Although they own the NBA’s best record and a comfortable lead in the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers (35-6) are starting to show signs of wear-and-tear. Two-way center Evan Mobley will miss his second straight game with a calf strain on Monday and impactful wing Isaac Okoro is still battling a shoulder injury that has already cost him a big chunk of the season. With the trade deadline about two and a half weeks away, the Cavs might have choices to make.
Grabbing the No. 1 seed is not enough this year. This franchise must assert itself as a genuine championship contender that can compete with the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks when the lights are brightest. The pressure to validate the regular season dominance could compel president of basketball operations Koby Altman to complete a notable acquisition.
Considering the murkiness surrounding Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler, Brooklyn Nets forward Cam Johnson is the hot name on the rumor mill right now. The Cavs are a possible landing spot, as ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel notes. They have already inquired about the highly dependable shooter, but they are not rushing to get a trade done.
“Any interest from Cleveland, as such, seems preliminary at best,” Jake Fischer reported on The Stein Line. “The Cavaliers have indeed called on Johnson, sources say, but their approach for the 28-year-old hasn’t advanced much further to this point. Maybe that changes over these next two-plus weeks (after The Athletic’s Joe Vardon first reported the talks.) It just seems unrealistic that Cleveland could meet the Nets’ demands without a real first-rounder available to headline a trade package until 2031.”
Should the Cavs change things up amid amazing first half?
A first-place team that boasts the best 3-point shooting percentage in the league and ranks second in both field goal percentage and points per game is not typically inclined to scramble. While complacency can breed regret, Altman is not going to shoehorn Johnson into his roster. Chemistry and depth are among the Cavaliers’ best strengths, so the circumstances would need to be optimal.
However, since the squad is desperate to meet a standard of excellence this postseason, every option deserves ample consideration. Johnson, a 2019 first-round draft pick, is scoring 19.5 points per game while shooting 50 percent from the field and a sizzling 42.6 percent from downtown in 2024-25. He could address potential injury problems and ease the offensive burden of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland.
Again, though, acquiring this productive talent does not come without significant challenges or risk. Edging out other suitors like the Sacramento Kings is hard to envision. The organization might actually be more likely to make subtractions rather than key additions, believe it or not.
“If there’s any move anticipated leaguewide from the East-leading Cavs, it would be Cleveland shedding some salary to reduce its luxury-tax bill before an expensive roster hits repeater tax territory over the next few seasons,” Fischer writes.
Koby Altman has until the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline to decide how infatuated he is with Cam Johnson or any other sought-after contributors. Fans should be grateful that the Cavaliers are even in such a dilemma.
