The Cavaliers don’t seem real likely to make a trade, given their status as one of the NBA’s hottest teams.
But this is the NBA and you just never know. With that in mind, Cavs guard/forward Isaac Okoro could be among the players to monitor, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The trade deadline is Thursday.
Okoro is having a banner season and is eligible for an $11.5 million qualifying offer this summer. That will set him up to become a restricted free agent. Cleveland could always wait for another team to sign him, and then match the offer.
As Scotto mentioned, Okoro is an All-Defensive team candidate. He is averaging 8.8 points and a career-high 3.2 rebounds entering Monday’s home game vs. the Sacramento Kings.
“In order to retain Okoro and keep the rest of their roster intact, the Cavaliers now have to consider their appetite for going into the tax for the 2024-25 season amid uncertainty surrounding Donovan Mitchell’s long-term future in Cleveland,” Scotto wrote.
Multiple teams are interested in acquiring the type of two-way presence Okoro provides — including the Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns. Though it seems hard to envision the Cavs trading Okoro within their division or to the Knicks, who eliminated them from the playoffs last season.
Meanwhile, Mitchell, center Jarrett Allen, power forward Evan Mobley and point guard Darius Garland remain off-limits.
The Cavs (31-16) have won five in a row and 18 of 22. They sit in third place in the Eastern Conference.
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In my eyes, Okoro for Bridges or Washington from Charlotte would be VERY tempting!! Both of those players have a higher upside then Okoro and fill a great need, size, offense and equal or greater physicality that Okoro has. I think they both would better position us against Boston, Bucks, Knicks and Sixers if Embid returns than we sit today.