The Cleveland Cavaliers agreed to a three-team deal Wednesday.
In an expected move the Cleveland Cavaliers traded Alec Burks Wednesday. It was a three-team deal that also involved draft picks.
Cavaliers receive: Brandon Knight, Marquese Chriss, lottery protected 2019 first round pick from Houston
Rockets receive: Iman Shumpert, Nik Stauskas, Wade Baldwin IV
Kings receive: Alec Burks, second round pick from Cleveland
Nik Stauskas and Wade Baldwin IV were acquired just days ago in a deal that sent Rodney Hood to Portland. Apparently Cleveland did not have either player in their longterm plans. Alec Burks is another player that was inevitably going to be moved. Burks was acquired for Kyle Korver earlier this season and it was a foregone conclusion that he would be moved.
Breaking down the Cavaliers haul
First things first, the highlight of the deal, the lottery protected first round pick from Houston. The Rockets are highly unlikely to end up as lottery team this season, so this pick is all but guaranteed to belong to Cleveland. That is unless this pick is used to acquire a player via trade before or during the draft.
Brandon Knight is a former first-round pick of the Detroit Pistons who averages 14.9 points per game in his career. Knight has one year remaining on his deal after this season worth just over $15.6 million. If the Cavaliers keep Knight he could backup rookie Collin Sexton while moving Matthew Dellavedova to more of a reserve role. However it is just as likely as his acquisition is only temporary. Cleveland could move Knight in a move similar to the one that brought him to Cleveland in order to acquire another draft pick.
The other player acquired by the Cavaliers is forward Marquese Chriss. Chriss has been largely disappointing this season, averaging 1.8 points per game in only 6.5 minutes per game. Chriss is in the final year of his contract. The 2019 club option in his contract was not exercised by Houston and he will be a free agent after the season. Like Knight, Chriss may also be on the move again.
If the Cavaliers hang on to either player that is fine. The team is going nowhere this season and might as well gamble on a few players. If Cleveland moves one or both players for more draft picks, all the better. Anything to help bolster the team in the future, Houston’s first round pick may just be the beginning of a draft pick based rebuild.
