Cavs near full health, but trade questions loom entering New Year

The Cavaliers didn’t overhaul much after winning 64 games last season. They largely ran it back, trusted internal growth, and accepted the financial consequences that came with continuity.

Now comes the harder part.

Cleveland sits at 18-16 (entering Wednesday afternoon), above .500 but clearly short of where it expected to be, and operating above the second tax apron. That combination makes the February 5 trade deadline tricky. Not impossible, but narrow.

Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron examined the Cavs’ options this week, noting that their apron status prevents them from aggregating salaries in trades. That limits flexibility, but it does not shut the door entirely.

Players on smaller or mid-sized contracts remain theoretically attainable, with Gozlan pointing to the Pelicans’ Herbert Jones and Jose Alvarado as examples of the type of targets that could still fit within the rules.

“The next three weeks will be critical for the Cavaliers, who have no incentive to bottom out even if they wanted to,” Gozlan wrote.

Health should no longer be a major excuse. Cleveland is close to full strength, with Max Strus and Larry Nance Jr. the only regulars still sidelined. The bigger concern is whether the group has rediscovered its edge.

After a demoralizing loss to Houston, head coach Kenny Atkinson questioned his team’s preparedness, a rare public critique that reflected growing frustration inside the organization.

Around the NBA, there is also a quieter question being asked. Namely, has this group fully moved on from its early playoff exit to the Pacers, or is that disappointment still lingering?

The Cavs are not in a position to tear things down, even if they wanted to.

But with limited tools and a tightening margin for error, the next few weeks may determine whether they tweak the edges or accept that this version has already shown its ceiling.

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