The Cleveland Cavaliers have won five straight and are starting to get hot following the return of Kyrie Irving to the starting lineup. The Cavs may consider making some trade deals at the deadline, as Joe Harris could be out for the season and teams are reportedly inquiring about Timofey Mozgov.
The Cavaliers won over the Wizards on Wednesday night for their fifth straight victory and the team continues to be the top team in the eastern conference. Irving has returned after sitting out the first couple months of the season following knee surgery and the offense is starting to click better now that he is back. But one thing that has not been developing well in recent weeks is Timofey Mozgov's role, as he was replaced in the starting lineup on December 28 by head coach David Blatt.
Mozgov struggled earlier in the season while the Cavs awaited Irving and Iman Shumpert's return and moving forward Mozgov's role could continue to shrink if he doesn't improve. Mozgov played just five minutes against Washington and that was a season low for the center, who has been replaced in the starting lineup with Tristan Thompson. Mozgov finished the game with two points and two rebounds and he has not been productive over the past couple weeks.
According to Yahoo Sports, Marc Spears reports that the Cavaliers are getting calls from other teams about potential trade interest in Mozgov and whether he is available for a trade. Spears reports that the Cavs have "expressed no interest" in making a deal with Mozgov, but that could change depending on what teams are willing to offer. Spears writes that with the Cavs having the highest payroll in the NBA and Mozgov heading towards free agency, there is a chance that the team could change their minds and open up Mozgov to deals.
Spears reports that sources said that the move with Mozgov to the bench was a "basketball decision" and has nothing to do with his future with the Cavaliers. Mozgov will be an unrestricted free agent over the summer and it is likely that he will generate interest on the market. Spears writes that while the Cavs plan is to try and re-sign Mozgov, the team may not be able to get it done with over $100 million already committed in salary for next season.
Last season the Cavs made significant moves to add players before the deadline, including Mozgov, JR Smith and Iman Shumpert. All three players played key roles in helping the team make it to the finals and this year the team could consider making deals again. Bleacher Report writes that some targets for the Cavs could include Markieff Morris, Channing Frye or Kevin Martin. All three players have been mentioned in trade rumors and could be potential options for the team. Cleveland.com reports that Joe Harris is undergoing surgery and could miss 2-3 months with the injury.