The Cleveland Cavaliers find themselves in a difficult position as Kyrie Irving is on his way to the Boston Celtics and LeBron James is rumored to be heading west after the conclusion of the 2017-18 NBA season. With so much uncertainty surrounding the team, it will be interesting to see how everything unfolds.
Despite having a championship-caliber roster, the Cavaliers looked overmatched in the 2017 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. It was clear that Irving and James were not enough for the Warriors’ superstar core headlined by Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, leaving many to wonder how Cleveland would improve its roster.
In a segment on The Herd, Nick Wright pitched a scenario where the Cavaliers land both DeMarcus Cousins and Dwyane Wade:
https://www.facebook.com/TheHerd/videos/2071189556435566/
Wright’s proposal is not too far-fetched if the Cavaliers would be willing to part with the Brooklyn 2018 first-round pick in a deal for Cousins. The big man will be a free agent in the summer of 2018 and should not demand too much on the trade market if the New Orleans Pelicans are willing to deal him. In Wade’s case, he is already expected to engage in buyout negotiations with the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland would be a logical destination for the three-time NBA champion to land.
A core of James, Isaiah Thomas, Cousins, Kevin Love and Wade looks talented enough on paper to challenge Golden State, but would arguably still have trouble dethroning the reigning champions. Expect more blockbuster deals involving the Cavaliers to surface until next summer.