5 players for Cleveland Cavaliers to target at trade deadline
By Tony Pesta
The Cleveland Cavaliers need to target these five players at the NBA trade deadline.
The NBA trade deadline is approaching rapidly and the Cleveland Cavaliers should be looking to flip some of their assets before it’s too late. Few players on the roster are safe from trade talks and it should come as no surprise if the Cavs are active at the deadline.
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Cleveland hasn’t been shy about trading players in the past. In 2018, the Cavaliers traded away nearly half of their active roster and a first-round pick in a matter of hours. Though they likely won’t ever top this historically crazy decision, we may see another round of trades from the team this year.
The franchise needs to be thinking rebuild. Players such as Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, John Henson and Brandon Knight are doing little to help build for the future aside from occasional leadership. Overall, the team would be better off dealing a few of their veterans in order to jump start a complete rebuild.
Cleveland already has a few notable young pieces on their roster. The backcourt duo of Collin Sexton and Darius Garland has hit its stride recently, with the two averaging a combined 36.9 points and 7.9 assists per game in the month of January.
Cedi Osman has had a strong month as well, connecting on over 40 percent of his attempts from the 3-point line. Meanwhile, Kevin Porter Jr. had a successful return from injury by scoring 21 points on 5-of-8 shooting from deep against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Still waiting on his return to the court is rookie Dylan Windler. The sharpshooting forward is expected to miss the remainder of the season, but could be a pivotal member of the team as an outside scoring threat moving into next year.
Aside from shifting the focus entirely onto the young core, the Cavaliers should be looking to add more shooters and a rim-protecting presence down low. Of course, any expiring contracts are welcomed as well to help open up more spots on the roster.
The Cavaliers will be targeting multiple players at the deadline. Here are five players I believe should be at the top of their priority list.