The Cleveland Cavaliers have looked at their roster, have seen the Golden State Warriors up close, and are thinking they would like to add a shooter on the wing at the trade deadline.
Multiple reports have the Cavaliers actively looking around on the trade market, although whether they can get anything done before the Feb. 18 deadline remains to be seen. At the top of the list is Sacramento’s Ben McLemore, reports Chris Haynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
The Cavaliers, among with a handful of other Eastern Conference teams, have strong interest in trading for Sacramento Kings guard Ben McLemore, league sources told cleveland.com…
The Kings have declined overtures for their young 3-point marksman. But with the direction and state of the organization, external pressure could come into play when it comes to potentially moving talent. It’s widely known within league circles that agents have been pushing to get their clients out of Sacramento with the franchise embroiled in dysfunction and turmoil.
This sounds like a leak from an agent more than something the Kings are open to. McLemore swings between showing promise and being disappointing nightly. He’s athletic, he can defend well, he’s shooting 37.2 percent from three this season, but he also takes mental vacations during games (especially on defense), and he can be a turnover machine. The Cavaliers feel if they can get him in their system they can provide a better environment for development than Sacramento.
There are other options, but they may be just as unlikely.
Houston’s Trevor Ariza, Atlanta’s Kyle Korver and Washington’s Jared Dudley are all on the Cavaliers’ radar, but landing one of those three is highly unlikely.
If Joe Johnson secures a buyout in Brooklyn, league sources are adamant Cleveland would “snatch him up” for the veteran minimum.
The first three would be good fits, but the price for them will be higher than the Cavs want to pay. The Johnson buyout is a possibility (no way they will move that salary at the deadline), but the buyout is not a sure thing — will Johnson leave money on the table just to get out of Brooklyn?
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst threw out interesting names recently.
Tyreke Evans made some sense until his recent injury ended his season and that idea. Omer Asik makes zero sense. He’s a slower, less athletic, far more expensive version of Timofey Mozgov — why would the Cavaliers want him?
