How Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis Have Immediately Impacted Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers made it clear that they wanted to make a championship push this season as they approached last week's trade deadline.

Not only were they looking to free up some cap space on existing contracts, but they primarily wanted to retool in some areas of this team to ensure they are amongst the Eastern Conference's best teams, if not the NBA’s best.

Cleveland ultimately decided they were ready to part ways with guard Darius Garland by trading him in exchange for former NBA MVP James Harden, which was undoubtedly their biggest acquisition since Donovan Mitchell’s arrival. Another trade that transpired in recent weeks for the Cavaliers has already shown it could pay off in the long run as well.

On January 31st, Cleveland agreed to trade their forward De’Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for guards Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis. This trade freed up about $50 million in luxury tax for the Cavaliers while adding some much-needed backcourt depth.

Dennis Schroder

Schroder has been in the league for twelve years now and now finds himself on his 11th different team since being drafted in the 2013 NBA Draft. A serviceable guard, Schroder is a proven player that can bring his playmaking capabilities off the bench to help the Cavaliers down the stretch to close out their games.

It’s ironic that Schroder made his Cavaliers debut against his former team this past Saturday, in which he was featured enough to have totaled 7 points, 4 assists and 3 rebounds in the 17 minutes he played.

Between both Sacramento and Cleveland this season, Schroder has showcased his veteran IQ coming off the bench, while also adding in his skilled pick-and-roll ability that pairs well with the Cavaliers switch-heavy defense.

On the season, Schroder is averaging 12.4 points per game to go along with his 5 assists and 3 rebounds, which is more than enough for a player on a tax-friendly salary.

Keon Ellis

Ellis, only in his third season, was brought in as a part of the De’Andre Hunter trade as a bench upgrade known for his progressing defensive prowess that makes him a very underrated player on this Cavaliers team. His 3-and-D ability strengthens Cleveland’s defense further than before, especially for a player who’s averaging upwards of 17 minutes a game.

On Saturday, Ellis made his debut comfortably against his former team by scoring 6 points, while contributing 3 assists and 3 rebounds to help keep the Cavaliers in that grueling late-night thriller in Sacramento. On the season, Ellis is averaging 5 points, 1 assist and 1 rebound, which can be subject to change on any given night considering his promise off the bench.

The most notable skill that Ellis possesses is his consistency in locking down opposing teams wing players with his quick hands and his ability to switch player coverage mid-play to match the pace of Cleveland’s defense. To go along with Ellis’s contributions thus far, he also has 2 blocks and 4 steals in just his first two games as a Cavalier.

This trade in conclusion signifies that Cleveland knew they needed to upgrade their bench to maximize their production on offense and defense outside of their new ‘core four.'

So far, it’s safe to say that this trade has proven to be well worth it for the Cavaliers in their pursuit of an NBA championship.