Cavs: With a new Rockets GM, CLE should call about Russell Westbrook

The Cleveland Cavaliers should try and make a play for Houston Rocket’s point guard Russell Westbrook and expedite their rebuild.

With a new general manager taking over for the Houston Rockets, who knows what that roster will look like in 2021. Daryl Morey has stepped down and will be replaced by Rafael Stone as the new GM of the Houston Rockets. This follows the departure of Mike D’Antoni, who opted not to come back to the team following an early playoff departure. That means a new head coach and a new GM may want their team their way. So if the Cavs GM Koby Altman has a clue, they’d call up Houston right now and start talking turkey about a trade for Russell Westbrook.

The trade could easily be done and for little in the way of valuable pieces. The Cavs have Andre Drummond and Darius Garland ready to go, throw in a protected first-round pick in 2021 or 2022, and a future second-round pick in 2023 or 2024 and you’re good to go.

The Cavs would get a great two-way player who’s known for his intensity, while also getting a great facilitator, something the team hasn’t had since LeBron James left. It would also unite him with former teammate Kevin Love, not to mention surround him with a bevy of good shooters like Love, Cedi Osman, Collin Sexton, and recovering 2019 rookie Dylan Windler. The move would force the Cavs to probably re-sign Tristan Thompson so he can start for them in 2020-2021, and would probably force a change in their draft prospects but at the end of the day, the move is a great one to get a Cavs team with almost all the pieces back into contention with one fell swoop.

Seeing as how there is no LeBron James/Luka Doncic type coming any time soon, this is the team’s best play.

Not to mention, he Cavs have plenty of tradable assets they can ship over without harming the future of the franchise nor giving up so much that a move like this no longer makes sense. The Cavs would retain their three best scorers (Love, Sexton, and Kevin Porter Jr.), while also giving them a real point guard and instantly making themselves a playoff contender. All while keeping their high-draft pick for 2020.

The Cavs shouldn’t need to give up their 5th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and if that’s a sticking point the team may want to take a break and think about the move. There are some players in this draft with a huge upside that you shouldn’t discount yet. You don’t want to find yourself in three years wishing you got an Obi Toppin or Deni Avdija-type.