Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly open to major changes ahead of NBA trade deadline

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been one of the most disappointing teams to start the season.

The Cavs find themselves 15-13, just two games above .500 as the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland has dealt with their fair share of injuries, but the Cavs don’t have the luxury of using that as an excuse in this season with so much pressure on succeeding in the postseason.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell are the only two untouchable players on Cleveland’s roster. Charania noted that the Cavs have been getting "a ton of calls" on their players.

That means the Cavs would welcome sweeping changes. All-Star guard Darius Garland has been mentioned in NBA trade speculation. Jarrett Allen has dealt with a finger injury but has returned to the lineup and could be a trade candidate as well.

The Cavaliers are the lone team in the second apron. They have the most expensive roster in NBA history. As the team spirals, it’s likely that the Cavs would like to get out of that second apron to avoid the luxury tax penalties. It will also make it easier for the team to make trades and aggregate salaries in order to do so.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson won NBA Coach of the Year last season as the Cavs won 64 games. While he lost a few assistants this offseason, it’s hard to put the blame on Atkinson for Cleveland’s struggles this season. It’s much more likely that the Cavs shake up their core before firing a coach.

The core four is no longer safe – but neither should the rest of this roster be, either.

Cavs players who could be traded

Second-year forward Jaylon Tyson has formally replaced De’Andre Hunter on the depth chart. While Cleveland’s trade for Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks seemed like a no-brainer last season, the fit just has not worked.

Hunter was a non-factor for the Cavs in the postseason. After an offseason of work, Atkinson asked Hunter if he preferred to start. The eighth-year forward agreed, and was inserted into the starting lineup.

But his impact still has not been felt on the court. He was benched in favor of Tyson, and is certainly a candidate to get moved.

It’s also fair to question whether or not Lonzo Ball fits this team – with or without Garland. Trading for Ball was a low-risk move, and it’s possible that he could get dealt as well.

The good news is that there’s plenty of basketball left to be played. President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman is working the phones to resurrect a season that had major expectations.