Turning over the Cavaliers roster in five trades
Here’s the coup de grâce of the five, in what would really be the true tear-down move.
Trading Kevin Love after signing him to that extension would be just like when the Clippers shipped Blake Griffin to the Pistons after making him a “Clipper for life.” But this is something that Cleveland should be lobbying to do.
Cleveland could unload its biggest contract for expiring deals and pick up a first-rounder along the way.
Love won’t do much good for a team in the cellar but would give juice to a franchise in need of validation. The Nets are still trying to cross the bridge to respectability and thrust themselves into the postseason, and Love would help get them there.
On a team with stability and structure, J.R. Smith would be a positive asset as well. He’s thrived before in good situations, something Kenny Atkinson and Sean Marks have built in Brooklyn.
Because of Love’s contract extension, the Cavaliers would need to wait until Jan. 23 to pull this off.
To summarize, these five trades would ship out Jordan Clarkson, Sam Dekker, Channing Frye, George Hill, Kyle Korver, Kevin Love, JR Smith, and Tristan Thompson. The Cavaliers would bring back a return of Kyle Anderson, DeMarre Carroll, Allen Crabbe, Matthew Dellavedova, Gorgui Dieng, Kenneth Faried, Jodie Meeks, Mike Muscala, Landry Shamet, Garrett Temple, D.J. Wilson, a 2019 first-round pick from Denver, a 2019 second-round pick from Miami, and 2020 second-round picks from Minnesota and Washington. They’d almost definitely have the inside track for the first pick in 2019.
dark. Next. The Cleveland Cavaliers are a complete catastrophe
In addition to leading the tankathon, Cleveland would clear the decks on their payroll. As it stands, the Cavaliers have the seventh-most salary commitments for 2019-20 with far from the seventh-best projected team. Moving off their big contracts for expirings and mid-sized deals would boost their cap health and flexibility while the injection of draft assets would help their talent base.
Get it straight Cleveland, I’m not here to say please. I’m here to tell you what to do and if self-preservation is an instinct you possess you’d better do it and do it quick. I’m here to help. If my help’s not appreciated, then lots of luck, gentlemen.