The Cleveland Cavaliers are reportedly pushing hard to land an interior presence after losing center Anderson Varejao for the remainder of the 2014-15 NBA season, a source close to situation reported on Wednesday.
ESPN NBA insiders Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst reported that the Cavaliers are in exploratory talks with the Boston Celtics for a three-team trade in an attempt to acquire a quality rim protector.
According to the insiders, Cleveland is very much interested in adding either Timofey Mozgov or Kosta Koufus, but the Denver Nuggets and the Memphis Grizzlies aren't letting their big-men walk away without getting solid compensations.
Meanwhile, the Celtics will likely assume the role as a conduit party in any potential deal. General manager Danny Ainge has been doing a great job in accumulating first-round draft picks (10 first rounders over the next six years), and the Celtics' participation in these negotiations is aimed to add more first-round draft picks.
"The Celtics are aggressively pursuing future draft picks. The Cavs cannot trade their own 2015 first-round pick because they already sent their 2016 pick to the Celtics in a previous deal. But they do own a protected Memphis first-rounder that they could trade," according to Real GM.
Aside from a potential deal involving the Celtics, the Cavs are also targeting either of the Lopez brothers, Brook and Robin. The Nets have already placed Brook Lopez on the trading block, while Robin Lopez is recuperating from a thumb injury.
Between the two, Brook seems to be the most viable option for the Cavs with the Nets very willing to unload their pricey center in exchange for a reasonable compensation. On the other hand, the Blazers have no plans in trading Robin, who serves as their defensive anchor.
"League sources say the Cavs have an interest in both Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (clearly on the market) and Portland Trail Blazers center Robin Lopez (Brook's twin brother). But salaries would make any sort of move involving the Cavs and either Lopez brother unlikely," Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio stated in his report.
