The Cleveland Cavaliers will likely make a big move on the trading front in the weeks heading into February 19 trade deadline, especially after they received a disabled player exception worth $4.9 million - which is half of the salary of injured center Anderson Varejao.
The Cavs are entering the crucial phase of a regular-season campaign that has produced more questions rather than answers to a franchise that was expected to take off after blowing out the field as the biggest winner last offseason.
Despite forming their own All-Star triumvirate of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, the Cavaliers appear to be no better than a playoff contender, currently at no.5 in the Eastern Conference standings behind the Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards and the upstart Toronto Raptors.
Head coach David Blatt has become the fallout guy for the team's woes, as several media outlets reported the growing divide between Blatt and some of his players.
Then again, the Cavs entered the season with a thin frontcourt rotation as the weakest facet of the team. The absence of legit rim protector has allowed opponents to unconsciously attack the Cavs defense and convert easy baskets inside the paint.
Looking for Big Man Presence:
Now armed with a $4.9M injured player exception, the Cavaliers gained the ability to sign or absorb a player via trade. Finding a solid defensive-oriented big man at this point of the season is going to be a tall task for the Cavaliers, although there seems no choice but to make a big splash even if they would lose another pick (2015 first-round pick from the Memphis Grizzlies) or an up-and-coming young player (Dion Waiters or Tristan Thompson) in the process.
Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez, Los Angeles Lakers big man Jordan Hill, Boston Celtics' Brandan Wright and Denver Nuggets Timofey Mozgov have been mentioned several times in the rumor mill.
With James expected to miss the next two weeks with knee problems (not to mention the rumors of possibly leaving Cleveland the second time around), the Cavs' hands are forced to do the inevitable - another big trade.
© 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
