2018 Cleveland Browns Position Preview: Quarterback
July 10, 2018Scarlet and Gray is stacked (again) for The Basketball Tournament
July 10, 2018They may be planning to keep Kevin Love, at least for now, but it seems as though the Cleveland Cavaliers are shopping veteran sharpshooter Kyle Korver.
According to cleveland.com’s Terry Pluto, the wine and gold are actively “looking to move” the 37-year-old this offseason.
I hear the Cavs are looking to move Korver. He has a contract for $7.5 million this season. In 2019-2020, he also has a $7.5 million deal with $3.4 million guaranteed.
Without LeBron James, who did an incredible job at finding Korver no matter where he was beyond the arc, it may be tough for the veteran to produce on a nightly basis on a team that will begin to rebuild sooner rather than later.
In 108 regular season games over the last season and a half with the Cavaliers, Korver has averaged 9.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists shooting 46.9 percent from the field and an impressive 45.3 percent from beyond the arc. One of the best three-point shooters in NBA history, Korver should still have at least some decent value on the trade market. Even though he’ll turn 38 years old by the time the 2018-19 regular season comes to an end, his ability to still be a consistent knockdown shooter from beyond the arc could be very appealing for a legitimate playoff contender.
At best, the Cavs trade Korver and receive either a young player with some potential or a first-round pick in return, all while saving some money, especially in 2019-20. At worst, Cleveland can at least gain some cap room in two years, while allowing Korver to have a shot at winning his first NBA title before he decides to call it quits.
Korver’s importance to the team is more than just what’s in the box score, though. He’s a veteran presence in the locker room and continues to help his teammates improve their shot, whether it be their form, or just something as simple as how to be a confident shooter both at the free-throw line and from long distance. Most notably, he seemed to have helped second-year small forward Cedi Osman with his three-point shot. Judging by the way Osman’s form has changed from beyond the arc, it’s obvious Korver has been his mentor over the last year that the Turkish star has been with the Cavs.
Cedi Osman transforming his shot to mirror Kyle Korver's this offseason is truly remarkable #Cavaliers pic.twitter.com/6mbDnPAXo9
— Justin Jett (@JustinJett_) July 9, 2018
At 37, it seems as though it would be in both the Cavs’ and Korver’s best interest to move the sharpshooter to a legitimate contender, one that needs a guy who can dominate from three-point range. With only a few years left in his career, Korver is still searching for his first ring. He deserves to have an opportunity to be traded somewhere that he can have a legitimate shot at a championship every season until he retires.