3 Eastern Conference players the Cleveland Cavaliers should trade for
By Chad Porto
Gordon Hayward
Ever since Gordon Hayward snapped his leg in the middle of a basketball game against the Cavaliers in 2018, Hayward hasn’t been what he once was. He was a Top 20 player, with All-Star and All-NBA potential, but the injury hurt him beyond the physical.
He can still score at a great rate and is a tremendous shooter even still. He can rebound and play-make as well, giving him a nice triple threat that the team needs. He’s not a great defender but he tries and is such a positive offensive player, that his BPM is usually always positive.
The issue with Hayward, besides making the money work, is making sure he stays healthy. He’s dealt with injuries a lot and asking him to be a starting small forward on a playoff team with NBA Finals aspirations would be a huge thing to ask.
The unfortunate part for the “he’s too injury-prone” crowd is that, in the NBA, there’s no one better than Hayward who’s expected to be available. He’s the top guy at his position, so you have to bite the bullet and hope you can make a trade for him, as his impact would be far more valuable to the Cavs than anyone else on this list or that we know is up for grabs.
After all, unlike anyone else on this list, he provides more than just shooting, as you can actually run offenses through him if you find yourself down a few point guards.