One of the most surprising teams in the NBA this season has been the Cleveland Cavaliers. They are currently 30-19 and the success they are having looks sustainable. This is a young team, so a late-season swoon is still possible, but as long as they keep after it on the defensive end of the court, they will be tough to beat.
Cleveland possesses one of the best defenses in the NBA, as they have the third-best defensive rating in the league. Their offense is 14th, leading to the fourth overall net rating.
J.B. Bickerstaff has done a wonderful job with the roster, overcoming some significant injuries on the way. Collin Sexton was lost earlier in the season to a meniscus tear that will keep him out for the remainder of the season.
The backcourt was hit hard again when Ricky Rubio, one of the key veterans on the squad, tore his ACL. It is hard enough overcoming one injury at a position, but a second will knock a team for a loop. The Cavaliers stumbled a little following Rubio’s injury, but they have righted the ship, winning three in a row and eight of their last 10.
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Given the success of the team, their timeline has moved up. Many expected Cleveland to once again be a lottery team this year, but they are not only in the playoff mix, but could have homecourt advantage in the first round and push for the No. 1 seed.
They are clear buyers at the NBA trade deadline and according to Bleacher Report, they have their eyes set on a specific thing; upgrading on the wing.
Cleveland remains open to packaging Ricky Rubio and future draft capital to land a significant wing contributor to supplement Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarret Allen in the season-long absence of Collin Sexton.
The home run option for the Cleveland Cavaliers would be swinging a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans for Brandon Ingram. If they could find a deal that doesn’t include Garland, Mobley or Allen, the Cavaliers would have to seriously consider it.
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Ingram is everything Cleveland is currently lacking. He is a go-to scorer on the wing and an excellent defender as well. Under contract through 2025, the Cavaliers could soon reign over the Eastern Conference once again with that quartet.
Another option could be Caris LeVert. He would come much cheaper than Ingram and offer some of the same upgrades. LeVert would provide size on the wing, some shot creation they are lacking without Sexton and a little playmaking as well.
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Acquiring either player would make the Cleveland Cavaliers that much more dangerous of a team this season. The ceiling for this bunch keeps going up, as the Cavaliers are on the fast track to becoming contenders.
