Grading 2 new blockbuster ESPN Cleveland Cavaliers mock trade proposals

The Garland trade

While the San Antonio Spurs have been linked to Darius Garland more than any other franchise, they are not the only intriguing suitor. Early in the offseason, teams inquired about Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets once again. Should the Cavs explore a blockbuster trade, Bridges would be the perfect star next to Mitchell. Unfortunately, the Nets have taken Bridges off the market once more, instead looking to leverage their other players and wealth of draft picks to add another star next to their veteran wing.

In this deal, Brooklyn does exactly as they wish, giving the Cavaliers complementary role players and draft compensation for Garland. With the Cavs adding Ingram in the prior deal, they would likely steer clear of overloading their roster with ill-fitting stars to avoid the Phoenix Suns' woes. Should the Cavaliers add Ingram and offer him a max extension, they may then feel inclined to split Garland's contract into more manageable deals.

Cleveland also adds an ideal frontcourt partner for Mobley with Cameron Johnson, placing a coveted 3-and-D forward in their starting five. Though Johnson's injury history can be concerning, he has steadily improved his durability and could be the perfect power forward to maximize Mobley's potential when surrounded by spacers.

The two first-round picks gives the Cavs additional trade assets for a later deal, as well. Adding Dennis Schroeder further clogs the backcourt rotation, but the picks and guards on mid-sized contracts would set the Cavaliers up for a larger upgrade to their depth depending on which guards do not fit best. Schroeder is also the final year of his contract, meaning the Cavs could either re-sign him to a team-friendly deal or move on in the offseason to manage their checkbooks.

Overall, ESPN viewed this trade as a money-saving maneuver for Cleveland, noting Johnson's average salary below $22 million and Schroeder's expiring deal. The Cavaliers also move off Georges Niang's contract after he fell out of the rotation in the playoffs. Given Garland's diminished value this offseason, the Cavs may consider this trade in connection with the Allen deal.

Should the Cavaliers accept these trades?

As it stands, the Cleveland Cavaliers will enter next season with Allen, Garland and probably Strus still on the roster. If these hypothetical trades do happen, though, the Cavaliers could not call it a summer and wait for training camp. They keep their first-round pick, which could address some of the glaring flaws in these deals. Still, these trades are imperfect. The Cavaliers lose shooting and stack their backcourt rotation. If Daniels was replaced with another Pelican and Strus was not included, then the Nets deal could be a sensible move. Together, though, the Cavs would have a lot of work to do to flip assets or risk entering next season with an equally incohesive roster for new reasons.

In the end, the Cavaliers would enter the 2024-25 season with a projected starting five of Donovan Mitchell, Brandon Ingram, Cameron Johnson, Evan Mobley and whichever other guard or wing emerges as the best fit alongside Mitchell. They also have Dennis Schroeder, Dyson Daniels, Caris LeVert and Dean Wade (and Isaac Okoro if he sticks around) in their core rotation. Last season, the Cavaliers struggled mightily to have a reliable second unit leader in the backcourt.

They also lack any option to backup Mobley at center, but they could find the answer in the draft or free agency.

After these trades, they likely have far too many options and lose the vast majority of their floor spacing depth. While Johnson and Ingram would be exciting additions who fit the Cavaliers' system, they do not pass the alchemist's code of equivalent exchange for Garland and Allen. Still, this trade does give Cleveland the assets necessary to flip the first-rounders and players for a different volume shooter than Strus.

Overall, the Cleveland Cavaliers would at least have to start a conversation with these deals. If they managed to include a nearly identical salary with LeVert instead of Strus going to the Pelicans, Cleveland likely entertains these trades much more than they currently stand. Schroeder could be an ideal backup point guard, but the clog in backcourt options would quickly cause issues in training camp. These trades are not perfect and would be a complete offseason for the Cavaliers, but they are worth continuing the conversation.

The Cavs could a lot worse.