Bleacher Report's top 3 Cavaliers trade targets
Unsurprisingly, Swartz included the name most frequently associated with the Cavs this offseason - Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson. As a starting small forward or backup four, Swartz suggests that Johnson perfectly fits a massive need for the Cavaliers. The career sharpshooter brings a needed level of offensive versatility and size Cleveland lacks on the wing and in the frontcourt.
Over a five-year career, Johnson has shot 39 percent from deep on high volume. Additionally, the 28-year-old forward gives positional versatility at 6-foot-8 and serviceable defense with lateral quickness and strength. Placing Johnson at either the three or four gives the Cavaliers a floor spacer who can complement each member of the core four in a variety of lineups. Johnson is a no-brainer candidate for trade, despite Cleveland's failed attempts to acquire the veteran sniper.
Alongside Johnson, Swartz included another elite wing shooter. Atlanta Hawks forward Bogdan Bogdanovic made the list, praised for his scoring talent and overall offensive impact. We have covered Bogdanovic's potential fit with Cleveland in past articles, but it is worth re-stating the undeniable upgrade he would be for the Cavs in nearly any move.
The Turkish forward has shot 38.4 percent from three-point range in his NBA career and has kept a steady production as a secondary playmaker with a career 3.4 assists per game. Admittedly, the 32 year old is another relatively undersizd wing at 6-foot-5, but his career shooting and veteran status make him a captivating possibility for Cleveland.
Finally, former Cavalier Larry Nance, Jr. rounds out the list as a hometown hero and ideal backup big man with floor spacing qualities. During Nance's original stint with the franchise which retired his father's iconic No. 22 jersey, both Nance and the Cavs were fairly unpolished and incomplete products.
From 2018 - 2021, Nance played alongside a young Collin Sexton and Darius Garland before being traded for Lauri Markkanen and joining the Portland Trailblazers. In his stint with the Cavs, Nance filled a variety of roles, both as a backup big and ocassionally a small forward. Cleveland was in a transitional phase and often failed to find a good fit for Nance's talents.
After two-and-a-half seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans, Nance has established himself as a stretch backup big and a premier bench player in the league. Most recently, Nance was dealt to the Atlanta Hawks in the Dejounte Murray trade. Given the Hawks' wealth of centers, Nance could quickly return to the trade block and make his return to the Land.
Following his exit from Cleveland, though, Nance said there was a bit of relief to leave the organization and join a playoff squad. Playing under his dad's name became "redundant" after time, and he needed a change of scenery. With the Cavaliers back in playoff contention every season and Nance's growth, a reunion could be a welcomed moment to end an otherwise perplexing offseason.
Currently, the Cleveland Cavaliers have gone silent on the trade front. Okoro's free agency remains undecided, and the Cavs do not seem to have any backup plan. If Cleveland re-enters the trade market and is willing to move on from Okoro and any combination of Caris LeVert, Georges Niang and more, then adding one of these names could turn this offseason around into a successful summer.