The defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers got better on Thursday evening, as the team reportedly went out and acquired Kyle Korver from the Atlanta Hawks.
Vertical Sources with @ShamsCharania: Atlanta is finalizing a deal to send guard Kyle Korver to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 6, 2017
Korver would provide LeBron James and the Cavaliers with a nice addition of spacing on the wing. The 35-year-old swingman was a key cog on Atlanta’s 60-win team during the 2014-2015 season, making the All-Star team, and he continues to be a stellar three-point threat. In addition, Korver serves as an underrated positional defender and fills a presumed role for Cleveland, especially in the absence of J.R. Smith.
Kyle Korver is the best spot up player in the NBA (1.55 ppp)
He's shooting 58.2% on such plays
Wonder if that'll ever happen on the Cavs?— Mike Zavagno (@MZavagno11) January 6, 2017
Kyle Korver leads the NBA with an eFG% of 84% on spot up jump shots in the half court this season.
— Synergy Basketball (@SynergySST) January 6, 2017
Sources: Atlanta and Cleveland are finalizing terms on Korver deal, with Mike Dunleavy Jr., likely moving onto a third team through Atlanta.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 6, 2017
For now, Dunleavy could park in Atlanta, but Hawks are motivated to him elsewhere, league sources tell @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 6, 2017
Starting in about 2008 the Cavs started trying to get both Channing Frye and Kyle Korver to play with LeBron. Better late than never I guess
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) January 6, 2017
Meanwhile, the Hawks have reportedly flirted with a trade involving Paul Millsap. With this deal, it seems like the team made its first overture at a potential rebuild. Atlanta faces a situation in the offseason in which nine players, including several veterans, were set to hit the market as free agents. Beyond that, the Hawks appear to be a playoff team this season, but not one that figures to challenge the likes of the Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics at the top of the heap.
Soonest pick Cleveland can trade a first is their 2020 first and that has to be dependent on that obligation to Portland conveying in 2018. https://t.co/HhMEuv4XS1
— Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) January 6, 2017
If, indeed, the Hawks will receive a protected first-round pick from the Cavaliers, it appears it will quite a bit of time to convey. Cleveland’s stockpile of picks is, as you may imagine, quite limited given the way they built the current roster.
Acquiring Korver and shedding the Dunleavy contract would see the Cavaliers current tax bill increase $1.3m- $32.4m to $33.7m.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) January 6, 2017
The Korver deal likely signals a Millsap deal is more likely. It also signals that the gap Millsap needs to help close is even wider now.
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) January 6, 2017
At this early juncture, it is still slightly unclear what the Cavaliers will be sending Atlanta’s way, though the Cavaliers do have a trade exception and some expiring contracts that could conjure a package. What is crystal clear, though, is that Cleveland is better than they were on Wednesday, and that is bad news for the rest of the East.
