The Cleveland Cavaliers are in a precarious situation after dropping the first two games of their NBA Finals series against the Golden State Warriors. Another loss in Wednesday’s Game 3 would mean the series is virtually over since there’s no team in NBA history was able to come back from a 0-3 series hole, barring yet another miracle.
Should the Warriors get the job done in the succeeding days, expect the Cavaliers to make major deals in the offseason as they look to maintain their stranglehold of the Eastern Conference and keep themselves in the position to topple the other super-team in the West.
Cavs’ Super-Team 2.0
With LeBron James having the power to bolt out of Cleveland again in the summer of 2018, general manager David Griffin will make sure the Cavaliers will have a retooled roster that can match the firepower the Warriors currently possesses. It’s going to be a daunting task for the Cavs GM to create another super-team in Cleveland, and there will be several big names on the Cavs’ roster who could be moved here and there to meet LeBron’s desire. The Cavs understand the 32-year old James wants to compete for the championship in the last 3-5 years of his NBA career and putting up another version of the super team around him is certainly a must.
The Cavaliers are currently a tax-paying team with $125 million guaranteed salaries for the 2017/18 season, so the likelihood of getting a game-changing player in the free-agency market is remote unless they get a quality pick-up through their mid-level, bi-annual and veteran minimum exceptions.
Most of the actions this summer will take place in the trade market, where All-Star caliber names like Jimmy Butler, Carmelo Anthony, and Paul George are expected to be available.
Who’s going to be the Cavs’ trade chip?
There are just two untouchable players on the Cavs’ roster right now: LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. James represents the present while Irving stands as the future of the Cavaliers organization after LeBron’s era is over.
Kevin Love, who played extremely well in the playoffs, will be a very attractive trade target for many teams.
Then again, the All-Star forward’s massive contract of ($22 million to $25 million) is going to be a major roadblock in any negotiation. The same can be said about Tristan Thompson and J.R Smith, who are earning pretty much above their current market value.
Making these contracts appealing for other teams will be painstaking, but the Cavaliers can attach their draft picks to make their package appealing.
Anthony emerges as a potential trade target for the Cavaliers. The New York Knicks made it clear that they want to unload their leading scorer this offseason, and perhaps the Cavs could grab him at a reasonable price. The Cavs could also explore trades for Butler or George, but their chances of getting of either of the two stars is low because of competitions from assets-rich clubs like the Boston Celtics and the Los Angles Lakers. This leaves Melo as their best bet. With Durant making a huge difference Warriors offense, acquiring a versatile winger is a necessity for the Cavaliers moving forward.
