NBA trade rumors are sometimes just creations of the rumor mill, but in this case, it is a known fact that the Cleveland Cavaliers have been looking for a backup point guard. According to Cleveland.com , the Cavs have been scrambling with their rotation all season , and the reason for this is the lack of a veteran backup for star point guard Kyrie Irving.
“It’s going to take more than that, until, you know, we get a backup point guard,” said head coach Tyronn Lue. “When we get a backup point guard, we can understand what our rotation’s gonna be. We don’t have to switch it on a night-to-night basis, so our team can get in a better flow.”
The Orange County Register reports that Los Angeles Lakers combo guard Jordan Clarkson has been adjusting to his new role off the bench, and head coach Luke Walton is trying to get Clarkson to be a playmaker as well as a scorer when he comes in with the second unit. Once Walton made the decision to bring Clarkson exclusively off the bench (barring injuries), NBA trade rumors began to target Jordan Clarkson as someone who could be available since he is no longer a starter with the Lakers.
The latest buzz from the rumor mill has the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers discussing a possible deal. The rumored trade scenario has the Cavs acquiring Jordan Clarkson, while the Lakers would obtain shooting guard Iman Shumpert, shooting guard Jordan McRae, and a first-round draft pick in 2020. This would be a legal transaction per the ESPN NBA Trade Machine, so the question now becomes: would either Cleveland or Los Angeles be willing to make this deal?
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The Cleveland Cavaliers would make this deal in all likelihood since Jordan Clarkson would solve their backup point guard problem and give them a productive player to add to their second unit. It would not be a cheap trade to make, but the Cavs could afford to give up Shumpert and McRae since Clarkson can also play shooting guard. Jordan Clarkson would essentially be backup up both guard positions for Cleveland, which would mean he would get significant playing time off the bench, which in turn just increases his value to the defending NBA Champions.
The Los Angeles Lakers would need a little more prodding to agree to this rumored trade proposal, but it is not out of the question for general manager Mitch Kupchak. Clarkson is a valuable piece, but he may not remain satisfied very long with a reserve role on a losing team. Iman Shumpert would bring a veteran presence to a very young Lakers team, and his stout defense would add something needed to a team loaded with scorers at the guard positions.
Jordan McRae is not a “big name” player, but he would be more than a throw-in if this swap takes place. McRae has shown potential as an offensive force early in his NBA career, and Rotoworld reports that McRae has garnered trade interest from a number of teams around the league. The future first-round draft choice rumored to be part of this hypothetical trade proposal is also intriguing because the Cavs could take on a whole new look by 2020. Many observers believe that LeBron James will move on in an attempt to join forces with some of his close friends in the NBA, such as Carmelo Anthony.
Current NBA trade rumors are pointing toward a potential deal between the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs would almost certainly go for this deal, and while it would require a bit more consideration on the Lakers’ side, it’s entirely possible that they would agree to make this trade as well.
[Featured Image by Tony Dejak/AP Images]