Once again, LeBron James left the Cleveland Cavaliers fanbase heartbroken. The greatest player in franchise history snubbed his hometown team to join an organization he never had any ties to, finishing his career with the Philadelphia 76ers.
As big a blow as that was, the Cavs' front office can't just cry over the spilled milk and go through the motions for the rest of the offseason. There are still great players out there, and as other contenders get better, they need to make some moves.
Considering that, and given that James Harden remains unsigned, Heavy's Adel Ahmad proposed a mock trade that would send him back to the Houston Rockets, all while giving the Cavs a top-tier scorer in Kevin Durant. Let's break it down.
The Cavs should try to trade for Kevin Durant
In this scenario, the Cavs would sign Harden to a three-year, $112 million contract and send him along with Jarrett Allen and a 2031 first-round pick to Houston. The Cavs would get Durant, Fred VanVleet, and a 2028 second-round pick (via DET), and the Pistons would get Dennis Schroder.
This might sound wild at first glance, but it would actually be a win for all parties involved. The Pistons would get a proven backup point guard for the non-Cade Cunningham minutes, and they'd only have to give up a second-rounder.
The Rockets would get a glass-cleaning big man to either backup or pair with Alperen Sengun, all while bringing back one of the greatest players in franchise history to solve their play-making woes. They'd also get VanVleet's big contract off their books after he missed last season with a major injury.
Last but not least, the Cavs would take a flier on VanVleet's recovery, a risky gamble that could definitely pay off if he's back to his usual sharpshooting self. But more importantly, they'd also get one of the most prolific three-level scorers in the history of the game.
Notably, this would also be a case of addition by subtraction. Schroder outstayed his welcome in Cleveland with some erratic play in the postseason, and Harden has always been a playoff choker; that won't change at this point in his career.
Durant may have rubbed his teammates the wrong way with yet another burner account scandal late in the season, and given the way he's handled his career, chances are he wouldn't mind yet another change of scenery.
He hasn't found much playoff success since he left the Warriors, but he's still one of the few blue-chip superstars who can undeniably elevate this team's ceiling. He'd be the best scorer on the team and give Kenny Atkinson a go-to guy when defenses focus on Donovan Mitchell in the playoffs.
It might take a lot to get it done, and they'd still need another big man to pair with Evan Mobley. Still, this is the type of opportunity no team should pass on, especially with LeBron James back in the East.
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