It was exactly one year ago that the Cleveland Cavaliers completed the trade that brought Kyle Korver to Cleveland. The Cavs gave up their 2019 first-round pick, Mike Dunleavy, and Mo Williams to the Atlanta Hawks. The Korver trade also created a $4.8 million trade exception for the Cavs. In simpler terms, this means that they can trade for any player with a salary equal or under the $4.8 million mark without having to give up anything in exchange. Another Cavs player plus the trade exception cannot be used to trade for somebody with a higher salary.
Joe Vardon, from Cleveland.com, reports that, despite that option still being available to use, the Cavs do not plan on using it as of right now:
“Thus, the Cavs have no intention of using the trade exception. Their roster is already full at 15, the payroll is nearly $30 million over the $99 million cap, and to trade for a player using the exception they would have to cut someone, which would cost millions in luxury tax penalties.”
Anyways, finding a player with only a $4.8 million or below salary that can truly help improve the Cavs current roster specs would be hard. While there are several players throughout the league with that salary that the Cavs could use, there are other teams that will hardly let them go without a significant return.
Despite the trade exception becoming practically useless for them, the Cavaliers cannot complain about the gem they found in Korver himself. Since being traded to Cleveland, he is averaging 10.3 points while shooting 46.2 percent from behind the 3-point line. Korver is part of one of the Cavs’ deadliest lineups, which features LeBron James surrounded by three or four shooters. At 36 years of age, Korver still brings valuable shooting and leadership off the bench. Last summer, he re-signed with the team on a three-year deal worth $22 million.
