Trade No. 1 - Adding an Olympian
The Atlanta Hawks are in an awkward position, employing a fringe superstar guard Trae Young but continually failing to construct a supporting cast around him. With money tied up in good-but-not-great players, swapping contracts for LeVert's expiring deal could help Atlanta turn the tide next summer. As for the Cavaliers, the Hawks have a wealth of shooters who could boost Cleveland's perimeter presence.
In this move, the Hawks exchange two multi-year deals for two expiring contracts. Both Bogdan Bogdanovic and Cody Zeller have three seasons left under contract, giving the Cavaliers more control over their future financial situation. There are few routes the Cavs can take to avoid luxury tax penalties next summer, making it increasingly difficult to spend money and add more talent. Finding those long-term salaries this summer would give them more power and maneuverability going forward.
In terms of talent, the Cavaliers exit this trade winners. The Hawks meet their needs financially, but the Cavs fill two desperate needs on their roster. Bogdanovic shot over 37 percent from deep on high volume and finished fifth in Sixth Man of the Year voting. The veteran wing most recently played for his home country Serbia in the 2024 Paris Olympics, averaging 18.3 points on 46.2 percent from deep. He would become Cleveland's best shooter. While his defense is far from stellar, he could raise the Cavaliers to a new level on offense.
We covered Bogdanovic's potential addition in an earlier article. This deal builds on the concept to add a backup center with Cody Zeller - brother of former Cavalier Tyler Zeller - to the roster. While Zeller has declined in overall production, his last playoff run with the Miami Heat showed promise that he can still play a serviceable but small role on a contender. On most nights, Zeller would not need to play more than 6-10 minutes as a stop gap to give Allen and Mobley rest. Trusting in him in spurts to keep the Cavaliers afloat through an injury is worth the investment.
If the Hawks are not interested, the Cavaliers should shift their focus to the Western Conference to construct a similar deal with a familiar face.