Being in the midst of the NBA Finals, the Cleveland Cavaliers are currently concerned about what they must do to defeat the Golden State Warriors to repeat as champions. For now, they are far from thinking about the offseason, but if they fall short in the Finals, there could be a ton of rumors surrounding the team.
DeMarcus Cousins to Cleveland?
As of right now, there is a rumor floating around that the Cavaliers may explore a trade for DeMarcus Cousins in the summer, possibly involving Kevin Love and other pieces.
Marc J. Spears of ESPN recently appeared on the Murph & Mac podcast, based in the Bay Area, and stated that the Cavaliers could make major changes if they lose to the Warriors in the Finals.
“If you want to mess with the Warriors, I’d dangle Kevin Love to the Pelicans to get [DeMarcus] Cousins,” Spears said.
Love been playing noticeably well throughout the Finals, averaging 18.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 2.8 steals on 42.9 percent shooting from three-point distance. Cousins would give the Cavaliers a completely different outlook. He, too, can space the floor and knock down threes, as well as work in the low post and overpower other big men.
Another really nice feature of Cousins is his ability to be extremely physical on the defensive end, something Love doesn’t provide. However, Love has become comfortable in the offense the past two seasons, rebounding adequately and spacing the floor for LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.
Cavaliers must match Golden State’s addition of Kevin Durant
The Cavaliers would certainly look to make any kind of moves to match Golden State’s addition of Kevin Durant last offseason. They feel that the Warriors have taken a big leap by adding Durant and must counter that move especially since Durant has been a major key to Golden State’s Finals success.
The problem with Cleveland is that they are strapped financially and can only get better by dealing Love or Irving, which would be a tough move for the organization. Cousins could be an upgrade over Love if he is able to fit into the system alongside James and Irving.
Cousins becomes a free agent in 2018, and if he is placed in a winning situation in Cleveland, he would most likely re-sign.
The only issue would be his on-court antics, which need to be resolved if he wants to win titles with James and company.
For now, adding more talent to the team is not a concern for the Cavaliers. They still rule the Eastern Conference and are currently in a heated series with the Warriors. However, when the offseason approaches, the Cavs could look to move pieces around, and not just for Cousins but maybe for Paul George or Carmelo Anthony as well.
