Cavs: Rumor has Cleveland looking at veteran talent

The Cavs may be pursuing veteran talent this off-season.

If the rumor is true that the Cavs are interested in C.J. McCollum, perhaps they may be looking at other players as well. The Cavs traded away a lot of young vets over the last three years, so the news makes the last three years even more infuriating, but at least management is identifying the issue of just having young talent on your roster. It should go without saying but trading away JaVale McGee wasn’t exactly a great idea with this being the route they ended up going.

The rumor comes from HoopsWires’ Sam Amico, who wrote about the change in philosophy

"One league source told HoopsWire that the Cavs are contemplating changes after compiling the league’s worst record over the previous three seasons combined. The Cavs are looking to add veteran talent to an otherwise extremely young nucleus."

This is the right call, as young players often learn more from playing with veterans than they do just playing against them. There are a few guys who’d fit well with this team, but one may be someone already alluded to.

C.J. McCollum is the right move then.

If this is the move they’re hoping to pull off, then it could work but only with the right pieces going and coming back. Trading for C.J. McCollum won’t be easy, and you’ll want to protect your assets. Right now the two best assets the Cavs have are Collin Sexton and their 2021 first-round pick. It seems almost impossible for the Trailblazers to do a deal with the Cavs that doesn’t at least include one or the other.

The wild thing about trading for McCollum is that it’d make sense to retain Sexton in that scenario. Sexton isn’t a franchise player. He’s Jordan Clarkson with more minutes and fewer threes. A move to the bench as the team’s sixth man is a natural fight for Sexton. It’ll allow him to score at will, without having to play off other players. Plus, if you’re able to pull the deal off without giving up Cedi Osman as well, you could have Osman run the offense as a point-forward while giving Sexton room to work around him.

There is no good trade one can think of right now that the Trailblazers would do without one of those two assets, so if McCollum does come, something is going to have to go back in the trade. I

It probably won’t be Kevin Love either.