The Cleveland Cavaliers are aiming on contending for the NBA Finals with a set core, but the front office has grown more active in adding complementary role players to elevate the team's ceiling.
During the offseason, the Cavs traded longtime wing Isaac Okoro for Lonzo Ball, effectively replacing last season's backup point gaurd Ty Jerome for an all-around playmaker like Ball. Second-year player Jaylon Tyson assumed Okoro's role, and both Larry Nance, Jr. and Thomas Bryant joined the Cavs on minimum deals.
While the core and primary supporting cast are the same as last season's end, Cleveland prioritized one trait above all else this summer - hustle. Lonzo, Tyson and Bryant have reputations as energy players who embrace the high-pace and physicality of the NBA. Though the Cavaliers are cautiously managing Ball's injury history, they have trusted him as a physical defender and a leading ball handler off the bench.
Tyson has become a model of what Cleveland wants on the wing. His volume shooting, tenacious defense and willing rebounding have turned him from a fringe rotation piece to a solidified go-to bench contributor. Most recently, two-way forward Nae'Qwan Tomlin became a pseudo-staple member of the rotation, even starting in one game, as the Cavs battle injuries. His hustle and toughness fit perfectly in coach Kenny Atkinson's system, proving the Cavaliers are doubling down on their biggest flaw of physical and mental weakness.
As the unofficial trade season approaches in December, the Cavaliers will likely not search the market for much. Unless Cleveland truly loses faith in Jarrett Allen and breaks up the core, the Cavs probably will only target physical and versatile floor spacers. If the Cavaliers take that approach, bringing back former veteran Taurean Prince may have been a perfect option before his recent injury.
Taurean Prince's injury wiped him from the Cavaliers trade board
Taurean Prince returned to the Milwaukee Bucks this season on another short-term minimum deal after re-energizing his career last season with the Wisconsin squad.
In 80 games last season, Prince averaged 8.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game while shooting 43.9 percent on threes. He established himself as one of the Bucks' best and most physical wing players, entering the starting lineup for 73 of his appearances.
This year, Prince opened the season at 42.9 percent from deep before he suffered a herniated disk in his neck that will keep him out for an indefinite period of time. Milwaukee losing Prince is a blow to their wing depth, and it likely killed any opportunity for the Cavs to explore a reunion with a former player.
Prince's Cavs tenure was short and much less productive than his time with Milwaukee. In half a season with the Cavaliers, Prince was still a high-end shooter, hitting 41.5 percent from deep, but he was clearly not enthused to play on a rebuilding Cleveland roster. He joined Cleveland alongside Jarrett Allen in the James Harden trade. After 29 games in wine and gold, Prince promptly left for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2021 offseason.
Reuniting with Prince could still offer a worthwhile option if his injury timeline becomes favorable, especially if the Bucks show interest in one of the Cavaliers' lower-cost players. On a minimum contract, the Cavs can easily exceed Prince's price tag, but finding the right balance for the Bucks' salary sheet likely forces the trade to become a multi-team fiasco.
Adding another rugged wing like Prince may be the final piece to the Cavaliers' puzzle. Despite his injury, Cleveland would have good reason to check on his availability with Milwaukee as the new year approaches. The Cavs have seen the benefit of Tyson and Tomlin injecting energy into the team. Finding one more guaranteed hustle player could be an unexpected game changer for a team dreaming of the Finals.