Cavaliers trade idea swaps Donavan Mitchell for $48 million ex-Warriors NBA champion forward originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Cleveland Cavaliers dropped the ball in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and it appears they may be unable to recover.
The franchise held a commanding 22-point lead over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden with under eight minutes to play, but was thoroughly outplayed and outcoached down the stretch. The final result was a depressing 115-104 overtime loss and an early 1-0 deficit in the series.
Cleveland’s 109-93 loss in Game 2 indicates the organization has yet to bounce back from its wildly disappointing series-opening collapse, which could ultimately lead to its demise.
Although an Eastern Conference Finals appearance should be deemed a successful campaign for the Cavaliers, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley believes a blockbuster trade involving their star guard, Donovan Mitchell, could be in the cards this summer.
Specifically, Buckley predicts the Cavaliers could swap Mitchell for a former Golden State Warriors NBA champion forward.
“The Cavaliers won’t look to move Mitchell unless he forces the issue, but if he does, this could be a way to facilitate his exit,” Buckley wrote Thursday. “The (Atlanta) Hawks need a go-to option in the half court, and they showed enough growth this season to feel like they’ll be good enough quickly enough to capitalize on the remainder of Mitchell’s prime.”
“Even with possible need-fillers on the board (like Brown), a trade would be the fastest remedy to this problem. On the other end, a Mitchell trade likely shifts Cleveland towards a refresh around Evan Mobley. If Harden exits, Brown could slide right into a starting role. The Cavs could prefer Okongwu’s fit with Mobley over Jarrett Allen’s.”
“They’d also add future draft assets, gain a dynamic forward in Kuminga, and get a crack at solving Risacher’s development puzzle.”
Buckley’s full trade idea would send Mitchell to the Hawks for the No. 8 pick, Onyeka Okongwu, Zaccharie Risacher, Jonathan Kuminga (sign-and-trade), a 2028 first-round pick (via Atlanta, Cleveland, or Utah Jazz), and a 2030 first-round pick swap.”
Kuminga, who was traded from the Warriors to the Hawks before the Feb. 5 trade deadline after repeatedly clashing with Golden State, was inconsistent with Atlanta during the second half of the year.
The former lottery pick found his rhythm offensively in some contests, and failed to make a noticeable impact on that end of the floor in others. Still, the Hawks reached the postseason with Kuminga averaging 22.1 minutes per game, helping them snap a two-year playoff drought.
It’s highly unlikely Cleveland will agree to ship Mitchell to Atlanta for Kuminga this offseason after a successful postseason run, but it’s certainly an intriguing deal to imagine.
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