Why the Cavs making a deadline trade could make them public enemy No. 1

The Cleveland Cavaliers are easily the NBA's most surprising team thus far. At 36-7, they not only have the best record in the Eastern Conference, but the best record in the NBA as a whole. They've beaten virtually every high-end team they've faced, and look like legitimate NBA title contenders. The job Kenny Atkinson has done with a roster mostly unchanged from last season cannot be overstated.

With that being said, though, the season is far from over. The Cavaliers are a team that can get even better at the trade deadline, whether that's by acquiring Cam Johnson or adding a different 3-and-D wing, but they're also a team that could, according to Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype, get a little bit worse as well.

"Yet, with Cleveland roughly $1.9 million above the luxury tax threshold, NBA executives are monitoring whether Cleveland will try to duck the tax with a trade," Scotto wrote.

Scotto notes that the Cavs are barely above the luxury tax threshold - a mark no NBA team would like to go over if they can avoid it. Since Cleveland is so close to the line, a cost-cutting move to help them dip back under could be in the works before February's deadline. If that does happen in a way that makes the team worse, that's a terrible look for Cleveland.

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Cavaliers making cost-cutting trade at deadline would be horrible look

Going over the luxury tax impacts team governor Dan Gilbert and nobody else. The only penalty for going over the tax is financial. It does not impact team-building whatsoever. If the Cavaliers were to get over the first and second apron it would, but the Cavaliers would not be there without adding to their roster with them being just $1.9 million over the tax.

If the Cavaliers can dip under the tax while making their team better, then sure, that would work for Cavs fans. If they cannot, however, there's no excuse for Gilbert to force the organization to do that.

This is the best chance that the Cavaliers have had since LeBron James was on the team to win a championship by far. An argument can easily be made, based on how the season has gone, that they'd be favorites to win it all if the playoffs started today.

With that in mind, the organization's focus should be on trying to add to their already stacked roster with the few assets they do have. The Cavaliers might not get a better chance to win it all than they'll have this season - they need to take advantage of that! If the Cavaliers win it all, Gilbert shouldn't mind paying a marginal amount in tax as compensation. A cost-cutting move that doesn't make the team better would put a huge damper on what's been a magical season to date.