Cleveland Cavaliers fans don't want to hear it, but the front office may be willing to lose a trade to avoid the luxury tax for one more season.
When healthy, the Cavs have the league's best offense and are a fearsome competitor against anybody. However, Cleveland failed their main task this offseason - stay under the luxury tax threshold before Evan Mobley's maximum extension kicks in in the 2025 summer. The Cavaliers are just shy of ducking it, but Isaac Okoro's late extension pushed them past by about $1.8 million.
With the February 6 trade deadline quickly approaching, reports suggest the Cavs' top priority could be shedding salary instead of buying for an all-in move. Cleveland's trade assets are limited with most of the cap sheet invested in the core four. But, if the Cavaliers hope to play financial chess, a rotation player is almost guaranteed to be on the move.
The Cavs' fringe rotation players like Sam Merrill and Craig Porter, Jr. are on minimum salaries, making them out of the question as the centerpiece for any money-saving trades. Isaac Okoro and Georges Niang are on cheap, multi-year contracts. Their low price tags make it hard to find any decent role players to add in return.
Cleveland's only real option is dealing Caris LeVert, the sixth man on a $16.6 million expiring contract. Without draft assets at hand, the Cavaliers' best trade offer is future financial flexibility and veteran talent. LeVert provides both, making him the most common name included in trade discussions.
Trading LeVert might be the Cavaliers' best option, but losing a trade for the sake of saving money could be detrimental for the franchise's future. The Cavs sixth man has revitalized his game, becoming a highly-effective scorer and all-around defensive contributor. Averaging 10.8 points and 3.8 assists while shooting 42 percent from deep, replacing LeVert will not be an easy task for the Cavaliers.
In truth, any cost-effective LeVert trade will favor the opposing side. The goal for the Cavs is to minimize that damage.
Building a LeVert trade
To swap LeVert in a best-case scenario, the Cavaliers need to look toward rebuilding teams that could benefit from extra cap space. These teams must already have some financial flexibility, enough to take on extra salary for the second half of the season, barring any second apron tax teams.
Looking west of Cleveland, the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls present unique opportunities. The Pacers have recently been in trade rumors regarding their own financial woes with the future of Myles Turner, making them an unlikely candidate. Chicago, however, is aiming to shed future salaries and build toward a new era beyond Zach Lavine and Nikola Vucevic. This could give the Cavaliers the best chance to make a good Vert trade.
In a fairly straight forward trade, the Cavaliers send the Bulls a veteran combo guard who could leave in the summer or stick around on a team-friendly contract to help teach the next generation. Cavs fans know that LeVert is a constant professional, focusing on the team before himself. His mentality and effective playing style could be a major incentive for Chicago.
As for the Cavaliers, they would remove almost $6 million from their cap sheet while adding good talent to the roster. Jalen Smith has proven himself a serviceable young backup center with a knack for shooting from three. In his first season with the Bulls, Smith is averaging 15.2 minutes per game, adding 8.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and a 34.3 three-point percentage to Chicago's efforts. With a star frontcourt of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, Smith would not be needed for a major role. Instead, he would split minutes with Niang at the four spot unless one of Cleveland's bigs is out.
Alongside Smith, veteran forward Torrey Craig would join the Cavaliers. The 34-year-old wing only plays spot minutes for the Bulls, appearing in nine games this season as he recovers from injury. Placing Craig into the Cavs' rotation as a last-resort option gives Cleveland a tall wing they can count on when necessary. Last season, Craig averaged 5.7 points and 4.1 rebounds, shooting just shy of 40 percent from deep on 2.9 attempts per game.
Undoubtedly, the loss of LeVert likely outweighs the benefits of two low-usage role players. Craig's 6'7" frame and veteran experience could help the Cavs maintain against taller opponents. Defensively, Craig is far from LeVert's level. Smith, though, is a positive defensive big man and would add another layer of versatility to Cleveland's offense.
If the Cleveland Cavaliers believe in the rise of Ty Jerome, trading LeVert for cheaper role players is not the worst idea. Still, the Cavaliers will not be able to find a trade that can replace what LeVert provides while also shedding salary. This deal could bring better balance than many others, but nonetheless, the Cavaliers could regret losing LeVert for nothing.