Grade the Trade: Cavaliers deal Evan Mobley to the Kings in ballistic proposal

Should the Cavaliers make this deal?

The mere idea of trading Evan Mobley is an explosive one. The Cleveland Cavaliers and their fans are understandably enamored with the young defensive phenom. It's also fair to say that the odds of the Cavs moving Mobley are slim; front offices tend to be more in love with their picks than other teams, so finding the right valuation even if the team were to consider a deal would be nearly impossible.

Taking the emotions out of it, however, the lineup that the Cavs would have in the wake of such a trade is enticing. Keegan Murray ranks 26th in the NBA in 3-point attempts per game, and while his percentage is down this year (36.3 percent) he hit 41.1 percent on similar volume last year, and has proven himself enough that he will be closely defended on the perimeter.

Murray is also no defensive slouch. At 6'8" with a 6'11" wingspan Murray has an excellent frame to take on both wings and forwards, and he routinely takes on the most formidable opposing player for the Kings. He has proven himself in that role, with Basketball Index rating him among the best wing stoppers in the league:

Murray is already an elite 3-and-D player and is growing as an on-ball scorer, so the upside is still extremely high for a player in just his second season. He's already 23 years old as he came into the league older than most prospects, but that's hardly old. He has already proven himself a player who will continue to develop and add tools to his bag.

Murray is without doubt a better positional fit for the Cavaliers; is his upside enough to make the Cavaliers consider such a deal? Probably not in reality, but it's a deal the Cavs should at least strongly discuss. The Kings themselves probably value their two-way forward too highly to make a deal anyway, but this swap is one that could help both teams in a significant way.

In the end? This is a deal that won't happen. But it's extremely tempting to consider.

Grade: B+