The Lasting Impact & Grade Of This Trade For The Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers had been targeting Caris LeVert for the last few months leading up to this trade on Sunday and it turned out to be a really good deal for Cleveland.
Getting out of Ricky Rubio’s expiring contract was something general manager Koby Altman and the Cavaliers’ front-office had been looking to do in order to add more offensive-minded talent(s) to their roster ahead of what looks to be a playoff run.
Rubio was the only player they gave up in this trade, keeping their young core intact, and giving up a 2022 first-round pick for LeVert is very fair value.
With Cleveland making the playoffs this season, this first-round pick would have presented no value in terms of finding a better talent right away than Caris LeVert and the Cavs can simply get this trade over with as soon as possible instead of trading away a future first-round pick that they may need.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Cavaliers Trade For Pacers’ Caris LeVert Amid Backcourt Injuries
In terms of second-round picks, the Cavaliers simply swapped the Rockets’s second-round pick for that of the Heat’s, going from an early second-round pick this season to a late second-round pick and they gave up a useless 2027 second-round pick via Utah.
You never know what talent you will find in the second-round of the NBA draft, as Draymond Green and Nikola Jokic are two very notable second-round picks through the years, but the Cavaliers are a young team looking to win right now.
Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, Lauri Markkanen and Kevin Love have all played great for the Cavaliers this season, but offense was the only weakness of this team.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Cavaliers Trade For Pacers’ Caris LeVert Amid Backcourt Injuries
Now with Caris LeVert, who is averaging 18.7 points, 4.4 assists and shooting 44.7% from the floor on the season, the Cavaliers have that extra little bit of high-level production that they have been missing with Collin Sexton out.
This was a fantastic move by Altman and the Cavaliers’ front-office that should undoubtedly help them clinch a Top-4 seed in the playoffs this season.
GRADE: A
