The Cleveland Cavaliers have been playing better in recent weeks after a slow start, but at 5-5 things have not been as good as expected and now trade deals could be options for GM David Griffin as he tries to give LeBron James more support and names like Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson, Anderson Varejao and Shawn Marion could be targets, as he said that "no one is untouchable".
The Cavaliers pulled off the biggest trade of the offseason by acquiring Kevin Love and while the team has a deep roster, it may not yet be the right one to win a championship. Waiters has come up in trade rumors over the past two seasons and he could be a potential grab for teams, as he was formerly the number four pick in the draft. The Cavs reportedly were interested in Nuggets center Timofey Mozgov this summer and they also could look for defensive help, as they have not been great on that side of the court.
The Cavaliers have interest in Corey Brewer and that could be a move to make, as he would give the team some wing depth moving forward. The Cavaliers already made one trade this year with the Timberwolves and now they could be looking at another. According to ESPN.com reporter Marc Stein, the Rockets are also interested in Brewer and right now they are the front runners for a trade over the Cavaliers. Stein writes that the Cavaliers are "weighing" whether to go after more depth outside or for a "rim protector" up front to help Kevin Love.
Over the summer the Cavaliers had an interest in trading for Timofey Mozgov from the Nuggets for some frontcourt support, but that deal never came close to getting done. At the time the Nuggets wanted more from the Cavaliers that what was being offered and that likely means that names like Dion Waiters or Tristan Thompson were not involved. The Cavs would rather not trade those young players, but there is a chance that Griffin could make a move if he feels it will help the team overall this season.
Stein wrote on Twitter that Houston is more likely for Brewer, as they have a clear need and likely are willing to trade now. The Cavaliers have been chasing Mozgov for "months" and Stein added that the Cavs are now realizing that it's harder to get those rim protectors than wing depth, which is why the pursuit for Mozgov has been a tough one.
The Cavaliers are now 5-5 on the season and they are ranked fifth in the league in offense. The team defense should get better, but the front office would like to add some more depth, as they are 23rd in points allowed this season. The Cavs just lost to the Spurs and now they have the Wizards before a game against the Raptors and right now those are two of the best teams in the east. The Cavs will get to where they need to be, but they may make some moves to add depth to the roster moving forward.