Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 Players For Cleveland To Target

The Cleveland Cavaliers have had a very fruitful offseason thus far. The signings of Jarrett Jack and Earl Clark provide real depth to the Cavs squad. However, Cleveland were one of the worst teams in the NBA last season, going 24-58, and the signings of Jack and Clark won’t instantly change the fortunes of the franchise. There are still gaping holes in the roster and here are five possible players that they could look at.

Could Danny Granger be on his way to Cleveland? Photo Credit: Petaortos, Flickr.com

Danny Granger – SF

Earl Clark is capable of playing at the small forward position, but Cleveland should still be targeting a starting caliber player to fill the void at the 3. Granger should be a player that the Indiana Pacers could be looking to move; they already have an emerging star in Paul George ready and waiting to take over the team and moving Granger’s $14 millon contract would give them more flexibility.

Andrew Bynum – C

The bane of Philadelphia for around a year, Andrew Bynum’s name is being linked to a number of teams, including the Cleveland Cavaliers. On his day, Bynum is a franchise changing center. The knock on Bynum is that he doesn’t have enough days due to his arthritic knees. If the Cavs can nab Bynum on a one-year deal, they should. They have little to lose and a whole lot to gain.

Omer Asik – C

With the acquisition of Dwight Howard, the Houston Rockets no longer require Omer Asik’s services in the starting lineup. Anderson Varejao has a history of injury problems; trading for Omer Asik would be a sensible move. He would cover up a lot of Kyrie Irving’s defensive deficiencies and would protect the rim game in, game out.

Greg Oden is famous for never being famous. He is one of the worst No. 1 draft picks in the history of professional sports. (Photo: commons.wikimedia.org)

Greg Oden – C

Another injured center? Greg Oden hasn’t even played a game in the NBA since 2009, but he’s reportedly been on the recovery trail and is feeling very good. He is a former Ohio State Buckeye and has ties to the Cavs. Oden could be a very good center in the NBA at both ends of the floor. This feels like a natural low-risk, high-reward move. Two years at $3 million a year would be a great contract.

Andrei Kirilenko – SF

With the Minnesota Timberwolves signing Kevin Martin and re-signing Chase Budinger, it seems unlikely that they will have the leverage to re-sign Russian small forward Kirilenko. He’s just the player Cleveland needs. Kirilenko is a Swiss army knife on the court; he can rebound, score and facilitate. But most importantly, he can defend at an elite level. Kirilenko could also help mentor new draft pick Sergey Karasev.