Everything to know about Cleveland Cavaliers trade opportunities amid recent struggles

NBA fanatics know this time of the year to be especially exciting as the trade deadline looms closer and closer.

One of the things that makes this season exciting is when league insiders take a look at each individual team’s situation and breakdown what each team needs.

The Athletic’s John Hollinger recently wrote an article detailing what players each NBA team might be looking to part ways with ahead of February’s trade deadline.

Here is what you need to know about the Cavs ahead of the trade deadline.

Spending

This breakdown is especially robust for the Cavaliers this season as they are in an extremely unique situation. The basis of any Cavaliers trade deadline discussion needs to be cemented in the fact that the Cavs are the league’s biggest spender by far.

It is well known by now that the Cavaliers are the only team over the second apron, but some may not realize that they are $22 million over the second apron this season.

Struggling

The Hollinger breakdown also calls out the Cavaliers for their recent struggles, citing both a loss at home to a lottery team in the Charlotte Hornets as well as making note that the Cavs have slipped to the 8 seed in the East with a record of 15-13.

Draft Picks

The Cavaliers have incurred the appropriate second apron penalties, including but not limited to, the Cavs 2032 first round draft pick being frozen. It’s important to note that Hollinger mentions the Cavaliers have the catastrophic option to thaw this pick this season by getting under the second apron ASAP.

Operation PickThaw

As mentioned by Hollinger, Operation PickThaw is the possibility for the Cavaliers to make multiple separate single player trades, thanks to the second apron penalties, to move underperforming contracts and get under the apron.

The plan outlined is somewhat elaborate and fully dependent on the Cavaliers being able to find suitors for underperforming contracts that are willing to part ways with smaller contracts of quality value or minimally matching deals and draft picks. Primarily, the Cavaliers would have to start by parting ways with either DeAndre Hunter ($24 million) or Max Strus ($16 million).

This would have to be followed by the additional departure of either Dean Wade($6.6million) or Lonzo Ball($10million) depending on the first contract selected. All of these players are either injured or underperforming, so it’s not absurd to consider the Cavaliers moving multiple before the deadline.

Implications

The implications of such a move would be major, while it would allow the Cavaliers to maintain their core four, this restructuring would gut current depth while allowing younger talents to shine. Primarily, impressive sophomore Jaylon Tyson would receive a definite role in the rotation depending on the trade return should the Cavs decide to move on from Strus or Hunter.

If the Cavs decide to move Ball, expect more playing time out of Craig Porter Jr. who has been adequate this season. Should Wade be moved it will leave an opportunity for someone like Travers or Larry Nance Jr. to step up, but expect impressive youngster Nae'Qwan Tomlin to show the most fight for the role should it become available.

Thankfully, Hollinger mentions that it is still too early for Cavs fans to panic and that a retooling of this caliber would be close to a worst case scenario. For now, it seems the most likely scenario is the Cavs will stand pat and ride out the season with the current roster of players.