Varejao and Waiters won't be traded because Lebron likes them and wants them on the team.
Thompson won't be traded because he has the same agent as Lebron James and his going to be overpaid next year as part of Lebron coming to Cleveland.
Trading Brendan Haywood now is shortsighted because the only reason he is here is to trade his huge unguaranteed contract next year, not act a filler for a trade now for some below average 7 footer.
The trade assets we have right now (assuming the Love trade is a done deal) are:
- Grizzlies 1st rounder (1-5 and 15-20 protected for 2015 and 2016)
- John Lucas III - $1,600,000 salary cap hold
- Malcolm Thomas - $948,163 salary cap hold (cannot be traded with any other players until after Sept 22, 2015)
- Joe Harris - $884,879 (cannot be traded until August 23rd, 2014)
- Erik Murphy - $816,482 salary cap hold
- Matthew Dellavedova (unlikely to be traded because he is cheap, quality option as bench guard)
Not a whole lot to work with.
You can take back 150% plus $100,000 of salary that you traded.
So lets say the Cavs put John Lucas III, Erik Murphy and Joe Harris out there in a trade and include the Grizzlies pick as motivation to trade with the Cavs.
You are looking at about $5,052,0415 the Cavs can take in. So, guys like Sanders and Hibbert are out. Cannot afford them at all and the Bucks and Pacers could get way more than that offer from some other team.
You could maybe get a guy like Zaza or Kanter if you included more assets, but why would want to? They don't give us what we need.
There are number C's you could get for this amount:
- Timofey Mozgov $4,700,000
- Samuel Dalembert $4,051,527
- Ian Mahinmi $4,000,000
- Bismack Biyombo $3,900,000 (RFA in 2015)
- Kosta Koufos $3,000,000 (FA in 2015)
- Meyers Leonard $2,317,920
- John Henson $2,000,000
- Alexis Ajinca $981,084
- Kyle O'Quinn $915,243
- Jeff Withey $816,482
I don't think Denver trades Mozgov for that package. I don't think Indy trades Ian Mahinmi at all, since they are reportedly looking to move Hibbert.
Kosta Koufos is a plodding behemoth and not a good fit for what the Cavs are doing. I don't think Leonard, Henson, Ajinca, O'Quinn or Withey are what the Cavs are looking for. They are reported to be looking for veteran big guys. None of those guys will make an impact this year in the playoffs and that is really all we are looking for: a veteran, defensive presence for 2014-2015.
So for me, it comes down to two guys: Samuel Dalembert and Bismack Biyombo.
New York might trade Dalembert for that package (you could even take out Joe Harris) just to acquire the pick. He is only under contract for a year and I don't know what the Knicks are thinking of doing. If they are planning a rebuild, they could definitely move him. If they are trying to make the playoffs, they probably keep him. But he would be perfect: a vet, a defensive presence, only here for one year.
Charlotte didn't use Biyombo very much last year. They may not be looking to trade him, but if they are he fits the criteria as well. He isn't a "vet" per se, but he is an older guy (despite what is listed) and while undersized, he a rim protector for sure. Rebounds well, doesn't need the ball on offense at all, which is fine on this roster. But again, I have no idea is Charlotte would trade him for a pick and guaranteed contracts.
I'm not even sure I love these options though. Are these rentals worth a 1st rounder? You may want to save that pick to get bigger deal done for a center next summer with Brendan Haywood. Maybe make a trade with couple second rounders instead, but all we have is our own now and those will like be in the 50's.