The Cavaliers are not good right now — they have lost 3-of-7, have the second-worst defense in the NBA, LeBron James is yelling at the team on the sidelines and asking them to do some soul searching.
Do the Cavaliers need to make a trade to shake this team up and give them a chance against the Warriors? Would DeAndre Jordan be enough?
If Cleveland finds a deal it likes, it would move center Tristan Thompson — who has fallen back in the rotation, Kevin Love starts at center — reports Shams Charania of The Vertical at Yahoo Sports.
What I’ve heard is right now the Clippers would want Thompson and the Brooklyn Nets first-round pick for this season in the deal (the Cavaliers have the rights to that pick via the Kyrie Irving trade with Boston), but the Cavaliers are not throwing that pick in. Would the Clippers do it for Thompson and the Cavaliers first-round pick (in the mid-20s)?
Cleveland would throw that Nets pick in the mix if Paul George were available out of Oklahoma City, but he is not. The Thunder are going to ride this season out with the guys they have. Same with DeMarcus Cousins down in New Orleans. Barring something unforeseen in the next month, the best guy on the market will be DJ. And while Jordan would be a significant defensive upgrade in the paint, he’s not putting Cleveland near the Warriors right now.
It’s something to watch, but this has been a very tight trade market so far, according to sources. Combine that with Thompson’s old-school game — he is physical, he can rebound, he can roll or make cuts to the rim, but he can’t score outside of 10 feet — and there simply may not be a deal worth throwing Thompson in for the Cavs. That said, it’s on the table.