Report: Cavs willing to trade Brooklyn pick for long-term fix, own pick for short-term fix
February 5, 2018Waiting to hire Chris Holtmann seems to be right decision for Ohio State
February 5, 2018If the Cleveland Cavaliers want to return to their fourth straight NBA Finals and even have a shot at winning their second title in three years, it seems as though they will have to make a number of different changes to their roster in order to do so. With the trade deadline looming, first-year general manager Koby Altman doesn’t have much time to improve the team.
Besides the Brooklyn Nets’ first-round pick that the Cavs have the rights to, trade assets for the wine and gold that would “wow” another team are few and far between. With that said, it seems as though they will still try and do whatever they can to improve the team. Prior to Saturday night’s embarrassing, a lopsided loss to the Houston Rockets at The Q, cleveland.com’s Terry Pluto reported that the Cavs are shopping starting shooting guard JR Smith and he has been “offered to various teams.”
In the midst of his worst season since 2005-06, the 32-year-old has been unable to find his shot from beyond the arc, the most important part of his game for the Cavs. Smith is averaging just 7.9 points and two rebounds in 29.7 minutes per game (50 games, 47 starts) while shooting 38 percent from the field and 35 percent from long distance. This comes just one season after he averaged just 8.6 points per game while shooting 35 percent from the floor and 35 percent from three-point range.
A key part of the Cavs’ championship season in 2015-16,1 Smith hasn’t been the same since winning his first championship, whether it’s in terms of his shooting or defense.
The veteran guard hasn’t been able to find his shot, but his defense has also taken a hit over the years as well. let’s take a look at his ratings since he came to Cleveland:
- 2014-15: 107.8 offensive rating, 105.1 defensive rating (2.7 net rating)
- 2015-16: 110.5 offensive rating, 104.4 defensive rating (6.1 net rating)
- 2016-17: 111.4 offensive rating, 108.1 defensive rating (3.3 net rating)
- 2017-18: 109.8 offensive rating, 112.1 defensive rating (-2.3 net rating)
Due to the guard’s inability to find his shot and his defensive struggles that have continued to be an issue, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Cavs are shopping him. He still has two full seasons remaining on his four-year, $57 million deal that he signed with the wine and gold that will run through 2020. With that said, just $3.87 million of his $15.68 million that he is owed in 2019-20 is guaranteed.2
Though a fan favorite in Cleveland, with his struggles over the last 15 months on the court, it may be time to ship Smith away for a player who will not only bring better shooting to the Cavs, but one that will be better defensively as well. If he is traded, however, Swish will be missed in Cleveland.
8 Comments
Something has to be done. Trade everyone except Lebron, Kevin Love, Kyle Korver, Crowder and the two old guys.
IT has become my least favorite Cleveland athlete right now. He needs to be gone.
What is JR worth to anyone at this point? For whatever reason, his play has fallen off a cliff and his contract is not good.
I’d assume a team wouldn’t be trading ‘for’ him – they’d be trading for the pick attached to the deal. The Cavs need to be able to move salary in a deal & JR’s $14m help in that regard. Outside of that, they can move Shump, but do they move Frye? Not really any other good sized salaries to move that would bring back anything of much value…
I wonder if opposing teams laughed when they heard that.
I don’t think trading “everyone” is the right call.
Players that should be on the block, without question: JR Smith, Isaiah Thomas, Derrick Rose (if anybody will take him), Iman Shumpert
Players that could reasonably be included in a trade: Cedi Osman, Jeff Green, Jae Crowder, Jose Calderon, Dwayne Wade, Channing Frye, Ante Zizic
Players that should probably be kept: LeBron James (duh), Kevin Love, Kyle Korver, Tristan Thompson (who’s gotten steadily better on the stats sheet as he’s recovered from injury)
IT is definitely not doing himself any favors – his shooting is right now worse than anybody on the team other than rookies who’ve only played garbage time, and he’s not shown much sign of doing anything else useful.
We’re not getting anything decent in return without giving up the Brooklyn pick. I appreciate the FO trying, but this is a lost cause.
Been thinking a lot and we need to go ahead and pull the trigger on the Nets pick.
To Hornets go IT, JR, Thompson and the 2018 Nets 1st round pick. To Cavs go Kemba Walker and N. Batum.
To Magic go Cavs 2018 and 2021 first round picks and 2020 2nd round pick from the Heat and Cedi. Cavs return Aaron Gordon & Magic’s 2019 first round pick to comply with Stepien Rule.
To Hawks go Cavs 2021 2nd round pick, Shumpert & Frye. Cavs return Bazemore and Dedmon.
Solves defense, rim protection, chemistry,and youth issues.Throw in other role player sweteners as need to obtain new core of James, Love, Gordon, Walker & Bazemore with solid second unit of Dedmon, Wade, Green, Batum and Korver.