Dec 23, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Craig Porter (9) brings the ball up court against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Cavaliers Guard, Veteran Named Trade Candidates As Deadline Nears

Originally posted on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI
By Tommy Wild | Last updated Jan 15, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The Cleveland Cavaliers have a tough decision to make in the coming weeks.

Should they go all in and trade for a win-now player or keep the roster with the best record in the NBA together for their playoff run?

Even if Cleveland doesn't pull off a blockbuster deal before February 6, they could still make a few minor trades to get out of the luxury tax.

Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report recently put together an article and urges Cleveland's front office to give themselves some financial flexibility moving forward.

The Cavaliers need to clear roughly $1.6 million from the books to get under the luxury tax.

Caris LeVert and his expiring contract have been a popular option for the Cavaliers to move on from during the season.

However, Pincus also identifies Craig Porter Jr. and Tristan Thompson as two other players who would achieve this cap freedom.

David Richard-Imagn Images

"The Cavaliers need to tread very carefully. The team is off to an all-time start, and anything that might damage chemistry could be a non-starter," wrote Pincus.

"Still, trading out two low-minute players (Porter and Thompson) could get Cleveland under the luxury tax, resulting in the team taking in around $18 million of the penalties paid by other tax teams. Porter's role has diminished this season, and several teams would be happy to take him (and Thompson) if necessary to complete a deal."

Still, Pincus stresses that even though Thompson doesn't get much playing time, he's still a valuable contributor to Cleveland's unprecedented locker room chemistry for an NBA team. Plus, Porter could still be valuable as a backup guard.

The front office needs to determine if trading one or both of them is worth the ramifications that a deal could possibly have on the locker room.

This article first appeared on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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