The Cleveland Cavaliers don’t need to trade Kevin Love to get Gordon Hayward

A current talking point sees the Cleveland Cavaliers trade Kevin Love for Gordon Hayward.

A lot of people are talking about how the Cleveland Cavaliers could ship Kevin Love to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Gordon Hayward. The move would bring the Cavs a much-needed veteran wing presence, something most think the Cavs need, but it would also hurt the team’s bench by giving up the Cavs’ best bench player.

It’s not just confusing to see such a trade, but moreover, shocking to see so many people echo this trade idea. It’s not a good trade for the Cavs, as Hayward has two years left on his deal while Love is on an expiring contract. An expiring contract the team should extend. Just for far less than Love is paid currently.

Now, this isn’t to say the Cavs wouldn’t benefit from getting Hayward. They would. They just don’t need to give up Love to get him.

The Cleveland Cavaliers could get Gordon Hayward without giving up Kevin Love

The Cavs should be hellbent on keeping their draft picks this year, and for these two trade ideas to work, the Cavs would have to. See, there’s one contract that the Hornets would love to get, I’m sure, and it belongs to a player who would actually help out the Hornets; Caris LeVert.

LeVert is a player that didn’t fit well with the Cavs when he was acquired at the end of the year and would be better off in a system like the Hornets. The Cavs would be better off acquiring Hayward, as he’s a far more perimeter-oriented player, who can pass. He fits better in our system than he does in Charlotte.

They’re a perfect player-for-player swap but the salaries don’t match, even if their talents do.

So that means one of two players would have to go with LeVert to make the deal happen; either Cedi Osman or Isaac Okoro.

I’d rather not throw either player into any deal as a throw-in, but it may need to happen. I for one would want at least one of the Hornet’s two draft picks in 2022, or a first-rounder in the following years for Okoro.

For Osman, you may be able to get a draft pick attached to Hayward but who knows if it’d be a first-round or not. So If it’s LeVert and Okoro or LeVert and Osman, I’m looking at getting back Hayward and a draft pick. I think that’s a good move.