milwaukee Bucks as a backup behind the newest Milwaukee superstar Damian Lillard.
As a career 36.3 percent 3-point threat and reliable playmaker, Payne would give the Cavaliers a drastic improvement in their second-unit backcourt in the wake of Ricky Rubio’s sudden departure from professional basketball in order to focus on mental health and family matters. Though Rubio has stepped away from the Cavaliers, he is not considering retirement, per Chris Fedor. Upon his return, Payne and Rubio would complement one another and lead the bench squad together.
On a $2.8 million salary this season Payne is an easily affordable target for the Cavaliers who could make an immediate impact on the team.
Following a tough opening night loss, the Chicago Bulls held a players-only meeting as they battle through NBA purgatory once again. With the status of the Bulls in limbo, the Cavaliers should monitor the availability of Chicago’s defensive mastermind, one-time NBA champion Alex Caruso.
Caruso would fulfill similar needs as Cameron Payne, but Caruso’s reputation as one of the best backcourt defenders in the league makes him a perfect trade prospect for a defensive-minded team such as the Cavaliers.
Last season, Caruso earned a spot on the NBA All-Defense Second Team. The 3-and-D guard seamlessly matches Cleveland’s identity. His experience alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the 2020 Championship Los Angeles Lakers would be invaluable for the Cavs’ championship aspirations.
Whether Caruso leads the second unit or steps into the starting rotation due to injury, he would be an instant favorite among the Cleveland faithful for his resilient dynamism and long-range capabilities.
In a vacuum, trading for Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers would be an ideal option, but the Pacers’ recent growth as a team suggests an intention to maintain their current core of Tyrese Haliburton and Turner.
Instead, the Cavaliers should consider Jalen Smith as a backup big man behind Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Cleveland’s free agent additions were mainly centered around the wing and forward positions, leaving the frontcourt rotation still in question. The Cavs acquired Damian Jones and brought member of the 2016 Finals Cavaliers Tristan Thompson back to the Land. Though Cleveland added two other centers to the ranks, neither big is likely going to have a major impact on winning if they need to take on a big role.
Jalen Smith, a 23-year-old workhorse, could solidify the Cavaliers’ backup big spot with his strength and consistent production. In his first three seasons in the NBA, Smith struggled to find a real role for the Phoenix Suns and eventually was traded to the Indiana Pacers where he has restored his value in the league.
Through his first full season with the Pacers, Smith averaged 9.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game. Smith would help answer the Cavaliers’ questions regarding rebounding, an aspect of the game that sorely devastated them in the playoffs. With Smith off the bench, Cleveland would be able to compete for each rebound and negate second chances for opponents.
It goes without saying that Bojan Bogdanovic will once again have his name circulated throughout the trade sphere as one of the best veteran 3-and-D wings in the Association. Last season, Bogdanovic was at the top of many target lists, but the Detroit Pistons chose to retain the veteran leader and see if they were ready to compete for the postseason.
Although Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey have potential as a backcourt duo, the championship window is still not open for the Pistons. At 34 years old, the time for Bogdanovic to contribute to a contender is quickly becoming now or never. While the Cavaliers are not at the top of the NBA in terms of title favorites, adding Bogdanovic to the rotation could be the missing puzzle piece.
The next cluster of teams to consider for the Cavaliers’ trade options is the Atlantic Division.
Since the 2019 Finals, the Toronto Raptors continually fall to a worse season end every year. After losing in the Play-In Tournament in 2023, all eyes have focused on the Raptors’ future as a franchise.
If the Raptors decide to tear things down and begin anew, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby would undoubtedly be the best trade targets for any team, including the Cleveland Cavaliers. Considering Toronto’s unwillingness to trade Anunoby for even Kevin Durant or Siakam for anybody, the required trade package for either player would surely kick Cleveland out of the race early.
Instead, the Cavaliers could target a young athletic forward in Jalen McDaniels who joined the Raptors this summer in free agency. McDaniels has not emerged as a star in any capacity in the NBA, but he continues to carve a spot for himself as a valuable rotation player wherever he goes. With Toronto, McDaniels has gotten off to a slow start, meaning he could be available for a low-cost deal to bring the 6-foot 9-inches forward to the Land. His career 34 percent 3-point shooting and effective rebounding would be a nice boost to a team in constant need of more board chasers.
Following a similar trend as McDaniels, Sam Hauser would fill a role as a reliable bench player for the Cavaliers, similar to what he has done for the Boston Celtics.
Where Hauser exceeds is in volume 3-point shooting and versatile defense. Over his three-season career, Hauser has connected on 42 percent of all long-range attempts, making him an ideal prospect for Cleveland if they keep chasing shooting depth this season. Even with the inclusion of Max Strus and Georges Niang, the Cavaliers are in no position to turn down an elite-level shooter such as Hauser.
On a team-friendly $1.9 million salary this year, acquiring Hauser would revolve more around the draft assets offered than the players sent to Boston.
Breaking the rules of this article, Brooklyn Nets forwards Royce O’Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith are two perfect prospects for the Cleveland Cavaliers rotation, making them a pair of trade targets.
O’Neale’s history as a teammate in Utah with Donovan Mitchell and as a trade target for Cleveland last season places him as a constant presence in Cavaliers trade rumors and hopes. The 6-foot 6-inches veteran 3-and-D wing would immediately slide into Cleveland’s rotation alongside Max Strus and Isaac Okoro.
As for Dorian Finney-Smith, he may be the first player on this list who is a serious candidate as a starting power forward next to Evan Mobley if the Cavaliers move on from Jarrett Allen. Finney-Smith is a high-impact two-way forward, converting his hard-nosed defense into instant offense whether it comes from pestering the opponent’s ballhandler into a bad pass or from crashing the glass for defensive rebounds and kickstarting a fastbreak.
With Luka Doncic on the Dallas Mavericks, Finney-Smith was the primary defensive anchor and has influenced every team’s culture that he joined. On the Cavaliers, Finney-Smith would provide floor spacing on offense for Evan Mobley as a facilitator with four long-range options surrounding him.
For both players, the issue arises in their age the and championship window for Cleveland. If the Cavaliers look at the Eastern Conference landscape and do not believe themselves to be true contenders, buying players in their thirties will not lead to much of an improvement in the end.
No, trading with the New York Knicks does not immediately mean Donovan Mitchell is involved. Truthfully, any trade between the Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers is unlikely given the recent budding grudge among the squads as both young teams vie to reach the next stage of contention.
If the Cavaliers and Knicks do business, though, bringing Isaiah Hartenstein back to Cleveland as a backup center for his interior defense and rebounding prowess would be a smart move for the Cavaliers come playoff time. Hartenstein out-hustled the Cavaliers’ frontcourt in the postseason, so solving the problem by adding the problem to your own team is a creative yet incredibly unlikely scenario.
Cleveland would probably rather beat Hartenstein at his own game than ask him to fix it for them.
In the offseason, the Philadelphia 76ers eventually signed Kelly Oubre, Jr., a wing player who was rumored for the Cleveland Cavaliers prior to free agency beginning. Rather than targeting him in a trade with Philadelphia, Paul Reed would be a much better choice for the Cavaliers.
Though the Cavaliers have both Damian Jones and Tristan Thompson on the bench as backups for Mobley and Allen, acquiring a proven backup big who can reliably contribute in every aspect of the game for Cleveland would prove invaluable against opponents who out-muscle the Cavaliers’ frontcourt.
Over his four years with the Sixers, Reed has only averaged just under 10 minutes per game, meaning a move to the Cavaliers would give him a bigger role and chance to cement his spot in the Association. In only 11 minutes per contest last season, Reed provided positive defense and grabbed 3.8 rebounds (including 1.6 offensive rebounds). The type of center the Cavaliers need off the bench and in the starting unit in the wake of injuries is perfectly exemplified in Reed’s endless effort.
Moving Southeast, the Cavaliers have a number of intriguing targets, both solid depth players and identity-shifting starters.
If the Cleveland Cavaliers want to place an all-around scorer in the starting frontcourt, Kyle Kuzma of the Washington Wizards undoubtedly fulfills that need.
Kuzma performed incredibly for the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2020 NBA Finals campaign, showcasing his fearless scoring mindset and solid defense. Kuzma is not a perfect solution for the Cavaliers, given his recent inefficient scoring output since joining the Wizards. Where he does impact Cleveland, though, is his relentlessness and desire to win.
Acquiring Kuzma’s $25.5 million salary requires a major trade, most likely involving Jarrett Allen and/or Caris LeVert. If the Cavaliers are ready for a blockbuster change, then Kuzma would be a solid move, but not the best.
Another productive but imperfect prospect, Charlotte Hornets forward P.J. Washington was a late free agency option this summer, as the Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly investigated a sign-and-trade for the young forward.
Though it never came to fruition, Washington would be an ideal target with numerous strengths that could make an impact in the Cavaliers’ system. Washington’s career 36.4 percent 3-point shooting would be another long-range threat for Cleveland. In the end, Washington signed a new three-year, $46.5 contract to return to the Hornets.
Should the Cavaliers explore the trade market this year, their eyes could easily shift back toward Washington. His contract is not exorbitant, but Cleveland would still need to include their own hefty contracts in order to acquire Washington. Trading for him would not absolutely require Allen to end his Cleveland tenure, but he could be viewed as a long-term solution in the frontcourt if Mobley moves to the center spot this season or next.
Since Max Strus joined the Cleveland Cavaliers, his recent Finals experience has provided Cleveland with more leadership and winning culture. Similarly, bringing another Miami Heat player in two-way forward Caleb Martin is a worthwhile option to explore.
A few years ago, Martin’s career seemed to be nearing a quick end, struggling to find a consistent role anywhere in the NBA. The Miami Heat gave him a chance, and he made the most of it. Martin is certain to be a productive member on a contending team for plenty of seasons to come.
Martin would be another solid 3-and-D option for the Cavaliers as a small forward or small ball power forward, able to guard a myriad of positions without much difficulty. Additionally, Martin’s preexisting chemistry with Strus has an instant connection in the culture and would not need time to fit with the roster.
Perhaps the most controversial trade prospect given his lengthy injury history, Jonathan Isaac of the Orlando Magic still is worth Cleveland’s consideration.
Since recovering from a flurry of serious knee injuries, Isaac has begun this regular season healthy and looking just as good as he did before his three injury-ridden seasons. He has reentered the Magic rotation in a limited role, both to safeguard from another drastic injury and also due to Orlando’s crowded roster of young prospects.
As the Magic push their rebuild forward, Isaac might become the odd man out.
Last season, the Atlanta Hawks agreed on a trade that sent five second-round draft picks to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Saddiq Bey and Bruno Fernando.
In the last 25 games of last season, Bey averaged 11.6 points on a solid 47 percent shooting from the field. Throughout the start of this season, Bey has played roughly 28 minutes per game both in the starting lineup and off the bench.
For the Cleveland Cavaliers, acquiring Bey would force their hand to reorganize their wing rotation of Strus, Okoro and LeVert. Without moving on from one of those players, Cleveland’s wing depth would grow repetitive. If the Cavaliers believe Bey’s skillset as a taller wing with solid scoring and rebounding fits their system better than their current players, then he would be a solid prospect for a trade deadline acquisition.
The Eastern Conference is loaded with talented options for the Cavaliers to improve their roster. Looking into the Western Conference next, the other side of the NBA might possess the best possible future Cavaliers if they are ready to buy in on this core.