Grade the Trade: Cavaliers deal Mitchell for rising star in riveting proposal

Teams around the league can try to nickel and dime the Cleveland Cavaliers all that they want, but if a Donovan Mitchell were to occur, it would not be for their overpaid role player and a few low-upside first-round picks. The New York Knicks aren't landing Mitchell for Evan Fournier and some draft flotsam. The Miami Heat can't solely send back Tyler Herro and hope to make magic happen. The Brooklyn Nets better not even think of bringing up the name of Ben Simmons.

The Cleveland Cavaliers don't want to trade Donovan Mitchell, and unless he comes to them this season and asks for a trade, they almost certainly won't consider a deal until the offseason. Any deal that has any hopes of being discussed can't start with "meh" salary, but rather has to find a blue-chip young player to send back.

Young star wings should be the target

More than simply a young star in the making, the Cavaliers need to specifically prioritize a player who could play on the wing. The Cavs need to get out of the game of trying to force two small guards into a starting lineup, and adding another big doesn't make sense even if they end up moving on from Jarrett Allen at some point as well. They need a wing with size, ideally one who can play at the 3 and slide up or down as needed.

There aren't a ton of those kinds of players around the league, and most of the time teams desperately want to hang onto them. What's more, the Cavaliers will ideally go after a player who not only fits the positional size and skillset but has upside to turn into a two-way star. That's easier said than done, of course, but it's not impossible.

We will try to canvas the league for a couple such options, and the search begins in Sacramento where the Kings just might have the trade package the Cavs are looking for.