The Cleveland Cavaliers are finally Eastern Conference contenders once again. It has been a steady process, but trading for Donovan Mitchell late in the 2022 offseason was the move that took them from an up-and-coming team to a surefire playoff squad.
Now, the Cavs are out to spoil the party for rivals like the Bucks and Celtics. They are currently neck-and-neck with Milwaukee for possession of the second seed, with hopes that they can grab home court advantage against everyone not named Boston in the East playoffs this year.
This season feels like a massive opportunity for Cleveland. While it is a long shot for them to go through the overpowered Celtics and make the Finals, they can still win a playoff series or two and cement themselves as a team that is here to stay in the East. But if they do not, we know that it would likely only increase the chances of Donovan Mitchell being traded this coming summer.
If Mitchell is gone, there are several other Cavs players that could be on the trade block as Cleveland looks to stay in contention. These are the five players most at risk of being traded away this offseason.
Donovan Mitchell
As it currently stands, Mitchell is under contract with the Cavaliers for next season, with a player option for the following season in 2025-26. With him being eligible for a max extension this coming summer, the Cavs will of course be extending that offer to try to keep Donovan in town long-term.
If he chooses to decline the extension that would pay him north of $50 million per year, it will give the Cavaliers the green light to go ahead and explore options for trading him. We know that being in Cleveland was not Mitchell's first choice when he was traded from Utah, so him potentially desiring to land elsewhere is less than surprising.
Donovan is easily the most likely to be traded player on the roster this summer. He has immense trade value as one of the top perimeter players in the association, so seeking a big return for him will be the move if he does not intend to stick around.
Caris LeVert
A native of Columbus, Ohio, Caris LeVert is in his third season with the Cavaliers. Traded to Cleveland at the 2022 deadline, LeVert has been an extremely solid scoring option off the bench during his time in The Land. His 14.1 points and 4.7 assists per game have made him a candidate for Sixth Man of the Year.
Caris has gained a reputation as one of the best bench players in the association with his scoring prowess and timely defense. He has been big for the Cavs, but if Mitchell ends up leaving, LeVert could be one of the options that would make the most sense for Cleveland to attempt to trade. He has solid value and the front office could likely pull off a worthwhile deal with another contending team looking to make an upgrade.
Isaac Okoro
Looking at other players on the Cavs' bench, Isaac Okoro is another likely trade option in the offseason. Some may be surprised to see him on this list given his solid production this season. Okoro is currently putting up averages of 9.4 points and 2.0 assists on career-bests of 50% shooting from the field and 40% from three, while playing excellent defense as well.
The idea here is that Cleveland would sell high on Isaac. They may believe they can get a team to overpay based on Okoro's young age and upside. If they can, it may not be a bad idea to keep their options open.
Jarrett Allen
This is another one that is likely to make Cavs fans raise an eyebrow. Jarrett Allen is Cleveland's leading rebounder and fourth-leading scorer, putting up 15.8 points and 10.5 rebounds per night. He has been enjoying a fantastic season in The Land, at one point recording a franchise record 17 double-doubles in a row. The impact of his interior presence has been hard to overstate.
But in the end, if the Cavaliers are trying to retool after a hypothetical Donovan Mitchell trade, it would make sense to trim what is considered the team's core. If the front office winds up needing to make a decision between Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, they would likely opt to keep Mobley given his higher ceiling.
Max Strus
Coming over from the Miami Heat in free agency last summer, Max Strus has fit in seamlessly with the Cavs. He has started in all 60 of the team's games while putting up career bests in minutes, points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks per game. Of course, a lot of Max's uptick in production has simply been due to increased opportunity compared to his time in Miami. But there is no doubt he has made the most of said opportunity.
With that said, Strus is likely not the caliber of starting small forward the Cavaliers would like to have on a championship-worthy roster. Given his age, Cleveland could opt to go younger and trade Max to find a younger wing in the draft.