The Cleveland Cavaliers would like to trade for Jayson Tatum.
Seriously; it would be great to add an All-NBA forward who would be a seamless fit with the rest of their core. It would be even better if they could do so without giving up any of their most important players. Yet obviously that isn't happening; the Boston Celtics aren't trading their franchise superstar, and the Cavs don't have the assets to land him even if they were.
That's an extreme example, but many of the players linked to the Cavaliers in trade speculation or on the wish lists of fans are frankly never going to be traded to Cleveland. Their contracts are too large, the trade return too steep, or the phone line to offer a trade is dead.
Other players tossed out are indeed more realistic, and these are the players that the Cavs could not only afford but are also on the trade block from their respective teams. Let's look at six players showing up in trade rumors and evaluate whether they are realistic trade targets or purely pipe dreams.
Cavaliers could land Royce O'Neale
The Cleveland Cavaliers are in the market for a 3-and-D wing, as they always are, but yet again many of them are priced outside of their range. They obviously weren't going to get into the bidding for OG Anunoby, but another Atlantic Division wing is absolutely in sight and that is Royce O'Neale of the Brooklyn Nets.
O'Neale is a former teammate of Donovan Mitchell's in Utah and has taken a step back defensively since that time, but he is still competent on that end and an extremely solid shooter at the other. He would represent another body in the wing rotation and could likely be got for a pair of second-round picks. His salary of just $9.5 million makes him easier to bring in as well. Mark this one down as very possible.