What could the Cleveland Cavaliers trade to move up in the 2023 NBA Draft?

The Cleveland Cavaliers may try to trade up into the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are not a team you would expect to be making draft-day moves, but that apparently seems to be the case. Despite having a team of very good, very young players, the team is apparently looking to move assets not for a veteran but a rookie. According to Sam Vecenie of The Athletic (via CavaliersNation), the Cavs are among the teams hoping to move up into the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft.

Vecenie writes;

"Sources across the league have said Milwaukee, Phoenix and Cleveland have explored potential opportunities to move up into the late 20s and 30s due to the depth of prospects on the wing and potential NBA-ready, older rotation players"

Now the Cavs do need help at small forward, and getting someone who can play a three-and-D type player in the draft would keep the competitive open window longer than if they go out and get a Gordon Hayward-type guy, who has a couple of years of viability left.

The problem is, who do you trade to move up?

Who could the Cleveland Cavaliers trade to move up into the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft?

Let’s dispel this right now, the Cleveland Cavaliers should not trade Jarrett Allen, an All-Star, for a guy who may or may not even be a role player off the bench for the team. That would be foolish. So who could the Cavs trade?

Well, firstly, it’s important to remember that the first round of the NBA Draft isn’t like the NFL Draft. There’s a quicker decrease in value as the round goes on. To get the first overall pick, you’d likely need a couple of first-round draft picks, a young budding star, and maybe a veteran. To get a pick in the late-teens, either a first-round pick, a moderately valued young player, or an impact veteran.

Anything in the 20s and 30s, and you’re looking at far less. The Cavs could swing this deal with a future-first, maybe even just Isaac Okoro. It really all depends on what the team they trade with is looking for.  Cedi Osman and a few second-round picks may be enough to get the deal done. So could a future first and a few seconds.

The Cavs could make this work realistically, but the question becomes; why give up good assets for a player who is anything but a sure thing? If you can couple a few second-round draft picks together, sure, make the move.

But the team is lacking depth right now, and adding even more depth issues to the team to get a question mark for the team isn’t the smartest way to go about things.

• Published on 06/17/2023 at 00:00 AM
• Last updated at 06/17/2023 at 00:00 AM