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Cleveland Cavaliers: Nerlens Noel, Jahlil Okafor Or DeMarcus Cousins Being Traded To Cavs?

Published on: August 22, 2016 at 6:12 PM
By Dustin Murrell

The NBA Champion Cleveland Cavaliers continue to be on the lips of everyone talking about the latest NBA trade rumors. Many believe that the Cavs need to make a big move to keep pace with the Golden State Warriors, who have acquired the services of Kevin Durant since losing in the NBA Finals. While LeBron James and Kyrie Irving will undoubtedly be playing in Cleveland next year, some feel that Kevin Love has always been the odd man out of the Cavs’ Big Three. That leads to heavy speculation about the Cavs making a trade for someone like DeMarcus Cousins or Nerlens Noel.

Nerlens Noel of the Philadelphia 76ers guards Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers [Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images]

Some believe that Channing Frye and Iman Shumpert may be on the trading block. Possible fixes for their need at center could involve a trade for Marcin Gortat or Jahlil Okafor, or even offering Larry Sanders an invite to camp. With two months remaining before the beginning of the 2016-17 NBA season, will the Cleveland Cavaliers make any major moves in the offseason?

Trading For DeMarcus Cousins

As previously reported by the Inquisitr , one option that the Cleveland Cavaliers may pursue to fill their perceived need at center could be DeMarcus Cousins of the Sacramento Kings. Having shown great chemistry in the Rio Summer Olympics with Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving, the speculation that Cleveland may be interested in Cousins has only escalated. With the Kings having drafted three centers in the last two NBA Drafts and Cousins’ contract up in 2018, Sports Rageous argues that now would be a good time for the Kings to put Cousins on the market. Putting DeMarcus Cousins at starting center for Cleveland would completely change the forecast for the 2016-17 NBA season.

Trading For Nerlens Noel Or Jahlil Okafor

If the Sacramento Kings aren’t willing to make a trade for DeMarcus Cousins, the Cavs could look to work something out with the Philadelphia 76ers. As reported by the Inquisitr , Nerlens Noel is one of the three great centers on Philadelphia’s roster that the Cavs could pursue. Since Bryan Colangelo became president of the 76ers, he has been very clear about the fact that Philadelphia has three very talented big men at the center position — Noel, Jahlil Okafor, and Joel Embiid — and that they are likely to use one of those centers to address some needs on Philadelphia’s squad.

Could Nerlens Noel end up playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers next season? [Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images]

However, as Chatt Sports Netreports, Philadelphia may be more interested in unloading Jahlil Okaforto Cleveland than Nerlens Noel. The Cavs may be able to acquire Okafor with less on the table than they would for Noel, meaning they could add a very solid piece at center without giving up as much from the team that already brought home one NBA Championship. According to the Parent Herald, however, Colangelo is specifically interested in Kevin Love. Whether or not the Cavs are willing to trade Love will probably be the deciding factor in who they eventually add at center, if anyone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXIZEAo9Fec

Other Options At Center For The Cleveland Cavaliers

Of course, many other suggestions have been made for solving the potential problem of Cleveland’s front court. Reports at the Inquisitr point to the possibility of Cleveland picking up Marcin Gortat from the Washington Wizards. With three years remaining on his contract in Washington, working out a trade for Gortat may be in the best interest of the Wizards, who haven’t been able to utilize Marcin as well as they had hoped.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r80egx9WPeE

Hoops Habit has even thrown out the idea of the Cavs offering Larry Sanders an invitation to their training camp. After leaving the NBA in the middle of the 2014-15 season citing stress and anxiety, Sanders has recently started rumblings about a possible comeback to the NBA. He spent five seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks before taking time off and dabbling in the music industry. Statistically, his best season was the 2012-13 NBA season in which he started 55 games and averaged just under 10 points and 10 rebounds per game. Earlier this summer, Sanders sent out two Tweets: one had a picture from the movie The Warriors , while the other was a painting of a Cavalier.

RELATED REPORTS BY THE INQUISITR

Giving Up Kevin Love

To be able to acquire a big name talent like DeMarcus Cousins or Nerlens Noel, the Cavs would probably have to be willing to part ways with Kevin Love. As valuable of a player as Love has been, there have been rumors of the Cavs trying to trade Kevin ever since Cleveland lost to the Warriors in the 2015 NBA Finals. In the 2016 Finals, after Love missed some time due to the NBA’s concussion protocol, many suggested that the Cavs leave him out of the starting lineup upon his return. But Tyronn Lue brought Love back into the rotation when he was ready, proving that Cleveland still trusts Kevin Love.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTKj3VkyXXQ

If Cleveland isn’t willing to let go of Love in hopes of getting an upgrade at center, they may be able to get something in exchange for Iman Shumpert . It has even been suggested that Channing Frye could sweeten the deal. Working a trade with these guys on the table could still mean the Cavs land a new big man like Jahlil Okafor or Marcin Gortat. With talent and experience like Shumpert and Frye being offered, the Cavs could potentially score something in addition to just Okafor from Philadelphia or Gortat from Washington.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will begin defending their NBA Championship when the 2016-17 regular season begins on October 25. The Cavs start the season by hosting the New York Knicks.

[Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images]

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