Cavaliers Trade Rumors: Trail Blazers’ Josh Hart Latest Wing Linked

The Cleveland Cavaliers will use the upcoming NBA trade deadline to add talent around Donovan Mitchell and the rest of their core. Due to their 32-22 record, they are in a position to be aggressive buyers.

It’s no secret that the Cavaliers have sought to upgrade at the small forward spot between struggles to find a consistent shooting threat. Malik Beasley, Cam Reddish, and Tim Hardaway Jr. are among recently linked trade targets that Cleveland could pursue.

As NBA insider Marc Stein reports, the Cavaliers are among the teams that are showing interest in Josh Hart of the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Cavaliers are among the teams expressing strong trade interest in Portland’s Josh Hart, league sources say.

The Trail Blazers utilized last year’s NBA trade deadline to shuffle around their roster. They could look to do the same as they continue to seek to win with Damian Lillard as the franchise cornerstone. Aside from Hart, Jusuf Nurkic is rumored to be on the move before the deadline. It is unlikely that Nurkic will return before the All-Star break due to a calf strain.

At last year’s trade deadline, Hart was traded by the New Orleans Pelicans to the Portland Trail Blazers by the New Orleans Pelicans. In 49 games he has started this year, he has averaged an average of 9.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game while making 49 starts this season.

Hart is earning $12.9 million this season and has a near $13.0 million player option for the 2023-24 season, potentially allowing him to become a free agent this summer.

A concerning pattern for the Cavaliers is that most of their linked trade targets are the size of a true wing given their small backcourt duo of Mitchell and Darius Garland. They desperately need someone closer to 6-foot-8 who can knock down open looks while spacing the floor and being a positive defensive contributor.