3 things the Cavs need to do to get farther next year
By Jakob Ashlin
Things the Cavs need to do to get farther next year: 2. Trade for Daniel Gafford
The Cavaliers need a backup center. In the first round, the team had problems matching up with the Knicks’ big men. Over the series, the Knicks won the offensive rebounding battle 75-46. Having a reliable center off the bench would alleviate some of the pressure on Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
One ideal trade candidate is Daniel Gafford of the Washington Wizards. Last season, the 24-year-old big man averaged 9.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks across 20.6 minutes per game. He has played in only one playoff series in his career, which came with the Wizards in 2021 but he is clearly a player on the rise.
Here is a potential Gafford trade:
Rubio played sparingly for the Cavaliers last season. He shot a career-low 34.3 from the field but still averaged 10.2 assists per 100 possessions. The Wizards need a point guard, so they could give him a shot in the rotation.
Merrill’s $1.9 million salary is non-guaranteed. So, the Wizards can waive him to free up additional cap space. This trade would save the team approximately $6.1 million this offseason (if they waive Merrill). If they attempt to compete, that cap space could be critical with Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma projected to land massive, new contracts and a harsher CBA incoming. If they blow it up, it would give them more flexibility, as they rebuild their roster.
The Wizards also receive assets in the form of three second-round picks, which is identical to the Rui Hachimura trade, and the draft rights to Australian small forward Luke Travers. Travers was a second-round pick in 2022. Last season, he shot 40.5 percent from 3 in the NBL.