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5 most important deadline trades in Cleveland Cavaliers franchise history

By Chad Porto

CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 29: Kevin Love #0 and Andre Drummond #3 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrate after the two connected on a pass during the second half at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on February 29, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Pacers defeated the Cavaliers 113-104. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 29: Kevin Love #0 and Andre Drummond #3 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrate after the two connected on a pass during the second half at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on February 29, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Pacers defeated the Cavaliers 113-104. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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The Cleveland Cavaliers may not make a move at the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline but that doesn’t mean they haven’t made franchise-changing moves before.

The NBA Trade Deadline is here. As of the writing of this article, the Cleveland Cavaliers have yet to make any major moves during the season or heading into the final hours of the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline. The team is in a pretty healthy position at the moment and the need to make any moves are not there. Currently, the team is 7-3 in their last 10 and riding a 4-game winning streak. The Cavs are a good team.

Plus, they already made a franchise-changing trade in the offseason, trading Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, Ochai Agbaji, and some picks for Donovan Mitchell. Not even former Cavalier Kyrie Irving getting traded to the Dallas Mavericks is as big of a move as the Cavs landing Mitchell.

All of that is to say the Cavs don’t need to trade for anyone at the deadline. Especially with Isaac Okoro and Cedi Osman playing well, and Dean Wade back from injury.

But it hasn’t always been like that. The Cavaliers have at times gone out of their way to shake up the roster at the deadline to mixed results. Sometimes, like in 2018, the entire roster was overhauled for no good reason. Sure, some of those moves ended up helping land the Cavs where they are right now, but they didn’t help the 2018 Cavs win a title.

Though, the Cavs trading Larry Nance Jr. indirectly landed the team Mitchell, so that’s nice at least. So here are five trades that did in fact change history for the Cavs and the NBA.

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