Tag Archives: Kyle Korver

Cavaliers trade on the horizon?

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A report surfaced Monday that the Cleveland Cavaliers have expressed interest in acquiring Philadelphia 76ers point guard Markelle Fultz.

Sam Amico reported that the Cleveland Cavaliers have inquired about acquiring the former Number 1 overall pick. Acquiring Markelle Fultz is indeed an interesting proposition. Fultz has failed to live up to the expectations of being selected at the top of last year’s draft. Additionally Cleveland just draft Collin Sexton, their current starting point guard.

It does not appear that Fultz is long for Philadelphia. Philadelphia, Fultz and his representatives do not appear to be on the same page and many feel that he will not return to the court in a 76ers uniform. Fultz needs a change of scenery. A change of scenery that could be Cleveland.

Currently Cleveland has Sexton as their starting point guard with Jordan Clarkson coming off the bench. Clarkson is more of a scoring guard, but is filling in at point guard while George Hill is injured. Hill was the starter, but Sexton appears to have taken control of that job. If the Cavaliers were to acquire Fultz it would place Hill on the outside looking in for playing time. However he would still have an important role. As a mentor to both Sexton and Fultz. Currently Fultz is in need of just that and Hill could certainly provide that.

Why Cleveland could work for Markelle Fultz

Markelle Fultz definitely has some physical and mental issues. It can be seen in his shooting motion which seemingly changes from game to game. His mysterious shoulder injury and the rehabilitation process have been criticized every step of the way. Lengthy absences have not helped the second-year player and many believe the situation in Philadelphia is not helping.

Leaving a team with championship expectations in Philadelphia and coming to a team without playoff hopes may help Fultz. Every step Fultz takes is judged nearly instantly for a ball club attempting to make a deep playoff run. Leaving the 76ers could allow Fultz to get physically and mentally healthy to continue his NBA career.

What could the Cleveland Cavaliers offer for Markelle Fultz?

Former Philadelphia 76er Kyle Korver has drawn interest from around the league. Korver appears to want out of Cleveland and going to a playoff team in Philadelphia could be exactly what he wants. The 76ers lost two perimeter scoring threats in Dario Saric and Robert Covington in the Jimmy Butler trade. Bringing Korver back to Philadelphia could certainly help their outside shooting woes. Philadelphia currently is in the bottom half of the league in regards to three-point shooting and losing Saric and Covington will only make it worse.

Another player that could interest Philadelphia is J.R. Smith. Smith and the Cavaliers are working on facilitating a trade. With Philadelphia desperate for outside shooting perhaps a package of Korver and Smith could entice the 76ers to move Fultz and possibly one other player. There is also the possibility of involving draft picks of some sort.

Philadelphia needs to acquire outside shooting. Cleveland has two players they can offer for the price of a player that does not appear to be in their long term plans. The Cavaliers can hopefully work with Fultz and get him playing at a level most expected him to be at. A deal between the teams benefits all involved. All it needs is to happen.

Veteran players Cavaliers should trade

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The Cleveland Cavaliers stink. This is a very true and blunt statement. At 1-6 Cleveland is obviously not a contender and should embrace the youth movement on their roster. To do so there are veteran players on the roster that must be traded.

George Hill

George Hill is a veteran point guard that could be valuable to contending teams. Not necessarily as a starter, but as a good presence off the bench. Hill would be able to lead a bench unit and keep everything in order on the floor while the starters are off it.  The Cavaliers moving Hill would mean that Collin Sexton gets the starting job in Cleveland. It is inevitable might as well make it happen now.

J.R. Smith

J.R. Smith is not happy with his playing time this season. The current 12 minutes per game of playing time Smith sees is currently a career-low. His frustration is more than understandable. Due to the low amount of time on the court Smith is scoring a career-low 2.5 points per game. When Smith came to Cleveland all everyone involved knew the party would come a crashing halt sooner or later. It appears that time is now. Cleveland needs to move him while they still can.

Kyle Korver

Contending teams are always looking for shooting, especially three-point shooting. Kyle Korver provides just that. Even though Korver is only making 33.3 percent of his shots from deep this season, it can turn around in an instant and Korver could become unstoppable. Korver’s future in a Cleveland uniform has an expiration date on it, the latest being the day of the trade deadline. A betting person would definitely place a bet on Korver being dealt much sooner.

Channing Frye

Speaking of three-point shooting, big men who can shoot the deep ball are always a popular trade target. Channing Frye is a career 38.7 percent three-point shooter and can help a contending team in specific situations. While he may not be the first choice, there should be a team that is interested in services. Even if Frye plays only a handful of minutes per game he can certainly help a team in need of someone who can stretch the defense, even in limited time on the court.

Cavaliers should consider moving veterans

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have an interesting mix of young talent and veterans. With the team having zero shot at an NBA Finals appearance it may be best to move a couple of the beloved veterans on their roster. J.R. Smith and Kyle Korver.

While looking at the Cavaliers roster there are a lot of players at the shooting guard and small forward positions. In addition to the aforementioned Smith and Korver there is Cedi Osman, David Nwaba and Jordan Clarkson. Osman is a player who appears to have a bright future ahead of him and could breakout as soon as this coming season. For Osman to reach his full potential he will need a lot of play time. The only problem is that currently Korver will need play time as well. While Korver is still a productive player and can help a team in the short term, Cleveland would be wise to operate in more of a long term model.

Like Korver, Smith has short term value. As an above average but streaky three-point shooter Smith can be an asset to a contending team off the bench. In short spurts Smith can be incredibly effective and can make jaw dropping shots that impress players and fans alike. The problem is that Cleveland has an excess of players at the shooting and point guard positions.

Why bring up the point guard position?

Cleveland Cavaliers first round draft pick Collin Sexton. Sexton needs enough minutes to truly develop and make an impact for Cleveland. (via @cavs on Twitter)

The reason why point guard is brought up is due to the fact that modern NBA relies on versatility and players who are able to play both positions in an instant. Along with Smith, Nwaba and Clarkson Cleveland has George Hill and Collin Sexton. If the Cavaliers were to move Smith it would allow for Clarkson, Nwaba and Sexton to get playing time. Clarkson and Nwaba may not be all that valuable in the grand scheme of things but if the team is going to lose it is better to do it with younger, less expensive players. Smith is owed just over $14.7 million this season and Korver will make just over $7.5 million. Moving them now will allow the team to mold the construction of the roster for the long haul.

The Whole Rodney Hood Situation

Cleveland extended a qualifying offer to Hood which remains unsigned. No other teams have shown interest in Hood which essentially means the Cavaliers are his only option. If Hood signs his offer that is just another guard to throw into the mix of players in need of play time. In either scenario with or without Smith and Korver, it is best for Hood to have a large role for Cleveland this season.

Hood endured a disappointing stint in Cleveland last season which could be why he is hesitant to sign his offer. Hood’s overall play was fairly lackluster and did not appear to really gel with the Cavaliers. Part of this could be due to the large amount of players at the shooting guard and small forward positions. While LeBron James and Jeff Green are gone, there are still a few too many players at those positions on the roster as currently constructed.

It is not about skill, it is about rebuilding the team after LeBron James’ second departure

Kyle Korver is still an excellent catch and shoot player who can be valuable to a contending team.

Smith and Korver are still valuable players in the NBA. Their value may be near the highest it has ever been if used correctly in today’s NBA. The premium that has been placed on the three ball would make Smith and Korver very valuable to a contender in need of a shooter off the bench. The return for either player may not be all that great but in the grand scheme of things it may be better to move them sooner rather than later.

After James left Cleveland for the second time moving on from expensive veterans who have a limited skill set is a wise decision. Three-point specialists are usually the first types of players that teams will move. Teams are always looking for shooters and Korver and Smith could be targeted in trade talks.

Removing Smith and Korver from the rotation would allow other players to step up and make an impact. It would also allow Cleveland to properly evaluate the other talent they have on the roster in a larger sample size.

Will the Cavaliers actually move Korver and Smith?

This is tough to tell. Cleveland seems to believe they are going to go for it this season. The only problem is that if everything went their way their ceiling is a low playoff seed. The reality is that they will run into some bumps in the road and have to overcome them.

The other issue is that Korver and Smith are both under contract until after the 2019-20 season. Players under contract for another year are not as desirable as guys coming off the books at the end of the year in the mid-season trade market.

If things go south for the Cavaliers quickly this season Dan Gilbert should give Koby Altman the all clear to trade away Smith and Korver. Their skill set would be extremely attractive to contenders and could help round out their rosters for their playoff run.

If Smith and Korver are moved it is best to appreciate them for their time in a Cavaliers uniform. Even though Smith’s most memorable moments were when he was without a shirt for an undetermined period of time.