With the NBA trading deadline less than a week away, this is the time for the Cleveland Cavaliers to speed up their rebuilding process by making as many moves as they can to secure young players and additional draft picks.
There are rumors that the Cavs are involved as a third team in the Carmelo Anthony saga. They supposedly would take PF Troy Murphy off the Nuggets’ hands after they acquire him from the New Jersey Nets.
Cleveland would get a couple of first round picks for the trouble of taking Murphy’s contract off of Denver’s hands. However, the Cavs should not stop there.
In fact, almost everyone on the roster should be available in a trade except for the cornerstones of the build up of the team: J.J. Hickson, Ramon Sessions, Christian Eyenga, and Manny Harris.
Antawn Jamison will be difficult to move because of his high contract total for next season, and with an impending lockout looming, teams may not want to add the veteran forward because no one knows what the next labor agreement will be.
Still, that doesn’t mean he is not tradeable. Teams who wanted Anthony, but couldn’t swing a deal with Denver, could be looking seriously at Jamison, who still is capable of putting up 20 points per night. He still is putting up almost 18 points and 7 rebounds per night.
The most likely Cav to be traded is veteran shooting guard Anthony Parker, who is drawing interest from both the Bulls and Celtics. Parker is 35, has an expiring contract, and is a good defender and a very good shooter from three-point range. He’s a perfect guy to come off the bench for a contender.
Even though Daniel Gibson is still a young player, he should be on the market because he’s another guy who can be a useful player for a team chasing a title. He’s a good three-point shooter, but the downside for him would be the nagging injuries that have plagued him the past few seasons.
Mo Williams may be the most difficult high-profile players for GM Chris Grant to deal. Williams has a large contract that is not expiring, he’s had injury issues all season, and he’s a liability on defending on the perimeter. He probably would be best suited to be sixth man type on a contending team.
The other veteran that Grant is trying to move is Jamario Moon, who has started to play better as of late. Moon is a solid wing defender and can hit the three-point shot. However, that is about all he contributes offensively. He doesn’t handle the ball well, which doesn’t allow him to create his own shot.
Moving the veterans would accomplish two things. First, it would allow the Cavaliers to accumulate as many draft picks as possible, meaning another influx of young players joining the team for the 2011-12 season. The more shots you have in the draft, the more chances you have of a project type player panning out. The picks the Cavs are going to get for these guys aren’t going to be in the lottery.
Secondly, it would give the young players currently on the roster some more experience. Clearing out the off guards like Parker and Gibson would allow Eyenga and Harris to be on the floor more often. And a deal for Williams would solidify Sessions as the team’s point guard of the present.
The opportunity is there for Grant. He has to try to move as many of the veteran’s whose futures are behind them It’s time for the Cavaliers to start devoting every minute to the future.
JK
Cleveland Sports Perspective 