Cavs: Andre Drummond trade rumors shows how little direction team has

Despite only seeing him play in a handful of games and losing Tristan Thompson in free agency, rumors have the Cavs trading Andre Drummond.

You would think that a General Manager would have an idea of what he wants to do with his team. You can be mad at Browns GM Andrew Berry for not signing defensive players, but he has a plan and that was to focus on the offense. You can be mad at Mike Chernoff for fielding trades for Francisco Lindor but he’s trying to build a club independent of huge contracts. They have a plan, and they’re executing it. You don’t have to like it, but at least acknowledge that they have a gameplan. Cavs GM Koby Altman doesn’t seem to have a plan for the Cavs or Andre Drummond. Instead of thinking twelve steps ahead, he’s treating decisions like Tinder.

Swipe left for no, and right for yes.

There’s no real organizational structure or long term planning here. Every move he makes is then countered by another move. Altman wants to compete as soon as possible, so he re-signs Kevin Love, Cedi Osman, and Larry Nance Jr. to big deals. He also wants to re-build, so he keeps three first-round draft picks in 2019 instead of trading them for proven talent.

He wants to keep the 5th overall pick and draft a project like Issac Okoro to improve their defense but is now apparently shopping their best defensive player in Drummond. According to Sam Amico, many in the NBA believe the Cavs are going to move Drummond before the start of the season.

In two and a half weeks.

The decision to constantly make contradictory moves really highlights how little foresight the Cavs and Altman have put into the team. Are they trying to re-build or are they trying to re-load? What’s the culture? Kevin Love was accused of driving out John Beilein, making his exit after the whole “slug” debacle all but certified. Kevin Porter Jr. (allegedly) assaulted two women with his own sister. Darius Garland was the worst player in the NBA statistically speaking, and the Cavs have had four head coaches in two years.

Considering Drummond is in the last year of his deal, and what the Cavs gave up to get him – which was nothing – the odds that the Cavs get anything back for him is a stretch.

If, and it’s huge if considering who is running the Cavs, if the Cavs can land something of value back for Drummond, sure. We’ll give Altman his due. Yet, all of Altman’s moves have been bad in a broader view. Sure, re-signing Love wasn’t a bad move, but it was when you realize they were going to rebuild and not reload. Sure, drafting Okoro wasn’t a bad move, but at the fifth overall pick? Sure trading Kyrie Irving wasn’t a bad move, but for a haggard Isaiah Thomas?

This is a team that needs to figure out what it is and wants to be and then go for it.