The Cleveland Cavaliers are expected to look for big deals this summer to keep LeBron James, especially if they fail to win the title this season. James is expected to opt out of his contract to test free agency in the offseason, and the Cavaliers need to improve their roster to convince the superstar forward to stay.
New Orleans forward Anthony Davis and San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard are expected to be mentioned in numerous trade rumors in the offseason. And according to Nathan Beighle of King James Gospe l, the Cavaliers should make a run at Davis or Leonard this summer to make James happy.
Davis is playing just in the second season of his five-year, $127 million contract with the New Orleans Pelicans. The 24-year-old superstar wants to stay in New Orleans, but things could change if the Pelicans fail to make big moves to become a serious contender in the stacked Western Conference.
If Davis asks for a trade, Beighle said the Cavaliers “could be a desirable” partner for the Pelicans. Cleveland can offer a package involving Brooklyn Nets’ 2018 first-round pick, which could eventually help the Pelicans land a promising prospect to build their team around in the next several years.
Davis will immediately make the Cavaliers stronger on both ends of the floor regardless of who they will give up in the trade for the five-time All-Star. The former Kentucky standout is having another solid season, averaging 28.1 points and 11.1 rebounds on top of 2.2 blocks per game.
Aside from Davis, Beighle said that Cleveland should keep an eye on Leonard. The 26-year-old forward has only played nine games this season, but he could return to action at some point this month, according to Michael Wright and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN .
While his return is viewed as a major step in rebuilding his ties with the Spurs, the report revealed the relationship between Leonard and San Antonio is still complicated. The questions surrounding Leonard’s future has produced “significant concern at the highest level of the organization” in San Antonio.
If Leonard and the Spurs eventually decide to go into a different direction, Beighle said that the Cavaliers should also offer a trade package involving the Nets pick for the two-time All-Star. If the Cavaliers successfully land Leonard, they will have another dominant force, which could help them topple the Golden State Warriors in future matches.
Leonard was slowed down by a quad injury this season, but he still managed to average 16.2 points and 4.7 rebounds in nine games. Last season, Leonard had his best year in the league, as he posted 25.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. He finished third behind Russell Westbrook and James Harden in the MVP voting.
