The Cleveland Cavaliers may look at a Dion Waiters trade this season and names like Gerald Green, Corey Brewer, Timofey Mozgov, JR Smith, Randy Foye, Carlos Boozer or Iman Shumpert could be potential options to give LeBron James some extra support and if Waiters doesn't get moved, Tristan Thompson could become an option for other teams.
The Cavaliers have expressed an interest in making a trade this season to help add some depth in areas and reports have Brewer and Timofey Mozgov as the potential top targets. According to Marc Stein at ESPN.com, the Cavaliers are weighing the decision on whether to add a big man in front to help defensively with Kevin Love or if they should add some support outside on the wing with a Brewer-type player. SI.com writes that Gerald Green, George Hill and David West also could be potential targets at the deadline.
Mozgov came up over the summer in trade rumors regarding the Cavaliers and one reason a deal did not get done was the fact that the Nuggets did not like the Cavs package of players. The team will need to use someone like Waiters or Thompson in any deal with Mozgov, as big men with strong defensive skills are a rare commodity these days. The Nuggets also have Mozgov on a team friendly contract, so the Cavs likely would have to give up something significant to get a deal done.
According to Pro Basketball Talk, Brewer is a target for the Houston Rockets and the Cavaliers and the Rockets are the front runners if a trade goes down in the next month or so. The trade talks were "active" recently but there has not been much news on that front since then. The Rockets have been off to a strong start and they would like to add some depth with him coming off of the bench. The Cavaliers are hoping to add a player to help take some minutes off of LeBron, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, as all three have been playing a ton of minutes this season.
Waiters has been up and down this season and he has had some issues with Kyrie Irving in the past and with his attitude, but he also has a ton of potential. Waiters is just 22 and he was a former fourth overall pick and he was averaging 15 points per game last season coming off the bench. Waiters' role has been changed up a bit and he is adjusting and since he is heading into restricted free agency after next season, the Cavs will have to make a decision.
One reason a trade with Waiters seems likely at some point is due to the fact that the team also will have to sign back Kevin Love when/if he opts out of his deal and then there is another deal for James on the horizon. Tristan Thompson also will be heading into restricted free agency this offseason and that also will take up money on the cap. The Cavaliers have been playing well and have now won five in a row after starting off slow this season, but there will be some major decision coming. The team may add at the deadline and Waiters could be the ticket to doing so.
