Recently The Cavs have been tied to various trade rumors across the NBA but besides Andre Drummond, who could actually be moved?
The Cavs are sitting former All-Star Andre Drummond while they attempt to work out a trade for him. Yet, the Cavs are coming off of a ten-game losing streak and a four-game winning streak and sit at just 14-22 heading into the All-Star break.
The Cavs are only 3.5 games out of the 8th spot in the NBA Playoffs as of the start of play on Thursday, March 4. The team has proven they can beat the best teams in the East, holding wins over New York, Brooklyn, Charlotte, and Philadelphia, all of whom are currently playoff teams if the season ended today.
The problem with the Cavs is their streaky and unpredictable play. So if the Cavs decided to blow things up, who could be moved? Well, Shams Charania believes that Collin Sexton, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, and Isaac Okoro are “untouchable”. If that’s the case, who’s left?
Kevin Love
Kevin Love is a name that has been kicked around for some time, and rumors of him being traded have existed since 2015. For over seven years, Love has been a member of the Cavaliers organization and it’s fair to say his injuries and health make him hard to move. Sam Amico is claiming that the Cavs want to move Love before the deadline, saying;
"On the other hand, the Cavs would love to move Kevin Love, but as one opposing GM predicted to FortyEightMinutes, ‘That’s not happening."
Whether or not that will happen is anyone’s guess.
Considering he’s dealing with more injuries than ever before and has missed all but two games of the season, there’s a case to be made to move on from him. That said, the Cavs aren’t that far out of the playoffs and could get back into contention with a few more win streaks of three or four games across the next month or so.
We’ll see what happens but Dean Wade has started filling in rather nicely at power forward and while he may not be a long-term fit as a starter, he should be given time to show what he can do. It really all depends if the team feels chasing the 8th seed is good for the squad or not. If they try to compete, keep Love, if not, trade him for expiring contracts.
Should the Cavs move Love?
No, even if the Cavs don’t compete for the playoffs, his trade value has never been lower and while it can get worse, it can also get better. It’s a gamble but by letting him play out the rest of the 2021 season in Cleveland, Love may able to bolster his value some.
Cedi Osman
Seeing Cedi Osman on the list of names that could be moved was a bit interesting. Sam Amico thinks that Osman could be moved, with Sports Illustrated and Amico naming the Clippers as a team that could be linked to him.
"Osman is perhaps the most intriguing of the Cavs’ prospects not named Drummond. In Year Four, Osman’s game is very much hit-or-miss. Still, he could make a nice eighth man for a contender, perhaps turning into a spark off a bench on a team with real playoff dreams. At worst, Osman has a long career ahead as a role player and solid wing."
Osman is having an inconsistent year. He’s shooting a career-worst from the floor with 37% and a career-worst from three-point at 33%. He’s only averaging 10.9 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 2.7 APG.
Osman is having a bad year, but he’s not playing badly every night. Osman is forcing up a lot of shots while on the move and that’s hurting his performance. On the other hand, he’s also been a good force off the bench for generating plays around him as well. So he’s not without his strengths. The problem is his bad nights are really bad.
Osman could be a good player with steady consistency if he finds the right coach to coax it out of him. If he can work through whatever mental blocks are holding him back, because it’s not a lack of talent, he may just be able to tap into the potential that he has. He could turn into a Hedo Turkoglu type player but he may need a different coaching staff to unlock that consistency.
Should the Cavs trade Osman?
No, not yet.
Javale McGee
Ever since signing in Cleveland, Javale McGee has been a useful player. He runs the court very well, plays good defense, and on some nights, can actually be a problem offensively. He’s yet another name Sam Amico thinks could be moved. Amico thinks the Brooklyn Nets could be in line to make a move for the center, which is ironic, as the Cavs stole Jarrett Allen from them.
McGee has shown he has something left in the tank at 33 years old and has been a steady force for good in the locker room, keeping people laughing and in good spirits. He works hard and is someone the team and the league think highly of. McGee already has a ring so he’s not in need of chasing a title, and frankly, it’d be great if the Cavs could re-sign him long-term.
That’s probably not going to happen, however. While McGee is a great fit for head coach J.B. Bickerstaff’s system, his age, contract, and trade value could warrant a team to make a convincing offer for McGee. If he’s thinking of playing elsewhere next year no matter what, move him. If not, re-sign him.
Should the Cavs trade McGee?
Only if he’s not interested in returning. Have a conversation about what he wants to do beyond 2021. If he’s anything but committed to coming back, trade him for whatever you can get.
Taurean Prince
When the Cavs got Taurean Prince in the Nets deal, no one really expected him to be around long-term, so when rumors started to come out recently that the Cavs are considering shopping him around, there weren’t many people who were surprised. He’s not a great fit for the Cavs and like Cedi Osman, is fairly inconsistent.
Sam Amico thinks Prince could be moved too, and maybe for some second-round picks.
"The Cavs may be able to garner a couple of second-rounders for Prince and likely will move him if they can."
If the Cavs can get a few draft picks for Prince, even in the later-rounds, they should consider it. There are going to be players coming out of the draft in the next few years that, like a-Payton Pritchett or a-Malcolm Brogdon could be steals. Getting those second-round picks may not be the game-changing trades many may think, but guys like Khris Middleton and DeAndre Jordan were 2nd-round picks and they went on to have great careers. Who’s to say the Cavs can’t find that same success?
Should the Cavs trade Prince?
If there’s a deal on the table that wouldn’t bring back a long contract in return and a few draft picks, sure. Make the move.