What Will the Cavs do at the Trading Deadline?
The trading deadline is in 10 days and the Cavs have some pretty big decisions that they will have to make. Sitting at 16-33 the Cavs fired GM Chris Grant and since then have looked like a different team. Since the firing of Grant the Cavs went to Washington and played a great game in beating the up and coming Wizards. Everything looked great as Kyrie and Dion played well off of each other. Last night they beat a tough Grizzle team in OT with again Kyrie and Dion leading the way. In both games, the Cavs looked like the team we all thought they could be at the beginning of the season. However that puts acting GM David Griffin in a tough situation. With this recent surge do you become buyers at the deadline? Do the Cavs trade some of their Veterans and acquire future draft picks as sellers? Or do they stand pat with the roster as is, play out the season, and reevaluate things at the end of the season?
In my opinion a lot rides on the 2 games the Cavs have before the All Star break, at home vs. the Kings then on the road vs. the Pistons. The Cavs currently sit 4 games out of the 8th spot in the east. Win those 2 games and you have to start looking at possibly improving this team in hopes of making a run for a playoffs. By the time the All Star break hits, it is possible that the Cavs stand only 2-3 games out of that 8th spot if they win those 2 games. After the All Star break the Cavs start with 2 winnable games in Philadelphia and at home vs. the Magic on the 18th and 19th of February, right before the trading deadline. So like I said in that scenario you win those games that you should win and the Cavs should become buyers.
However if the Cavs lose 1 or both of those games before the All Star break and fall 5-6 games back again, then the Cavs have to look at what players do they have that teams want and what kind of value can they get for them. I have a few possible deals in mind so lets take a look.
The Thunder have been rumored in the past to have had interest in Anderson Varejo. I know the Thunder traded for Kendrick Perkins but what the Thunder can do with a smaller more athletic line up was evident in their huge blowout win vs. the Heat a week or two back. Against the more athletic teams Perkins is a liability and in that Heat game he hardly played. Getting Varejo could be invaluable for the Thunder. There aren't many shots to go around in OKC with Durant, Westbrook, and Ibaka but that's the great thing about Varejo, he doesn't need shots to impact the game. Imagine how many second shot opportunities he could get for Durant and Westbrook over the course of a game and we already know he is great defensively. I know the Thunder might not want to mess with the chemistry of their team but I don't see Perkins helping them win a Championship where as Varejo against the more athletic teams they'll need to beat to win it all, can really help them so here's the deal.
Thunder Get
Anderson Varejo
Alonzo Gee
Cavs Get
Kendrick Perkins
Jeremy Lamb
Thunder 2014 1st Round Pick
In the Deal the Cavs eat the salary of Kendrick Perkins, get a young improving player in Jeremy Lamb, and a 1st round pick, even though the pick will be in the late 20's. Thunder get Varejo and the Cavs throw in defensive minded Alonzo Gee. If the Thunder don't want Gee, the Cavs could look to throw in CJ Miles in the deal, but for as well as he's played, I'd expect a little more in return.
If that trade of Varejo doesn't work out then the Cavs can turn to the Suns in hopes of landing some young players or picks. The Suns have been rumored to be interested in Paul Gasol, even though he is currently hurt and out a few weeks with a groin injury. So that trade doesn't make a lot of sense to me. If they are looking for a big man, Varejo fits the bill. Obviously he's no Gasol but Varejo would be valuable to any team trying to improve their playoff position. The Suns hold 3, and possibly 4 first round picks so if that's what the Cavs are looking for the Suns are a great option.
Suns Get
Anderson Varejo
Earl Clark
Alonzo Gee
Cavs Get
Emeka Okafor
Archie Goodwin
Suns 2014 1st Round Pick
In the deal the Cavs eat the massive salary of Okafor at 14.5 mill while also acquiring a first round pick and a young player in Archie Goodwin. I know the Suns may not want Clark and Gee, but in order to make the salaries work in the trade, the Cavs would have to throw them in the trade. If the Suns hope to get rid of Okafor and that massive contract they are going to have to in return take players like Gee and Clark no matter what team they might be trading with.
Another guy I look to trade is Loul Deng. The experiment just didn't workout and Deng actually looks old and his shot is so flat. Whether he's hurt or maybe he just doesn't want to be here, I'd look to trade him. Unfortunately for the Cavs Deng can only be traded for a players, no draft picks can be involved from what I understand. I'm sure a lot of playoffs team would have interest in Deng, a veteran who has been through many playoff battles. He's not going to resign here in Cleveland so they might as well get something in return and cut our losses. A few possible deals for Deng might be
Deng to the Thunder for Perry Jones III
Deng to the Suns for Archie Goodwin
Deng to the Clippers for Reggie Bullock
Deng to the Mavericks for Jae Crowder
Deng to the Hawks for Mike Scott
Like I said since the Cavs can't get draft picks for Deng, a young player will have to do. They won't get a great young player, but getting anything in return for Deng would be a win.
In a bit of a surprise, the Warriors beat reporter last week said that the Warriors may be looking to trade both Harrison Barnes and David Lee. He also interestingly enough also said that the Warriors view the Cavs as a potential trading partner due to all the young players and assets they have. The reason for being willing to trade those guys is the frustration that the team has under achieved so far this year and the belief that the team needs a shake up. So we look at a potential blockbuster trade between the Warriors and Cavs.
Warriors Get
Jarrett Jack
Tristan Thompson
Anderson Varejo
2nd Round Pick
Cavs Get
David Lee
Harrison Barnes
2014 1st Round Pick
I still think its highly doubtful that the Warriors will part with one or both of Lee and Barnes but this could be the framework of a possible trade. Cavs get a proven All Star in Lee, a SF for the future that they've been longing for, and they get a 2014 First Round pick. The Warriors get Jarrett Jack back and hope to strike gold with him like they did last year. They also get a replacement PF for Lee in Thompson, in addition they get Varejo who would be great for them to make all the hustle plays. Like I said a deal like this is doubtful but anything could happen before February 20th.
A few other possible trade scenarios I've heard thrown around are Barnes and Lee for Deng and Waiters or Lee, Barnes, Ezeli, and Nedovic for Jack and Deng. Both deals would have to be separate deals however since Deng can only be traded straight up for another player. For example Deng for Lee and Waiters for Barnes would have to be two separate deals in order for it to work.
Also as well as CJ Miles has been playing, if the Cavs can get a 1st round pick for him I think they should. CJ has always been an average to maybe an above average player, but for a contending team he could really help them out from beyond the arc. A few teams that could express interest are the Rockets, Clippers, Warriors, Mavericks, and Pacers.
Well see what the Cavs do in the next 10 days leading up to the trading deadline. If they don't have a realistic shot at the playoffs, I have no problem making some trades to acquire some extra picks for this years draft. If the 2014 draft is as good as people say its supposed to be, then the Cavs would be smart to try and get a 2nd or possibly 3rd first round pick for the June draft. They aren't that far away from being a playoff team so a good draft next year and you throw in the improvement of Anthony Bennett, the Cavs could be primed for a huge season next year.
The trading deadline is in 10 days and the Cavs have some pretty big decisions that they will have to make. Sitting at 16-33 the Cavs fired GM Chris Grant and since then have looked like a different team. Since the firing of Grant the Cavs went to Washington and played a great game in beating the up and coming Wizards. Everything looked great as Kyrie and Dion played well off of each other. Last night they beat a tough Grizzle team in OT with again Kyrie and Dion leading the way. In both games, the Cavs looked like the team we all thought they could be at the beginning of the season. However that puts acting GM David Griffin in a tough situation. With this recent surge do you become buyers at the deadline? Do the Cavs trade some of their Veterans and acquire future draft picks as sellers? Or do they stand pat with the roster as is, play out the season, and reevaluate things at the end of the season?
In my opinion a lot rides on the 2 games the Cavs have before the All Star break, at home vs. the Kings then on the road vs. the Pistons. The Cavs currently sit 4 games out of the 8th spot in the east. Win those 2 games and you have to start looking at possibly improving this team in hopes of making a run for a playoffs. By the time the All Star break hits, it is possible that the Cavs stand only 2-3 games out of that 8th spot if they win those 2 games. After the All Star break the Cavs start with 2 winnable games in Philadelphia and at home vs. the Magic on the 18th and 19th of February, right before the trading deadline. So like I said in that scenario you win those games that you should win and the Cavs should become buyers.
However if the Cavs lose 1 or both of those games before the All Star break and fall 5-6 games back again, then the Cavs have to look at what players do they have that teams want and what kind of value can they get for them. I have a few possible deals in mind so lets take a look.
The Thunder have been rumored in the past to have had interest in Anderson Varejo. I know the Thunder traded for Kendrick Perkins but what the Thunder can do with a smaller more athletic line up was evident in their huge blowout win vs. the Heat a week or two back. Against the more athletic teams Perkins is a liability and in that Heat game he hardly played. Getting Varejo could be invaluable for the Thunder. There aren't many shots to go around in OKC with Durant, Westbrook, and Ibaka but that's the great thing about Varejo, he doesn't need shots to impact the game. Imagine how many second shot opportunities he could get for Durant and Westbrook over the course of a game and we already know he is great defensively. I know the Thunder might not want to mess with the chemistry of their team but I don't see Perkins helping them win a Championship where as Varejo against the more athletic teams they'll need to beat to win it all, can really help them so here's the deal.
Thunder Get
Anderson Varejo
Alonzo Gee
Cavs Get
Kendrick Perkins
Jeremy Lamb
Thunder 2014 1st Round Pick
In the Deal the Cavs eat the salary of Kendrick Perkins, get a young improving player in Jeremy Lamb, and a 1st round pick, even though the pick will be in the late 20's. Thunder get Varejo and the Cavs throw in defensive minded Alonzo Gee. If the Thunder don't want Gee, the Cavs could look to throw in CJ Miles in the deal, but for as well as he's played, I'd expect a little more in return.
If that trade of Varejo doesn't work out then the Cavs can turn to the Suns in hopes of landing some young players or picks. The Suns have been rumored to be interested in Paul Gasol, even though he is currently hurt and out a few weeks with a groin injury. So that trade doesn't make a lot of sense to me. If they are looking for a big man, Varejo fits the bill. Obviously he's no Gasol but Varejo would be valuable to any team trying to improve their playoff position. The Suns hold 3, and possibly 4 first round picks so if that's what the Cavs are looking for the Suns are a great option.
Suns Get
Anderson Varejo
Earl Clark
Alonzo Gee
Cavs Get
Emeka Okafor
Archie Goodwin
Suns 2014 1st Round Pick
In the deal the Cavs eat the massive salary of Okafor at 14.5 mill while also acquiring a first round pick and a young player in Archie Goodwin. I know the Suns may not want Clark and Gee, but in order to make the salaries work in the trade, the Cavs would have to throw them in the trade. If the Suns hope to get rid of Okafor and that massive contract they are going to have to in return take players like Gee and Clark no matter what team they might be trading with.
Another guy I look to trade is Loul Deng. The experiment just didn't workout and Deng actually looks old and his shot is so flat. Whether he's hurt or maybe he just doesn't want to be here, I'd look to trade him. Unfortunately for the Cavs Deng can only be traded for a players, no draft picks can be involved from what I understand. I'm sure a lot of playoffs team would have interest in Deng, a veteran who has been through many playoff battles. He's not going to resign here in Cleveland so they might as well get something in return and cut our losses. A few possible deals for Deng might be
Deng to the Thunder for Perry Jones III
Deng to the Suns for Archie Goodwin
Deng to the Clippers for Reggie Bullock
Deng to the Mavericks for Jae Crowder
Deng to the Hawks for Mike Scott
Like I said since the Cavs can't get draft picks for Deng, a young player will have to do. They won't get a great young player, but getting anything in return for Deng would be a win.
In a bit of a surprise, the Warriors beat reporter last week said that the Warriors may be looking to trade both Harrison Barnes and David Lee. He also interestingly enough also said that the Warriors view the Cavs as a potential trading partner due to all the young players and assets they have. The reason for being willing to trade those guys is the frustration that the team has under achieved so far this year and the belief that the team needs a shake up. So we look at a potential blockbuster trade between the Warriors and Cavs.
Warriors Get
Jarrett Jack
Tristan Thompson
Anderson Varejo
2nd Round Pick
Cavs Get
David Lee
Harrison Barnes
2014 1st Round Pick
I still think its highly doubtful that the Warriors will part with one or both of Lee and Barnes but this could be the framework of a possible trade. Cavs get a proven All Star in Lee, a SF for the future that they've been longing for, and they get a 2014 First Round pick. The Warriors get Jarrett Jack back and hope to strike gold with him like they did last year. They also get a replacement PF for Lee in Thompson, in addition they get Varejo who would be great for them to make all the hustle plays. Like I said a deal like this is doubtful but anything could happen before February 20th.
A few other possible trade scenarios I've heard thrown around are Barnes and Lee for Deng and Waiters or Lee, Barnes, Ezeli, and Nedovic for Jack and Deng. Both deals would have to be separate deals however since Deng can only be traded straight up for another player. For example Deng for Lee and Waiters for Barnes would have to be two separate deals in order for it to work.
Also as well as CJ Miles has been playing, if the Cavs can get a 1st round pick for him I think they should. CJ has always been an average to maybe an above average player, but for a contending team he could really help them out from beyond the arc. A few teams that could express interest are the Rockets, Clippers, Warriors, Mavericks, and Pacers.
Well see what the Cavs do in the next 10 days leading up to the trading deadline. If they don't have a realistic shot at the playoffs, I have no problem making some trades to acquire some extra picks for this years draft. If the 2014 draft is as good as people say its supposed to be, then the Cavs would be smart to try and get a 2nd or possibly 3rd first round pick for the June draft. They aren't that far away from being a playoff team so a good draft next year and you throw in the improvement of Anthony Bennett, the Cavs could be primed for a huge season next year.