Cavaliers Trade Deadline Wishlist: 4 dynamic forwards for Cleveland to target

Simone Fontecchio is a low-cost option for Cleveland

It can be difficult to convince any team to give up on young assets without offering a star in return, but the Cavaliers could find a unique talent in Utah Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio, a 28-year-old Italian prospect in his second season.

Team executives can tend to trade with the same team numerous times, as both general managers develop a working relationship with one another, making the negotiations far less restrictive. The Cavs and Jazz have a long history of trading with one another, including the 2022 blockbuster that brought Donovan Mitchell to Ohio. A deal for Fontecchio would hardly make the headlines at a fraction of the Mitchell news, but Fontecchio could be a missing piece for the Cavs to round out their rotation.

Fontecchio has the lowest salary of any prospect at only $3.04 million, and the Jazz would likely be willing to move on from him in exchange for more youth to spark their rebuild. In 22.5 minutes per game, Fontecchio has notched 9.1 points, 1.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds. His 39.3 percent three-point accuracy stands out most, making him a wildly valuable prospect for the Cavs to consider.

While Fontecchio is not going to make the type of season-defining impact that other players could, he would give Cleveland another rotation piece that can guarantee some level of value every night. Fontecchio would likely offer more than Dean Wade currently, and their similar contracts could be the starting point for the deal. Wade is one year younger than Fontecchio and has a longer track record of consistency in the league. He could be a useful addition to the Jazz as a versatile forward.

Finally, the Cavaliers return to their own conference for the final, and probably best, trade target.