The Cleveland Cavaliers have played some of their best basketball over the last month even in the absence of Darius Garland and Evan Mobley. Those two will be back eventually, but that shouldn't stop the organization from looking to make improvements to the roster.
Cleveland is apparently on the market for another 3-and-D type player and they've been linked to several candidates so far. The latest player, per Marc Stein of The Stein Line , is Brooklyn Nets forward Royce O'Neale.
There's a lot to dive into with this report and how O'Neale works on the Cavs.
First, the play style. O'Neale undoubtedly would work with Cleveland's scheme. He's a three-point shooter (37% this season) and is also a plus defender (117.0 defensive ratings this season). These are the two areas Cleveland is reportedly looking for in a trade.
Next, Donovan Mitchell and O'Neale are also good friends and have been since they played together for the Utah Jazz from 2017-2021. Acquiring Royce as one more incentive to show Mitchell they are committed to him would be a wise move by the front office.
Finally, we also have to talk about who Cleveland may give up in a possible deal for O'Neale. The Cavs don't have a ton of draft capital because of the Mitchell trade, but they do have a trade chip the Nets may be interested in.
Reports surfaced later last week that the Nets had shown interest in Dean Wade in the past, who has started for the Cavs since Mobley's injury. Perhaps this past interest could be a starting point if the teams engage in trade talks.
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