Cavaliers Urged To Trade For Cameron Johnson, Bogdan Bogdanovic Or Larry Nance Jr.

One NBA analyst has urged the Cleveland Cavaliers to trade for Cameron Johnson, Bogdan Bogdanovic or Larry Nance Jr.

Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report named Johnson, Bogdanovic and Nance Jr. as the Cavaliers’ top three trade targets. 

“The Cavaliers could use Johnson in a number of ways, primarily as the team’s starting small forward or as a floor-spacing four when either Evan Mobley or Jarrett Allen need a breather,” Swartz wrote in his NBA column. “The 28-year-old has good size at 6’8″ and has averaged 13.5 points on 40.7 percent from three over the past three seasons. The Cavs shot just 31.5 percent from deep in the playoffs, ranking 13th out of the 16 postseason teams.”

Johnson averaged 13.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.3 blocks for the Brooklyn Nets last season while shooting 44.6% from the field, 39.1% from beyond the arc and 78.9% from the free-throw line. He’ll make $23.6 million next season.

“An ideal sixth man for this group, Bogdanovic would be an upgrade over Caris LeVert with his consistent outside shooting,” Swartz wrote in his NBA column. “He’s a talented scorer from all three levels and can make plays for others, averaging a career-high 16.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists last season.”

Bogdanovic averaged 16.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.3 blocks for the Atlanta Hawks in 2023-24 while shooting 42.8% from the floor, 37.4% from beyond the arc and 92.1% from the free-throw line. He’ll make $17.3 million next season. 

“The Akron, Ohio, native previously played for his hometown team from 2018 to 2021 and should be eager to return to a franchise far more talented than the one he was traded away from three years ago,” Swartz wrote in his NBA column about Nance Jr. “Cleveland doesn’t have a reliable backup center on the roster right now, and Nance is a do-it-all option that would be the perfect third big alongside Mobley and Allen.”

Nance Jr. (he’s on the Hawks right now) averaged 5.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.3 blocks in 2023-24 for the New Orleans Pelicans while shooting 57.3% from the field, 41.5% from 3 and 77.0% from the foul line. He’ll make $11.3 million next season in the final year of his contract.