The Cleveland Cavaliers are in a sense of disarray right now. They are losing more than they are winning and players are starting to wonder what needs to change to turn things around. There are some players who want the Cavaliers to use their early NBA Draft pick acquired from the Brooklyn Nets to bring in some help to win this year. It is panic time for some fans as well because this might be the last time they head towards the postseason with LeBron James on the team. With that in mind, there have been reports that Cleveland has every intention of making a big trade or two by the 2018 NBA trade deadline.
Now, it sounds like they know what they want to trade for.
A surprising big man is in talks for the Cavaliers trade
The one big man that everyone thinks is coming to the Cleveland Cavaliers is DeAndre Jordan of the Los Angeles Clippers. The idea is that the Cavs could trade Tristan Thompson, Channing Frye and the Nets first-round draft pick to bring the huge superstar in for a championship run. However, Cleveland doesn't seem to want to give up that draft pick so they can rebuild if LeBron leaves town.
According to Spencer Checketts, the host of The Big Show on 1280 Sports, it sounds like the Cleveland Cavaliers have their eyes on another veteran big man that might cost much less to acquire. Checketts reported that the Cavaliers want to add a big defensive presence from the Utah Jazz in Derrick Favors.
What could this big man bring to the Cavaliers?
The NBA trade deadline is on Feb. 8, which gives the Cleveland Cavaliers just over three weeks to figure out what they plan to do to improve for the second half run of the 2017-18 NBA season. Bringing in DeAndre Jordan could be a monster sign that they want to win now and believe that they are almost in position to eclipse the Golden State Warriors once again.
However, don't sleep on Derrick Favors. The veteran big man could help fix the biggest problem that the Cleveland Cavaliers face this season. The Cavs are 23rd in the NBA in points surrendered in the paint (46.1 per game) and 28th in blocked shots (3.8 per game). The Cavaliers defensive rating is 109.3, which ranks 29th in the NBA.
Derrick Favors has an expiring contract, so if the Cleveland Cavaliers trade for him, they are not stuck with him if they need to blow everything up next year if LeBron James leaves town. Also, since Favors is clearly no DeAndre Jordan, the Cavs could send Tristan Thompson to Utah and maybe even offer their own late first round pick to get Favors.
There is also the thought that the Cleveland Cavaliers could make more than one trade. Could they send Tristan Thompson to Utah for Derrick Favors and also try to bring in DeAndre Jordan in exchange for the Nets first-round pick, giving them two powerful defensive forces to strengthen their rotation? That is unlikely but something is about to happen before the NBA trade deadline in February.