The Cleveland Cavaliers have not completed a trade since the team started struggling last month, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t trying. One potential deal that could help improve the team is a deal with the Charlotte Hornets involving Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe says that the two teams have discussed, albeit vaguely, the possibility of swapping Walker and Batum:
“You can build Charlotte-Cleveland deals in which the Cavs get Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum for Isaiah Thomas, the Brooklyn pick and about $25 million more in outgoing salary,” Zach Lowe shares. “The two sides have talked at least vaguely, league sources say.”
If this is true, then the Cavaliers’ front office is at least considering to deal the Nets’ pick even if it’s only for discussion purposes. And who knows where these discussions may end up eventually?
“But even those are tough to construct,” Lowe continues. “If the Hornets have to take both Thompson and J.R. Smith, they might view the return — even with the Nets pick — as selling too low on Walker. Including Cleveland’s pick instead is probably a nonstarter for Charlotte.
The Cavs are already paying a ghastly repeater tax bill. Batum and Walker make $34.4 million combined this season. Send out any less than that — Thompson, Thomas, and Iman Shumpert make $32.9 million combined, for instance — and Dan Gilbert pays several multiples of the difference. You might not care about Gilbert’s money. LeBron definitely doesn’t. But Gilbert does.”
Walker would be an upgrade over Thomas at the point guard spot as the former MVP candidate has been a shell of himself since coming off an injury he suffered prior to being traded to Cleveland. There’s no telling when Thomas will be back to his MVP-form and the Cavs are in dire need of help.
As a swingman, Batum will help shore up the Cavs’ defensive deficiencies while providing them with an all-around player at the wings.
Should the Cavs and Hornets pull the trigger on this deal, it could help improve Cleveland’s chances of making it back to the NBA Finals this season and another shot at a championship.