The Cleveland Cavaliers currently sit at 26-13 as we near the midway point of the 2017-18 NBA season. That record is good for 3rd in the Eastern Conference playoff race, and while LeBron James-led teams are usually expected to finish at the top of the conference, what the Cavaliers have been able to do while decimated by injuries is legitimately impressive.
The good news is the Cavaliers are finally healthy. For the most part. Isaiah Thomas is back. Tristan Thompson is back. Iman Shumpert is still going to be out for a while, but Derrick Rose is nearing his return and this is as close to full strength as the Cavaliers have been all season. LeBron James and Kevin Love are playing some of the best basketball of their careers, and outside of the Golden State Warriors, the Cavaliers have as good a shot at the NBA Finals as anyone else as we gear up for the second half of the season.
Unlike other contenders, however, the Cavaliers have one gigantic trade chip that could land them another All-Star caliber player before the playoffs tip off in April. When the Cavaliers shipped Kyrie Irving up to Boston this summer, they landed Danny Ainge’s coveted 2018 Brooklyn Nets first round draft pick. The Nets are actually playing better than anyone expected, so what was once thought to be a lock as a top-5 pick currently sits at 9th. The draft lottery can and will significantly change the draft order, and there is a lot of basketball left to play, but the Brooklyn pick is not quite the trade asset it once was.
The other issue for Cleveland is that the Cavaliers are uncomfortably waiting for LeBron James to decide what he is going to do in free agency this summer. While the Cavs could trade the Brooklyn pick for another player that will help them win now, if James leaves in a few months, they’d be out a top lottery pick in what is expected to be a strong draft.
According to Cleveland.com’s Terry Pluto, the Cavaliers’ hesitation to trade the Brooklyn pick is exactly what’s keeping them from acquiring another All-Star. In this case, that All-Star in question is Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, who has long been rumored to be on the trade block.
I’ve heard the Clippers would strongly consider it if the Cavs added the Brooklyn 2018 first-round draft pick that they acquired in the Kyrie Irving deal. I’ve heard the Cavs don’t plan to trade that pick.
While we’re sure it’s tempting for the Cavaliers to put all their assets into one more deep playoff run with LeBron James, hanging on to that Brooklyn pick until you get some indication that James is sticking around is probably the smart play, but with regards to DeAndre Jordan, that seems like a no-brainer. Jordan has the option to opt out of his contract this summer, meaning the Cavaliers could find themselves in a position where they lose LeBron James, DeAndre Jordan, and the Brooklyn pick over the course of a few months.
The Cavs are in a precarious position in that landing another All-Star could help keep James around by proving they’re committed to continuing to be a contender, but to land that major piece they’d have to ship out their only quality future asset that can accelerate a rebuild should LeBron leave. As we near the trade deadline, you can expect rumors to continue to heat up regarding the Cavs and that Nets pick, but for now it appears the plan is to hold onto it.
Check out our DIME podcast this week with Jim Miller, author of ESPN the book. Subscribe on iTunes.
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