In the offseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers made multiple roster moves to boost their 3-point shooting and forward depth.
During the playoff loss to the New York Knicks, Cleveland’s worrisome floor stretching and uninspiring rebounding decimated any possibilities for them to advance in the postseason. Following their early exit, the Cavaliers added Max Strus and Georges Niang to the ranks alongside re-signing Caris LeVert. Later in the summer, the Cavs acquired Ty Jerome and Damian Jones, then lastly brought 2016 NBA Champion Tristan Thompson back for his veteran leadership and interior presence.
Given their sluggish season start and last year’s disappointing end, the improved Cavaliers still have questions to answer right now. As third-party observers, it is impossible to recognize the full picture better than those directly involved with the roster.
To improve their rotation, Cleveland may need to explore personnel changes even further. Whether that comes through trade, free agent signings, or coaching changes, a smart move could help the Cavs get out of this rut they have found for themselves.
When the season began, the biggest question remaining seemed to be the frontcourt rotation, considering Jones’ inability to find rotation minutes consistently and Thompson’s age. Thus far, while Jones has not produced too well for Cleveland, Thompson has proven his value, at least for the regular season.
Going forward, though, the incomplete Cavaliers will need to bolster their competitiveness. The path for this is not clear, as they may only need marginal depth improvements or identity shifting moves.
This is the second part in a two-part article identifying the best trade target on every NBA team for the Cavaliers. The first piece focused on the Eastern Conference, and this will detail one player on every Western Conference rival the Cavaliers could target before the February trade deadline.
While Cleveland has a towering frontcourt, the rest of their roster is relatively small for their position. If the Cavs believe a major mix up in their forward positions to add height and offensive power is the way to go, borderline All-Star Brandon Ingram would be a worthwhile target.
Through his last three seasons, Ingram has averaged 23.7 points on strong efficiency, adding 5.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game as well. With Zion Williamson’s health constantly in question, Ingram has often taken the mantle as the primary offensive option and helped lead the Pelicans to both the playoffs and Play-In Tournament. Alongside C.J. McCollum at point guard, Ingram has shown his capability to flow within an offense as either an on-ball or off-ball creator.
On the Cavaliers, his multifaceted playstyle could be invaluable for a young roster still learning to push through in the hardest moments. Ingram’s $31.6 million salary would require this acquisition to include key players headed back to New Orleans, namely Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert whose contracts combine to just over $36 million this season. The Pelicans expressed interest in Allen this summer (subscription required), but swapping him for Ingram specifically may be a difficult feat.
Truthfully, the Memphis Grizzlies do not hold many options the Cavaliers would covet outside of their core players who would obviously be impossible to bring to Cleveland. John Konchar, though, has been an intriguing backup player in his career, averaging low minutes but helping stretch the floor when he’s called upon.
Over the Chicago native’s five-year career, he has shot 37.4 percent from deep on roughly two attempts per game. While his volume is low, he has only averaged 17.3 minutes per game in his Memphis tenure, and his $2.25 million salary would be easy for the Cavaliers to match. Additionally, Konchar provides above average defense, holding his opponents to task in his short bursts of playtime.
Konchar would not find himself in the nightly Cleveland rotation, but he could be a useful secret weapon in the right circumstances.
The Dallas Mavericks have had a great start to the season, winning their first four games until the reigning champions Denver Nuggets toppled them. Since joining the Mavericks in the Kristaps Porzingis trade with the New York Knicks, Tim Hardaway Jr. has become a tantalizing (and sometimes frustrating) wing.
Hardaway is a streaky shooter, but he is a continuous threat on the perimeter and in the cutting lane. Out of the entire Mavericks roster, Hardaway is the best realistic target for the Cavaliers, given the yearly rumors surrounding Dallas’ willingness to part ways with the veteran wing. As another team with interest in Jarrett Allen (subscription required), the Mavericks may be a worthy trade partner if the Cavaliers choose to breakup their frontcourt duo.
The Cavaliers will trade Ty Jerome for Victor Wembanyama straight up. Bookmark it.
Following a trio of forwards and wings, Tre Jones of the San Antonio Spurs is the best backup point guard prospect in the Southwest Division for the Cavaliers.
With Ricky Rubio’s continued excused absence, Cleveland’s second unit playmaking has struggled to find any footing. Tre Jones could be a good addition to the Cavaliers’ bench to help alleviate the difficulties they face when Darius Garland needs rest or is unavailable. Averaging 8 points and 4.2 assists per game throughout his career, Tre Jones is a young and talented guard to round out Cleveland’s backcourt.
There is probably no such thing as too much long range shooting options in the modern NBA. Certainly, no team would regret picking up a proven 3-and-D wing on a minimum contract. Following a buyout with the Spurs, Reggie Bullock joined the Houston Rockets, making him a member of all three Texas franchises at one point or another in his career.
When Bullock first entered the market, one would’ve assumed he’d be looking to join a contender. His skillset and experience has earned him a strong reputation across the Association, making him an ideal target for the upper echelon of teams. His choice to join the Rockets may suggest he simply wants to stay in Texas for personal reasons. The Cavs might be far from an ideal spot for Bullock, then, with Ohio’s notorious winters.
Thus, Bullock is far from a perfect trade prospect, but the Rockets are an incredibly young and unproven team. Bullock is the only reasonably proven player there on a small enough contract.
With the Southwest Division done, the next place the Cavs could look for a deal is the current home of LeBron James and Stephen Curry, the NBA’s Pacific Division.
The Golden State Warriors have been at a crossroads of an aging legacy and a growing young core for a few years now, and Moses Moody has found himself as the odd-man-out at times. With Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins ahead of Moody in the Warriors’ rotation, his prototypical 3-and-D wing skillset is rarely fully recognized.
Even with Cleveland’s improved wing depth following this summer, adding Moody to the mix would only bolster the Cavs’ floor spacing further. Moody is a young athlete with deep playoff experience and a reliable 36.4 percent shot from range. When the Warriors call upon Moody, he competes on both ends and gives Golden State a valuable edge in many close matchups. If Moody is ready to take the next step in his development, he would be able to earn significant minutes in Cleveland’s rotation fast.
Moody can play either wing spot as a forward or guard, making him a perfect pair next to Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert in the second unit, allowing Cleveland’s other two multi-talented wings a chance to utilize their versatility in the lineup composition.
After joining the Los Angeles Lakers late last season, Rui Hachimura quickly blossomed as one of the Lakers’ best role players, putting his effort into making the extra effort and improving his scoring versatility.
In Los Angeles’ Western Conference Finals run last season, Hachimura’s scorching hot 48.7 percent 3-point shooting gave the Lakers a massive boost in plenty of close series. This season, his shooting has fallen to 33.3 percent thus far, but his willingness to shoot forces defenses to keep their focus on Hachimura. Adding Hachimura to the Cavaliers roster would put him in a Dean Wade-like role, though he would likely earn more minutes off the bat.
With his assumed value in Los Angeles, acquiring Hachimura would not be an easy trade, but his talents and mindset would fit seamlessly with the Cavs at the right price.
Over the past few seasons, the LA Clippers seemed to have the deepest wing rotation in the Association. With the combination of the James Harden trade and an aging roster, their depth has dwindled slightly. Terance Mann has become nearly untouchable (subscription required), dating back to last season it’s seemed, even for Harden, so he is a wildly unrealistic target for Cleveland. Instead, veteran wing Norman Powell could be a low-cost veteran leader with some useful skills at the end of the rotation.
As a member of the 2019 Toronto Raptors Finals team, the former champion would offer the Cavs a great insight into team chemistry and mentality in the postseason. During that Finals run, Powell played 15.9 minutes on average in 23 games, giving Toronto a reliable bench shooter with solid defense. With the Clippers, Powell continually provides a trustworthy second unit wing, making him an ideal veteran target for the young Cavaliers.
Yuta Watanabe has never been a big name in the NBA, but the 29-year-old forward is worth his pricetag, signing a $2.3 million contract with a player option in the next offseason with the Phoenix Suns.
With the Suns, Watanabe has joined his fourth NBA team in six seasons and his second team led by superstar Kevin Durant. Watanabe has mostly been a low-usage player but has earned 20 minutes per game over the first seven games of the 2023-24 NBA season. In that time, he has scored 6.1 points and snagged 3.1 rebounds. His numbers are not dazzling by any means, but Watanabe is a team-first player worth a trade discussion once he is available for trade in December.
Given Cleveland’s focus on forward depth, adding proven talents such as Trey Lyles and Chris Duarte from the Sacramento Kings would be a smart move if the Cavaliers front office feels a need to make some focused changes by the deadline.
The Kings are an alluring trade partner, given their offense-first playstyle. In the regular season, their high energy pushed them to a top seed in the West, but they were quickly exposed for poor defense by the Golden State Warriors in round one. Lyles and Duarte are solid defenders that could fit in Cleveland’s system. Their offense, though, would undoubtedly add another spark to the Cavs.
For the Kings, a deal with the defensive Cleveland Cavaliers could help cover their biggest flaw without losing any core pieces. While neither team would look for a major shakeup in a transaction with one another, adding Lyles and/or Duarte to the ranks would be a major step up off the bench.
The Portland Trail Blazers signed Jerami Grant to a four-year, $160 million contract in hopes that all-time franchise star Damian Lillard would want to stay. After Lillard’s trade request and eventual move to the Milwaukee Bucks, Grant’s future on a now rebuilding team looms over him and the franchise.
This season, Grant is owed $27.6 million. The Cavaliers would have to be certain they see him as a long-term core piece. Since the 2018-19 season, Grant has averaged 17 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1 block per game with a 46/37/80 shooting splits. Chasing Grant would most likely only be an option if Cleveland wants to separate Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
Trading Allen for Grant gives Mobley another experienced frontcourt partner who can stretch the floor and help Mobley grow as a post playmaker and scorer. Allen and Mobley are a strong defensive pair, and Mobley has a long way to grow as the sole big man on a championship team. This year might not be the year the Cavs want Grant, then. But, by the time Grant’s contract is over, it is not ridiculous to think he may be in the wine and gold.
Following a similar line of thought as Jerami Grant as a target, the newest Utah Jazz power forward John Collins would be an interesting addition to the Cavaliers.
After a tumultuous handful of a season with the Atlanta Hawks, Collins desperately yearned for a chance to grow his game again and prove his value across the league. The Utah Jazz acquired Collins for a shockingly low trade, only sending over salary filler and second-round draft pick for the exciting young forward.
Over his career, Collins has averaged 15.8 points and 8.5 rebounds. From deep, he has a 35.6 3-point percentage over his seven seasons in the NBA. Not only can Collins add shooting, he is a relentless athlete who can crash the boards and finish a fastbreak in thunderous fashion.
Once again, Collins would be a trade target best suited for the Cavs if they plan to shake up their starting frontcourt. In time, Collins could be an unforgettable player in Cleveland with his potential fit in the Cavaliers culture. The 6-foot-9 forward is a multifaceted talent with something to prove. Not only would Collins have a chance to make a major impact in Cleveland on both ends of the court, he could do so in a large role on a contending team. In theory, Collins and the Cavaliers would be a perfect match.
After winning the franchise’s first NBA Finals, the Denver Nuggets have started their 2023-24 campaign looking just as good as they did in June. Even with the loss of Bruce Brown in free agency, the Nuggets will probably not feel any need to make substantial changes to their roster this season, given their preexisting talented lineup. Young big man Zeke Nnaji, though, has yet to secure a real role in the nightly rotation, making him an ideal option for the Cavaliers to add to their second unit frontcourt.
Nnaji can play either the power forward or center position and is arguably already at 23 years old better than Cleveland’s Damian Jones. Jones has looked out of sorts with the Cavaliers, already falling behind Tristan Thompson in the rotation.
Though Thompson has exceeded expectations upon his return with the Cavs, injecting a young big into the rotation could help Thompson and Allen stay fresh throughout the rough midseason crawl. The Cavaliers’ best option for bench depth could be trading Jones and future second-round picks for Nnaji, giving the Nuggets value for a player who they do not seem to have in their long-term plans.
Right now, Caris LeVert and Donovan Mitchell are Cleveland’s go-to choices at point guard when Darius Garland heads to the bench. Both players are commendable playmakers for the most part, but finding a fuller backup point guard would be invaluable by the playoffs. Ty Jerome has filled those minutes since joining the team, but Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Tre Mann might be a better match for the job.
Mann is only 22 years old, and the Thunder do not typically trade their young players. This season, however, Mann’s minutes per game have dropped to just four after averaging 17.7 just one year earlier. Mann is valued by the Thunder much less than he might deserve, given Oklahoma City’s crowded roster. This offseason, the Thunder were forced to waive and trade a number of worthy players in order to reach the NBA’s roster limits. It has made it difficult for players to emerge into the nightly gameplan, meaning Mann could be available as another option for the Cavaliers’ backup backcourt.
Last but not certainly least, the Cleveland Cavaliers should target a free agent they missed out on this summer. Minnesota Timberwolves secondary center Naz Reid was the best center in the free agent pool, and the Cavaliers had reported interest in the stretch big.
This offseason, Reid chose to return to Minnesota on a three-year, $41.9 million contract. For the 2023-24 season, Reid will earn $12.9 million, and Minnesota’s overflowing options at the post positions might make the Timberwolves willing to take trade calls for the emerging talented big.
Reid has shot 34.9 percent from deep in his Minnesota tenure, coupling it with 4.4 rebounds in 17.7 minutes per game. With the Cavaliers, Reid would be a low-cost trade target with major potential as either a bench option or a significant starter (once more, if the Cavaliers move on from Allen). Reid’s starting role is unique, though, since he would allow Mobley to remain at the four spot while still adding long range shooting on offense.
All these players are worth consideration for the Cleveland Cavaliers either before this trade deadline or in the following offseason. Personal perspective might place one trade target over another in value, but all 16 prospects offer something new to the Cavs upon arrival.