Cavs: 3 dream trades the team can swing this season

This is the game-changer. James Harden would reinvent the Cavaliers and be able to lead this team deep into the playoffs. There’s no telling what the limit would be for the franchise with this move. While yes, the defense would still be lacking, a Harden-led offense would be more than enough to get out of the Eastern Conference. Harden had worse teams in Houston than what he’d have in Cleveland.

This trade makes total sense if Houston is looking to restart. They’re never winning a title with this crop of guys and they’re so depleted with regards to the future assets that a full rebuild would need a nice haul. Two first-round picks, a prized youngster, and the expiring contract of Andre Drummond? It’s unlikely you’re getting much better, not with how little prized stars are going for these days.

Think about the Paul George trade, the Clippers gave up two first-round picks, a prized young guard (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), and a borderline All-Star big (Danilo Gallinari). Maybe you’d have to take the protection off of the draft picks, but the move works and at the time of the trade, George had a much higher value than Harden, as George is a two-way player. Harden isn’t.

So what would the rotation look like?

"Cavs Lineup with James Harden PG Matthew Dellavedova SG James Harden SF Cedi Osman PF Kevin Love C Tristan Thompson 6th Kevin Porter Jr. Bench Larry Nance Jr. (PF/C) Bench Dyland Windler (SG/SF) Bench Jordan Bell (PF/C)"

This feels familiar to the talent needed for success with Harden, pre-Chris Paul trade. You have your aggressive, defensive minded point in Matthew Dellavedova, two wings who can stretch the floor in Cedi Osman and Kevin Love, and a defensive minded big-man with Tristan Thompson. Putting Kevin Porter Jr. in charge of the second team will be interesting and the team would need to use their MLE and hit with thier draft pick, but if NBA trade value has shown us anything, it’s that a trade like this is possible.