With Larry Nance, Jr.'s return to the Cleveland Cavaliers this offseason and the arrival of Thomas Bryant, the team had seemingly solved their lingering frontcourt issues.
Over recent years, the Cavs could never pin down a real frontcourt rotation around the star duo of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Temporary rental veterans like Robin Lopez and Tristan Thompson had moments of high impact, but there was still no long-term options.
This summer, Nance's homecoming looked like the perfect solution to add a versatile big man to the roster, and a late-offseason deal with Bryant gave the Cavs a bruising center with Finals experience.
Unfortunately, Nance's second Cavs tenure has been anything but ideal. The veteran big has fallen out of the nightly rotation in favor of Nae'Qwan Tomlin, a two-way player from the G League Charge. As the Cavs battle to establish their footing this season, the loss of real frontcourt depth has been another point of contention as the new calendar year approaches.
If the Cavaliers hope to return to contender status, their best options are clear. One skill pushed Tomlin to the foreground of the rotation alongside Jaylon Tyson's emergence as a prominent wing player. Both players offer grit and endless energy on the court. While neither player has a perfectly refined skillset, their relentless attitude pushes the rest of the team to make the extra effort.
Last season, the Cavs made a key trade deadline acquisition for De'Andre Hunter, a true 3-and-D combo forward who could elevate the offense and help anchor the defense. This season, the Cavs cannot afford to feel complacent at the deadline and must follow the aggressive approach that landed Hunter.
Brandon Clarke is the ideal fix to the Cavaliers' frontcourt woes
For years, the ideal trade options in the frontcourt seemed to center around three-point shooting. In a recent piece, we covered the potential for a Jarrett Allen trade to the Memphis Grizzlies to acquire a floor-spacing big man to pair with Mobley. Rather than prioritizing that single skill, though, the Cavaliers are in position to value hustle over specialized talent.
Looking once more at the Grizzlies, Cleveland's best trade option targets a veteran big man from Memphis and exchanges shooting for hustle.
In this proposal, the Cavaliers shift off Max Strus in favor of Tyson's growing role and pivot their focus to securing another frontcourt contributor. With Strus still sidelined with injury, his trade value has certainly fallen, but Grizzlies big man Brandon Clarke also has yet to make his season debut with a knee injury.
Over two seasons with the Cavaliers, Strus has offered high volume movement shooting, solid defensive intensity and well-rounded playmaking for a wing. While Strus has hit untimely plateaus as a shooter, he has undoubtedly been one of the Cavs' most valuable role players.
His 3-and-D talents are exactly what make him perfect for the Grizzlies, though. So far, Memphis ranks 10th in three-pointers attempted per game but are in the bottom-five in three-point percentage. The Grizzlies' wing depth is shallow at best, making the need for a shooter like Strus painfully clear.
Clarke fixes the Cavaliers' biggest problem
Losing Strus would be a hit to the Cavaliers, especially if Tyson's production falls by the postseason, but the Cavs cannot ignore the disastrous frontcourt situation. With Nance being replaced by Tomlin, Cleveland is depending on two-way contracts over veterans. That is a problem that must be addressed.
Clarke, despite being a negative shooter, has every talent the Cavaliers need. He is a high-motor, physical presence in the paint with elite offensive rebounding. Last season, Clarke ranked second on the team in offensive rebounding percentage (10.2) for players who played at least 15 minutes per game.
Tyson's ability to create extra possessions by chasing long rebounds and crashing the offensive boards has already proven to be a game-changing skill for the young wing. Adding another reliable post player who can give Cleveland another shot would be the missing element to reviving the season.
The 6-foot-8 Clarke may not add another seven-footer to the Cavs' roster, but his intensity and proven track record as a rebounding expert and physical interior presence is the perfect complementary piece to this Cleveland squad.
Defensively, Clarke helps lock down the post and can deter guards from driving into a crowded paint. According to Bball-Index (paid subscription), Clarke ranks in the 85th percentile in rim protection and the 88th percentile in rim disruption from the 2024-25 season, ranking him among the best post defenders the Cavaliers could find on the market.
If the Cleveland Cavaliers want to salvage their season, addressing their biggest lingering flaw of a lack of consistent intensity is a must. The trade deadline will be their final opportunity to fix the frontcourt ahead of the playoffs. While Strus provides hustle, Cleveland needs to inject the frontcourt rotation with grit, and Clarke provides that perfectly.