Stock up on the Cavs’ top four seed hopes | Cleveland Cavaliers podcast

Stock up on the Cavs’ top four seed hopes | Cleveland Cavaliers podcast

On today’s show we got some Cavs trade rumors we’ve got some stock up stock down let’s dive in are locked on Cavs your daily Cleveland Cavaliers podcast today’s episode is brought to you by our friends at priz pick the easiest and most exciting way to play daily fantasy

Sports go to prize.com backlock the NBA and use code all the lowercase lock then NBA for a first deposit match up to $100 I’m Chris Manning that is Evan damal thanks again to Jake Stevens as always for his work on production Evan first segment today we’re going to look at

What Cavaliers signed over the summer could be the most likely ones to be dealt segment two we’re going to do some stock up and segment three we’re going to do stock down and a little trade rumor talking because there’s there’s some names out there we can discuss in

One there’s a lot of Atlanta Hawks and there’s one Atlanta Hawks swing that is newly linked to them that I’m like yeah are we sure about that but Evan you look at the guys they signed the summer January 15th they can out trade those players it’s maxu it’s Caris LeVert it’s

Ty Jerome uh it’s Tristan Thompson who do you who among the guys they that they signed do you could you see them actually wanting to move ahead of the deadline and does does anyone strike you someone that actually could help them as far as making an upgrade of

Some kind so we’ll talk about this more but as a tease for the third segment we are going to talk about DeAndre Hunter and as markstein reported it’s a player of the Cavs are kind of keeping tabs on in terms of guys they signed this summer

It would be Carris Levert is involved in that DeAndre 100 Trade to make it like a clean or acquisition but in terms of just who is on the roster I I think you could say unless like it’s a marginal serious Improvement especially maybe on the wing spot like that’s Levert’s safe

I’ say George Nang is one of the safer guys I think again he’s more a possibility to be trade but again like he’s playing well and he’s also a good locker room guy and you have to Value the value of chemistry when it comes to some of these transactions too and then

Like Max sh I I think that’s a no non-starter just because of how well he’s played for Cleveland but then you look at the rest of what they have I Tristan Thompson I don’t think teams are really tripping over themselves to get him and then you look at it now it’s

Probably like maybe Tai Jerome or Damen Jones or maybe it’s like aanii bats if like there’s a team that really wants to give the Cavs like maybe he’s like a future pick or something for him that the Cavs use his ammunition and make more of a

Wind now move think they have to convert his contract first though with him the only thing also well could you not trade a two-way for a second rounder I don’t or you can do a two-way for a two-way couldn’t you and then include a second rounder with the two-way coming in that

Just feels like what’s the point at that point guess it’s a lot of work but you’re attaching a player to I either way um Big Mike in our Discord shout out to Big Mike regular listener always asking me on The guilded Listener chat the private listener chat rather where they can ask

Us questions directly uh at times um ask me like what’s the likelihood the C make a move I’d say it’s like 40 60 just because they don’t really have that attractive of assets like I just listed off Daven Jones who is out of the rotation because of Tristan Thompson and

Taer roome who has not played since the home opener loss since to the Oklahoma City Thunder and then like they have the the cupboard is very bare in terms of assets available just because I think the guys that could maybe also sign this team who have also signed this team over the

Summer probably aren’t as regularly available as Cleveland may want to let on just because they may not get the best return on investment if they were to trade these guys unless like a team is just again tripping over themselves to go get like a George Nang or gives

The Cavs like a pretty healthy offer for Caris lever or maxu or something here are the the salaries as far as the guys they signed that are now trade eligible other guys obviously you that they but Damen Jones is doesn’t fit in this exactly because he was a trade

In the summer so it’s Chon Thompson is at 2 million basically in a one-year deal uh Tai Jerome is a little bit above that at 2.4 million streu is at 14.4 George y is at 8.8 and lever is at 15.3 the name to me Evan that came to

Mind was just Jerome because he’s the one that doesn’t feel integral to the team that’s not really his fault like he got hurt and and has just been gone all year and he the role he seemingly I think was brought into do the the replace Ricky

Rubio role has just a was first taken by cig Porter Jr who I still think is getting a really B contract at some point and the Cavs also aren’t playing a backup point guard right now so like that role kind of got pushed away while

He’s been away he on his own at 2.4 million to me is obviously just not enough to go get a a good player that that’s not the in the salary range of the guys that you’re really getting an upgrade for but if you combine him with Dean Wade who’s at 5.7 million ororo

Who’s at 8.9 and heading into RFA uh what Purgatory you can get to a better number with that 2.4 million on top of one of those other ones it’s not obviously bigger numbers or if you wanted to get closer to 20 evenly it’s him and Levert

Right so to me he’s kind of the the piece as unfair as that is to him he’s just kind of the salary guy him and Jones like Jones obviously isn’t exactly he’s not for the sake of this he’s not now eligible he always was eligible to

Be traded again but Jerome and him get you above five just not to the Jazz you get him above 5 million and then you stack another one you’re getting somewhere as far as salary go so I and he’s just not integral to the team so I

Think he might be my he’s my answer so but the messy thing with that is if you start stacking those salaries and it becomes two players three players maybe even got four players somehow let’s say like Sam Merill is included in this too um you’re starting to like just cut into

Depth that’s already been lacking for this team and these are moves like you’re assuming you’re making these moving these three to four players and you’re maybe bringing one or two players back you’re still like exactly where you are if you’re the Cavs financially which is like right underneath the tax apron

Again we don’t know the exact amount considering how much like Ricky Ruby left on the table on this buyout but I think just losing or maybe not finding an interested Suitor in like taking on Rubio’s remaining salary just took a lot of the win at a Cleveland’s trade sales

And like you said it starts to turn into a stacking thing and after a while you start to sit back and listen like okay we’re giving up like three four guys for a guy or two we’re still going to be like scrambling to like sign either buyout vets or dudes that are agents

Currently and the names ain’t great um unless like it’s like Craig Porter Jr then like you just kind of like tear down everything that the charge has going for them that’s positive which is like zier Smith and maybe like sharer who had like 49 and 12 game as we’re recording this but even

Then like the juice may not be worth the squeeze then so like it’s I think it’s just going to be a lot of like smaller marginal moves just to maybe give them a little bit more depth and insurance options and yeah maybe like moving on from guys like Jerome and Jones um just

To kind of get bodies that could be viable for you in other spots in the rotation yeah the stacking thing is tricky it’s it’s part of the reason why I don’t necessarily think they are such an aggressive buyer which we’ll get to later in the show but after this

We’re going to go stock up and it’s time to be a little positive about the Cavs being a potential top four maybe even top three team in the East we’ll talk about that after today’s episode is brought to you by eBay motors and our Partners at eBay

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Cavs in these last 13 games without um Garland and Moy Garland especially like we talked about this a lot in the eventual Darius Garland preview return episode or return preview episode that we did but in his last 13 lever is averaging 18.6 points on they’re shooting 44.7% shooting and

About 28 minutes per game along with about five assists four rebounds a steel and a half a game and he’s only averaging 1.7 turnovers for those about five assists per game which you know pretty good numbers like he has stepped up in a major major way for the Cavs and

He is really we talked about this a lot like he clearly has a defined role of this team as the six- man JB biger does not seem to be inclined to move him out of that role like he is I don’t want to say permanently glued to the bench

Because he has started sometimes this year for the Cavs but like he he has some velcro to the bench where he can sometimes be peeled off um but he’s played really well especially in these last 13 he’s been a little understated just because Mitchell’s put up some insane numbers and Jared Allen

Has just been doing so many awesome things in this stretch but like has really kept this this Cavs team stable some nights with just his scoring and playmaking act yeah he’s been great and they’re they’re not in this 10 and three run Donovan Mitchell gets the headlines with

With this run Jared Allen as well but Caris lver is nearly as I think integral and he deserves a lot of credit I think for eating innings for being a crator for hitting big shot shots for being willing to take big shots that’s not nothing like that is something that even

If I think you could look at him and say how good is this guy exactly what is what is his best RW on a really good team I just I it’s just it’s just like this this is a guy that is giving you real value and giving you a ton of stuff

Trying to pull up Evan Evan V for me for a minute while I while I pull up uh some fandel lot so where are you B where are you with him as far as what he’s going to look like when Darius is back we just did a Darius Garland episode what do you

Think he’s going to look like when Garland is back that’s a fair question um I think the same goes with like Donovan Mitchell as well just because those are maybe Maxs too because STS does handle some ball handling responsibilities and has shown some playmaking chops obviously not to the

Level that like Garland gives a Cavs but um I think Levert there will be some adjustments no matter what and we talked about this in the Garland return or eventual return episode two like there’s going to be times that the Cavs just need to kind of run lineups where

Garland is the only ball handler but there are going to be times where he has to play off the ball and I think if you’re using lever as the offensive initiator the ball handler in those sets and garlet is running off screens or just streaking around underneath the

Basket out to the perimeter to get a shot I think lever has shown the vision especially if like it’s like a second action off of a pick and roll like lever is attacking the basket and he kicks it out to Garland on the perimeter like that’s an effect way to get those two

Comfortable with each other like I think there’s going to be an adjustment but again like Levert has kind of impressed me all season long like you and I had some trepidations last year when he was just shooting like insane numbers from three-point range but like the the

Numbers aren’t one to one compared to last year but like he is still playing very very well despite it not no longer being a contract here and I think being healthy is the biggest thing for him I’m sure like obviously he’s missed some time this season but like him just kind

Of not having to deal with the random freak injuries or the cancer scares that he’s dealt with earlier in his career have helped quite a bit and he’s just found a role in a very defined role at this Cav team and he’s showing a lot of

Comfort and I I think that cannot be understated enough like I think there’s going to be adjustment long story short but I I think it’ll be fine in the long term six men of the Year odds according to fuel right now Tim Hardway Jr the favorite at plus 155 Malik monk at plus

350 bogdon bogdanovich in Atlanta at plus 600 Jordan Clarkson at plus 650 Benedict Maan at Plus 11100 and Caris LeVert at plus 1200 so he would currently be sixth right now in six minut of the Year voting for what that is worth at least based on the odds at

FanDuel I for I I forgot Derek white was starting for the Celtics I was like really and never mind go ahead yes uh y Derek white maybe an all star much less six minut the all right stock up for me is top four seat hopes look 10-3 the run

The Cavs have had the the four seed right now they’re going to after by the time you hear this uh they’re that’ll they’re where they are in relation to the Sixers will have changed a little bit based on how the cavu did against the Bucks recording this before that

Game um and before Philly Denver wraps up on Tuesday which will wrap up put put Philly 2 and a half above the Cavs but Cleveland’s at 23 and 15 same range behind the top of the East as Miami as Indiana as the Knicks as the magic it is

Going to be tightly contested but this 10 and3 run when if you EV I just think you look at this 10 and3 run you look at where it could have gone if it’s 5 and eight if it’s anything that isn’t this you could have been in a position where you slide

And you’re kind of chasing the eight seed and you are you’re the eight seed and you’re three games back ahead of the Bulls ahead of the nets all that stuff but SL back because of this run you now just it feels like you have a better

Chance to actually get a top three seed and maybe just maybe you can continue winning continue rolling get the best version yourself and maybe Philly takes a step back and there’s a room to push for a top three seed I think that’s less likely Philly seems like a team that’s

Going to make a big trade and get better and emed’s just a monster but I think a top four seed and at the very least being out of the play in just feels like a much healthier reality for Cleveland now just because of that 10 and3 run they’ve been on yeah

I mean again when the news broke that Moy and Garland would both Miss time early into 2024 um maybe even longer depending on when the Cavs get them back out on the floor um it felt like a death n because they had lost three or four in a row they

Just had a very frustrating end to a road trip in Boston and there’s the I mean it’s easy to miss the forest for the tree sometimes and you don’t realize like Jared Allen and D of Mitchell are still on this roster and healthy but like things have been clicking really

Well for them this 10 and three run has been super super impressive I think yeah like top three is definitely within reach I I am curious to see how the game against Milwaukee goes they are 0 and three as of recording this they could be

One and three or 0 and four when this episode drops um against Boston and Milwaukee this season um and then they wrap up their season series of the Bucks next week so they could be a top three team record-wise but we’ll see if they’re able to hang with the Beast of

These but they’re certainly playing the team that has the confidence that at least gives me the vibe that like yeah they do belong in like maybe not the the upper upper echelon of the Eastern Conference but like on the outside looking in like alongside Philly just or just Philly really cuz

It’s not like they’re they they’ve kind of separated themselves without making a trade like the Knicks did for OG and and noi and the Knicks have certainly separated themselves from that weird Middle Eastern Conference pack after getting an aob after this stock down trade rumors let’s get into

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NBA for your first deposit match up to $100 price picks daily fantasy sports made easy all right I stocked down for me it’s just that the Cavs are going to make a big deal with the deadline be an aggressive buyer Mark Stein um the longtime NBA Insider on his substack has

Reported in addition to the the previously I think thought of names of DeAndre of uh Dorian fny Smith and Royce O’Neal that DeAndre Hunter is someone that Cleveland is a name Cleveland could be looking at Hunter has 3 years and 70 million left on its deal he is a lot of

Money and I just think like I would rather I I think if Cleveland’s going to make a move it’s going to feel small it’s going to be someone like Roy O’Neal who I think will be additive and will give you shooting and is a solid enough Defender even though he’s only

6’4 only 64 I say is I’m like 5 eight and a half um and you’re going to buy lower than someone than Hunter I also just don’t think Hunter is like you be buying Hunter and bending and that you can fix him that’s a really hard place to be

When you’re looking at your cap figures in in other ways so that to me is is a tricky one I mean my stock down is just seeing the name DeAndre Hunter because it’s a lot of money over the next several years um sure Atlanta is not going to be

Negotiating from a position of strength just because like you know the Hawks are dooo right now and they’re trying to blow things up and keep building around Trey young but um simply put like Hunter muddies things for the cast financially now and in the future um we I was

Talking about this in the first segment when it came to like stacking up like I said Carris lever is likely the first casualty from this trade and I just gave him my stock up because he’s been playing so well like do the Cavs want to

Rock the boat and kind of ruin a good thing that they have going for them bench production wise or just you know production wise in general um and do they have to like maybe sacrifice more pieces for that to kind of get the ball moving because like the hunter is a

Younger player he is a bigger Wing who can play small forward power forward he looks like he’s on ambient some nights when he’s out on the court but he can be good if he’s locked in and engaged it’s just not working in Atlanta but the the

Hawks are just not good either so it’s hard to take maybe full stock of it but the smell test and the eye test just don’t really Jazz me for this idea especially considering like how limited the Cavs are asset wise and just how they are financially like do they want

To sacrifice more death for a guy that just hamstrings you financially down the line especially when a possible Donovan Mitchell tra or extension or a possible and then the possible Evan Moy extension on top of that come into the come into the for Crown but it’s just not worth it

And I agree with you like if you’re the Cavs making a big splashy move for the sake of making a big splashy move just doesn’t make sense you don’t have the luxury of being New York which has a boatload of picks after the porzingis trade and just a couple of the moves

They’ve made since then but um yeah you just have to work with limited assets you have and get a guy like Roy on who can give you meaningful minutes in the regular season kind of stretch out your rotation a little bit more so you’re not running guys into the ground

And maybe he’s in your playoff rotation and if he’s not he’s at least a number you can call on I know like he’s not going to be too overwhelmed by the moment and at least give you some consistent or at least good minutes in the maybe limited run at times he might

Get compos season time let me ask you this as kind of a last bit here three names Cleveland has been linked to Dorian infiny Smith Royce O’Neal DeAndre Hunter Rank them in terms of how actually interested you are in them as as trade targets for the Cavs interested or

Realistic interested I realistic is is a whole other conversation I just mean like who actually do you think would actually help them in the most meaningful way one would probably be DFS for and then two see I I’m still high on DeAndre Hunter as a prospect but I I think he is

Third and Royce is second on my list but like you could flip-flop that or I could change my mood after this recording and say actually no it’s DeAndre to Roy 3 just because Royce is a bit of an order player and he is smaller but the defense

Isn’t there as it was maybe before but the asking price will be nowhere near as high comparatively what Deandre H might have to be for the Cavs but like yeah it’s DFS first just because like he is a that three four player that shoots the

Hack out of the ball like he is like the antithesis of deed Wade kind of in that aspect and like he also still provides like solid defense for the Nets at times too even if he is a step older and a step slower I think I have the same I do have

The same order I think it’s DFS because you’re getting a big three four Wing I can they get him is a whole other question I think some teams just the money is just a little tight he’s making like 12 million I think off the top of my head and like that’s just

Little too high again if they had Rubio this would be a little bit easier to do but it’s a little out of just like what Cleveland’s price range can be and I don’t know like I’ll bounce a question off you before we go but just keep your rankings going yeah O’Neal 2 shooter

Competent all that and more probably cost you a little bit less to you than I think D I would you think is the other problem in getting him and then Hunter to me is three I just don’t know what DeAndre Hunter does for you you know in

A major winning way it’s a real concern for me of of what that guy is actually bringing certainly bet on the talent the pedigree all that stuff but it just hasn’t totally happened for him and I think in the way you would have liked so

To me I would be a little uh concerned about about Hunter um what’s your question before we get out here uh would you since he is entering the unknown landscape of restricted free agency this summer and the Cavs do have to be mindful of what Financial commitments they make

Going forward just because they really want to avoid being like a super heavy luxury tax team or like avoid the aprons and ramifications of it would you seriously entertain trading isoro and treating him as a trade chip because he has played pretty well lately um and I

Think he is Cleveland’s best point of attack Defender but if it gets you a certain player that’s like more cost controlled long term and kind of gives you a little sness of what he gives you defensively more with offensive upside which you consider it or would you just let it ride and then

Let him test the waters of see or try to sign him up as soon as you can I think he there’s there’s only a couple guys on the roster that are off limits for sure yeah um I think it depends on the deal I think if you’re making a really good

Wing upgrade and you have to use a salary then so be it but I think if you’re just making like a marginal upgrade and it’s just like an older veteran who’s not going to scale Dorian finy Smith is like the player you’re getting back but it requires you to give

Up Isaac aoro I would I I think you probably do it I think I think probably do as yeah tough as that kind of can be if you really get into the minutia of it just in terms of aoro Defense versus finny Smith just like that three-point shooting and size is just something

Isaac doesn’t have despite being so solidly BU as a player yeah he he is not good enough for you shouldn’t be on the market no not at all especially because the Cavs didn’t sign into an extension for a reason I think it’s more than fair to entertain

The idea that he could be available in trade talks we’re going to end there I’m Chris Manning that’s s daral this has been the lockdown Cavs episode for today have a great rest of your day everyone we’ll talk to you later over the weekend we’ll have Cavs Hawks

Covered for you tune in then enjoy your weekend we’ll talk to you soon

On a new episode of Locked on Cavs (Friday, Jan. 19, 2024) hosts Chris Manning (@cwmwrites, The Just Basketball Show, SB Nation’s Fear the Sword, Forbes Sports) and Evan Dammarell (@AmNotEvan, Right Down Euclid) discuss which of the Cavaliers’ players signed over the summer could actually be used in trades now that they are eligible to be traded before moving onto this week’s stock up (hopes for a top-four seed, Caris LeVert) and stock down (the Cavs making a notable trade at the deadline, the Cavs’ option in DeAndre Hunter)

This episode was produced by Jake Stephens. The intro music is from our friends at Astral Radio.

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