Cleveland Cavaliers: 4 contracts Cavs should take on for 2021
CJ McCollum
Inserting Kevin Love’s name into trades is so easy, but doing so particularly works with the Blazers.
The player to target here is C.J. McCollum. While the Cleveland native has been part of a sensational tandem paired with Damian Lillard, the duo may have reached its ceiling.
Why might Portland do this? Yahoo’s Kevin Smith pointed out that Lillard and McCollum will make a combined $86 million combined in 2023-24 — not exactly a healthy cap outlook, especially with Lillard carrying a $50 million option for 2024-2025. Love at least comes off the books by 2023.
McCollum signed a three-year extension that will pay him about $30 million per season through 2024. That extension doesn’t kick in until next season.
The truth is McCollum wouldn’t be a great contract for the Cavaliers, either, but considering the organization inability to get free agents in town, Cleveland would benefit from having a scorer like McCollum, who would be here through the rest of his prime.
The Cavs backcourt would become stocked, with McCollum partnering with Kevin Porter, Darius Garland. Adding McCollum would certainly afford the Cavs to explore a trade with one of these three young players.
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Dealing Love, though, would mean the Cavs need to look for size, and I’ve been ringing the bell for Toppin in the draft.