With Kyrie Irving in Boston, the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ most valuable asset in any potential deal is the Brooklyn Nets‘ first round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. The team has reportedly gotten calls about whether they’d be willing to part with the pick, while one ESPN reporter believes that they need to turn the pick into an established superstar if they want to keep LeBron James in town.
But if Cavs general manager Koby Altman is to be believed, the team will use that pick next offseason. Altman spoke to Sam Amico of Amico Hoops and mentioned that while they’ll listen to calls, they have no plans on giving up the pick.
Via Amico:
“When we acquired it, we had every intention of keeping it and using it,” Altman told Amico Hoops.
“But I also think we have a responsibility to see to what’s out there. I think there will be tremendous interest. We have a responsibility to listen to calls.”
Of course, the implication here is that even though Cleveland doesn’t want to move the pick, they could be swayed by a deal if the right one comes around. Senior director of basketball operations Brock Aller also said that the team believes it has flexibility when it comes to using draft selections in trades.
“A big thing we really valued when making the trade is the fact that it is unprotected,” Aller told Amico Hoops. “So looking at it, we have the flexibility to trade our own pick, or the pick we received (via the Nets).”
Sure, the best basketball player in the world could leave town next offseason, but these quotes show that the Cavaliers are not panicking just yet. They’re willing to sit back, let the process play out, and ultimately do what’s best for the franchise in the short and long-term futures.
(Via Amico Hoops)
