The Cleveland Cavaliers are now considered as favorites to win the Eastern Conference title next season, but the star-studded squad is reportedly not yet done making moves.
Reports indicated that the Cavaliers, who recently acquired All-Star power forward Kevin Love, are reportedly looking to add another center on their roster with Jason Lloyd of Ohio.com mentioning some intriguing prospects - Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert and Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders.
Hibbert, who averaged 10.8 points to go along with 6.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game last season, has been mentioned in several trade rumors after struggling last season. The 27-year-old center is exactly the type of player the Cavaliers are looking for to further improve their title chances next season.
The Pacers are expected to ask for key assets in return or not trade Hibbert at all, especially after Paul George went down with a gruesome leg injury. But according to Lloyd, Indiana could eventually move Hibbert due to financial reasons.
"Hibbert holds a $15.5 million player option for 2015-16, but he's playing for a historically tight-fisted franchise that has never entered the luxury tax and has no intention of starting now," Lloyd wrote. "The Cavs could take the Haywood contract, cobble together smaller nonguaranteed deals and easily make the money portion match in a deal for a 7-foot former All-Star."
On the other hand, Sanders could also be the rim protector the Cavaliers sorely need, and they could eventually get the chance to land the defensive-minded center depending on how well he will perform for the Bucks next season.
Sanders only played in 23 games last season due to a thumb injury and averaged 7.7 points to go along with 7.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game - far from his stats during the 2012-13 season where he averaged 9.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks.
"Sanders ranked third in the league in blocks two years ago and if he returns to form this year. there shouldn't be an issue," Lloyd wrote. "But if he struggles to live up to the contract, how will a new ownership group in Milwaukee - which wasn't around when the deal was agreed upon - feel about paying him that much money on a rebuilding team?"
Aside from Hibbert and Sanders, recent reports indicated that free agent center Emeka Okafor is also on the Cavaliers radar, along with Denver Nuggets center Timofey Mozgov.
