While the Cavaliers believe they’re pretty well equipped for a playoff run, you can always improve.
And there is still a month to make another move.
For the most part, the Cavs believe they will be set once point guard Darius Garland (jaw) and Evan Mobley (knee) return from their injuries, likely sometime next month. But anyone who knows president of basketball operations Koby Altman knows he isn’t afraid to pull the trigger on another trade.
Altman has one of the best reputations around the league when it comes to being fairly fearless in the front office. And per Marc Stein of The Stein Line, Altman and the Cavs are staying on the lookout for wing players and perhaps players at other positions.
“Support for the idea that the Cavaliers want to play this season out before contemplating major roster changes stems from what league sources describe as Cleveland’s desire to upgrade its wing options before next month’s trade buzzer,” Stein wrote in his latest newsletter. “Turner Sports’ Chris Haynes mentioned Cleveland’s interest in pursuing 3-and-D targets on a recent edition of our #thisleague UNCUT podcast and I’ve heard the same.”
That makes sense, as the Cavs likely still will be behind East beasts such as the Celtics, Bucks and maybe Sixers even when fully healthy. Maybe not, too. Maybe all they need is time together after adding guard/forward Max Strus and others during the offseason.
“Any such trade would naturally be classified as a win-now move for the Cavaliers, who are desperate to make a stronger postseason impression than we saw last spring, when they followed up a 51-win campaign with a meek five-game exit to New York in the first round of the playoffs,” Stein wrote.
Who might the Cavs be targeting? That’s hard to say. The Warriors may likely want too much for Andrew Wiggins. The Trail Blazers may be a little more lenient on the return for Matisse Thybulle. And Nets forward Royce O’Neale has been on Cleveland’s radar for some time (given his friendship with star guard Donovan Mitchell).
As for my own thoughts … I doubt any sort of splashy trade is on the way for the Cavs. But if they think they’re stuck in the 4-6 range in the Eastern Conference with everyone healthy, and they want to rise above that, then yes, Altman will do something. He always does.
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday, Feb. 8.
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