NBA general managers are all gamblers. If they don’t know when to hold them, and when to fold them, they’re likely to suffer major losses.

After all, no NBA team is competitive every year. Most teams follow a similar life cycle: they rebuild until they’re ready to contend, contend until they either win and start aging, or realize they’re not going to, and then rebuild again.

Gambling comes into play at two junctures in this cycle. A rebuilding team that realizes it’s ready to contend pushes its chips in by acquiring veterans to bolster their core.

Meanwhile, a contending team that realizes its luck has run out folds by trading its stars and veterans.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers might be ready to push some chips in. This young team was in the play-in tournament, but if not for injuries, they may have been able to avoid it altogether. On the other hand, the Utah Jazz appear ready to fold.

With that in mind, these two sides could be natural trading partners.