3 Caris LeVert trade proposals to make Cleveland Cavaliers a contender

Trade No. 3 - Trey Lyles, Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings are in a similar position to the Cavaliers this season after being booted in the first round of the playoffs with home-court advantage last spring.

After the Kings ended last season as the second seed in the West, they currently sit fifth in the West behind the four-seeded Los Angeles Clippers. With a star duo of De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis at the helm, Sacramento appears primed to make a major leap toward contention with a good trade this season.

For the Cavaliers, they should eye veteran forward Trey Lyles from the Kings as the centerpiece of a larger trade, rounding out this list with another proven 3-and-D power forward. Lyles is only under contract for $8.8 million this season, making a straightforward swap improbable. Instead, the Cavaliers could orchestrate a larger deal to send LeVert to the Western powerhouse.

In this deal, the Cavaliers and Kings swap LeVert for Lyles and include under-used point guards to make the money line up. The Cavs also include Milwaukee's 2025 second-round pick as sweetener, considering Ty Jerome's lack of availability.

The Kings open up the forward rotation to provide both Harrison Barnes and rising star Keegan Murray with more minutes and add a solid backcourt player in LeVert to add scoring and playmaking in the second unit.

As for the Cavaliers, both Trey Lyles and Davion Mitchell would fill a meaningful role in the rotation, especially with Garland and Ricky Rubio out of the lineup. Similar to both Hachimura and Johnson, Lyles is not eligible for trade until January 15, meaning Garland may be close to return by the time this deal goes through. Mitchell could still be a steady backcourt presence alongside Okoro and Porter, though.

On the Cavaliers, Lyles is another 3-and-D option, shooting 35.7 percent from deep this season and grabbing 5.2 rebounds per game. Any new addition to Cleveland's frontcourt needs to provide in these two areas, given the team's lackluster presence on the perimeter and on the boards last postseason.

Considering LeVert's importance to Cleveland's bench rotation, the Cavaliers may not have any expectations to trade their sixth man this year. Still, his team-friendly contract and confusing fit on the roster could make him the odd man out if the Cavs recognize a need for a trade by the February buzzer.