4 huge trades Cavs could make to shake up the roster

1. Trading one of Evan Mobley or Jarrett Allen

So, this is tough.

On one hand, the strength of the Cavs, what has helped them have an elite defense, is their two bigs. One can stay in the paint while the other defends in the perimeter and they can impact everything. Whether it's man-to-man or zone defense, they're everywhere and use their length and mobility to limit easy shots. Even on offense, they've meshed together well, being able to dime each other on high-low combinations and give the Cavs the ability to stagger lineups with either one of them on the court at all times.

However, that presence in the paint couldn't help them beat the New York Knicks in the postseason last year, where they lost the battle on the inside on both ends and couldn't fit on a struggling offense in the halfcourt. While much of the onus on Cleveland to improve their offense has been on Okoro as a wing shooter, some of that should also be put on Mobley. Even though I won't go as far as to suggest Mobley is a bust for not developing quickly in his first three seasons, it should be noted that his development on offense has left a lot to be desired.

His 3-point shooting is miles away from being borderline decent, his screening and creation on short rolls need to be better, and his touch in the mid-range has also not been that great (35.6 percent from 3-10 feet this season). So, for the long term, having two bigs that can't, at least at a respectable level, space the floor might not be the best bet.

The Cavs could offer the upside of Mobley in a better context, especially with him still being on a rookie deal, as a big trade chip and net a great return. The alternative is to bet on that upside for themselves and opt to move Jarrett Allen, who appears to be a finished product with his good finishing on hook shots on floaters, good screen setting and decision making. He's also locked in for an additional season than Mobley is.

It's certainly tougher to fit in bigs, especially young ones of this caliber, into any team, as opposed to wings. From a brief look around the league, the Golden State Warriors could use better bigs and have some assets to make an offer worth putting some thought into. The same can be said for the Pistons, who could use a big that will be a sure thing part of their future along with Jalen Duren. Memphis could use a long-term replacement for Steven Adams, and have many young pieces to make that type of swing.

Case in point, the Cavs wouldn't be short on suitors for either, it would depend on how the particular team making the offer is constructed, on the court and in the salary sheet. Regardless, Cleveland could make this trade with the focus on maximizing the fit on-court to compete right now, or for building the next great Cavs team, beyond their current core.