Perseverance.
That's the type of word you see slapped onto the top of a poster in a middle-school locker room, with the picture of some animal meant to inspire greater effort from students engaged in some sort of sport. It also rings of some old-timey sailing ship, the "HMS Perseverance" meant to invoke a sense of continuing forward even in the midst of stormy seas.
At its core, however, the word "perseverance" isn't as much about enduring something as it is achieving something. The idea of persevering is that if you work at something long enough, you will accomplish your goal.
For weeks now, the Cleveland Cavaliers front office has been working hard as it approaches the Trade Deadline to find a deal that checks as many boxes as possible for the team. The first-place Cavaliers would like to improve the roster ahead of a deep playoff run, but they also are just $1.9 million over the luxury tax line and would save a significant amount of money both this year and in the future if they can get under that line.
Can they accomplish both? It seems like an extremely daunting task: get better, get cheaper, and do it with minimal trade assets.
We've been working at that problem for the past few weeks here at King James Gospel, exploring different trade possibilities. Swap Caris LeVert for Larry Nance Jr.? That's not getting better, but it at least gives the Cavs a decent player back. Same with turning LeVert into Cole Anthony. Perhaps flipping LeVert into two players makes some sense, but it's still a talent downgrade.
There are a few options to do the same with Isaac Okoro; a name like Charlotte's Cody Martin has been suggested, but Martin is sometimes injured, sometimes can't hit a shot to save his life. And Okoro is a good player; they wouldn't get better with such a trade.
Persevere, however, and together as a basketball community we can achieve our goals. Dan Feldman of Dunc'd On Basketball proposed a trade during a "Mock Trade Deadline" exercise that may just have done it, threading the needle to find a deal that makes the team better and also saves them enough money to get out of the luxury tax.
Let's take a closer look.
Cavaliers could pull off a win-win trade
The least crucial member of the Cavaliers' rotation is likely Georges Niang, as he will almost certainly be marginalized in the rotation -- or excised completely -- when the playoffs come around. Yet given that he makes only $8.5 million there are not a wide range of players that make little enough to get Cleveland out of the tax and not be outside of the rotation themselves.
Adding Jaylon Tyson to the deal increases the outgoing salary to $11.8 million, but suddenly the value going out for Cleveland is much more significant. Now the Cavs not only are trying to get less expensive but do so with a move that truly upgrades the team -- while also recognizing that the salary needs to drop enough for them to sign a 14th player after the trade.
Is such a deal possible? Perhaps the Cavaliers only need to look to their Central Division foe to find the answer.
The Chicago Bulls are balancing on the edge of a knife, on the very fringe of the Play-In Race in the Eastern Conference but clearly not in position to go anywhere in the postseason. This may be the year they finally pull the plug, offloading players of value to enter a true rebuild.
If so, Ayo Dosunmu is a prime trade candidate. He is worth more to contending teams than to a rebuilding Bulls franchise, a 6'5" guard with length and elite defensive instincts. A two-way star in college, the 25 year old Dosunmu has found his niche in the NBA by locking up opposing guards, providing tertiary playmaking and decent perimeter shooting.
The key? Dosunmu makes just $7 million this season in the midst of a value extension he signed.
Here is what such a deal would look like:
The Cavaliers save $4.8 million with this deal, giving them plenty of room to sign a 14th player and, by the end of the year, even a 15th. That accomplishes their goal of getting out of the luxury tax, resetting the clock on the repeater tax that will become punitive in future seasons. What's more, Dosunmu is under contract for next season as well at $7 million, giving the Cavs a cost-controlled guard for another year.
The Bulls get an intriguing young forward in Jaylon Tyson who has already proven himself ready to play when called upon by the Cavaliers. He is younger and cheaper than Dosunmu and has more upside. The second is reasonable compensation for taking on Niang's contract for this year and next.
Does this deal make the Cavaliers better? Tyson is a valuable depth piece to have this season, but most of his value is in the future; the Cavs are in position as a contender to shift some future value for a present upgrade. Dosunmu is a win-now player, someone who has already proven himself capable of doing all the little things you need in a role player.
He also gives them an elite on-ball defender to mix in behind Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell; he isn't appreciably smaller than Isaac Okoro and is arguably more accomplished both defensively and offensively, providing an upgrade on his rotation role. He is also insurance if Okoro's injury lingers or he suffers another, as there is no one else in the rotation who can duplicate his defensive presence on the perimeter.
This is a trade that makes a lot of sense for the Cavaliers. It's painful to give up Tyson, but this deal makes too much sense all around not to consider. If Cleveland truly does want to duck the luxury tax, this may be the best way to do so.