2018 NBA Draft: Cleveland Cavaliers shouldn’t trade with the Phoenix Suns
By Ryan Rosko
The Cleveland Cavaliers may be tempted to make a trade during the 2018 NBA Draft, which is fine. However, there is one possible scenario they should not consider.
Sitting in the 2018 NBA Draft’s lottery with the eighth pick, the Cleveland Cavaliers are in essentially no man’s land. They need a top talent to fall, settle for a talent in the next tier of players, or make a trade.
As Cleveland makes their way through the process of deciding which players they want, a trade could become more and more tempting the closer we get to the draft.
One team that could be trading up is the Phoenix Suns. According to Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, Phoenix is trying to trade into the top 10 to draft Oklahoma’s, Trae Young.
Sources confirm: Phoenix Suns have been trying to bring in Trae Young for dinner/workout, but scheduling has made it difficult. Meeting to likely take place at some point before draft. Evidence Phoenix will be looking to add a 2nd top-10 pick.
— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) June 9, 2018
Now, if there was a scenario where Cleveland would be trading with Phoenix to get the first pick, I would be all for it. Since that is not the case, and it is actually the opposite scenario, should Phoenix come calling Cleveland might as well not even pick up.
The players of value the Suns have are not going to be headed to the Cavs. Phoenix has picks 1, 16, 31, and 59 overall.
The likelihood is that Cleveland is going to have to choose from that second tier and by trading back to 16 eliminates any chance of getting one of those players. Therefore, what is the point in trading back? Cleveland needs as close to a top talent that they can get to continue in their pursuit as class of the east.
Assuming Cleveland stays at eight, there is no guarantee that Young will be there. Teams ahead of them such as the Chicago Bulls could be intrigued to take him. I for one am not one that favors selecting the Oklahoma product, however.
While Young is a great scorer and can distribute the basketball well, I see some characteristics to that of former Syracuse guard and Minnesota Timberwolves first rounder Jonny Flynn. Two key characteristics are shot selection and shooting percentage.
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I don’t want to say Young is the next Flynn yet but he very well could be. That is just one side of the coin as to why Cleveland should look elsewhere. The Cavaliers are better off staying put and taking whoever is at the top of their draft board and working out the rest of their roster from there.