The Cleveland Cavaliers are one of the teams that could be active leading up to the NBA Trade Deadline. While the team would like to move on from Kevin Love to embrace a rebuild around their younger players, he is unlikely to draw much interest. However, other players on the team are already beginning to draw some attention.
According to Sam Amico of FourthEightMinutes.com, Cedi Osman and JaVale McGee have both drawn interest from contending teams. The Brooklyn Nets have shown interest in both players, while the LA Clippers are also interested in Osman. McGee has reportedly been eyed by the Milwaukee Bucks.
“McGee and Osman have both been drawing interest from the Brooklyn Nets, with the Los Angeles Clippers among those interested in Osman, a source told FortyEightMinutes,” wrote Amico about the Cavaliers’ duo. “One opposing league executive suggested last week that the Milwaukee Bucks may have an interest in McGee.”
The 25-year-old Osman played under Tyronn Lue, the current Clippers head coach, during his rookie season in 2017-18, so it is easy to connect the dots there. Osman would give the Clippers some more versatile depth on the second unit, as he has played shooting guard, small forward, and power forward this season.
Brooklyn, meanwhile, is looking to replace the depth they sacrificed in the James Harden deal. A trade with the Cavaliers for Osman or McGee would both help in that regard. Currently, the Nets don’t have much behind Kevin Durant and DeAndre Jordan in the front-court beyond Jeff Green.
McGee, who helped the Los Angeles Lakers win the NBA Championship in the Orlando Bubble, would bring some much-needed size and defense to the Nets’ roster.
McGee would fill a similar role in Milwaukee. The Bucks are dangerously thin upfront, as they only have Bobby Portis as a reliable big man coming off the bench currently. McGee would help give minutes at the center spot, as Portis could slide over to power forward if need be.
While the Cavaliers are technically still in the playoff race themselves, they need to have a long-term outlook. If they can cash in on some of their current assets for future ones, it is a good decision to make.
