NBA Trade Rumors: Elfrid Payton To Cavs, Mo Williams And Cedi Osman To Magic
Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue sparked NBA trade rumors when he recently stated in an interview that the Cavs are definitely looking for a backup point guard and that he will not truly know what kind of team he has until that spot is filled with a capable veteran, as described by Cleveland.com.
According to Hoops Rumors, NBA insider Brian Windhorst shared on a recent ESPN podcast that the Orlando Magic are contemplating some significant changes, and one of those changes includes point guard Elfrid Payton. Windhorst goes on to say that the Magic are “down” on Payton, as they no longer feel he is their point guard of the present, or future.
FanSided has published a piece that insists Elfrid Payton is destined to play for the Cavaliers. The article discusses the Cavs’ need for an established point guard to play behind Kyrie Irving, and how Payton has fallen completely out of favor in Orlando. It appears that Payton could be acquired at a reasonable price, and he could solve a problem for Cleveland as they try to keep pace with the other top teams in the league.
The latest NBA trade rumors are pointing toward a potential deal between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic. The scenario that is being debated online would see Elfrid Payton joining the Cavs. The Magic would receive a rather interesting group of assets in return: the contract of retired point guard Mo Williams, the rights to Turkish small forward Cedi Osman and Cleveland’s first-round pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
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The Cleveland Cavaliers have a hole at backup point guard that they have not been able to address, and Elfrid Payton would seem to be a very good option to eliminate that issue for the Cavs (and this scenario would be a legal transaction per the ESPN NBA Trade Machine). Payton was seen as a rising star as recently as a year ago, but his offensive limitations have caused the Magic to sour on him; he’s even lost his starting job to journeyman D.J. Augustin. Payton’s value in the trade market is very low at this point, and that is good news for the Cavaliers.
The Orlando Magic are clearly moving away from Elfrid Payton, but would this rumored trade proposal be enough to tempt them into a deal? Mo Williams’ $2.2 million contract will come off the books after this season and provide a small amount of salary cap relief if the Magic obtain him. The 2020 first-round pick could offer solid value since the Cavs could theoretically be in a post-LeBron James rebuilding phase by that time.
However, the key to this deal would seem to be Cedi Osman, the 21-year-old small forward from Turkey. Cleveland holds Osman’s rights, and as detailed by SB Nation, there is a strong possibility that he could be used by the Cavs as a trade chip. Osman has said he wants to come to the NBA after the 2016-17 season, which would add to his value if Orlando were to trade for him. Meanwhile, Cedi Osman can continue to improve his game playing in Europe — Osman is known as a long wing player who can take the ball to the basket and defend. He also shot 40 percent from three-point range last season for Anadolu Efes, although his outside shot is thought to be inconsistent.
This offering from the latest batch of NBA trade rumors makes sense for both the Cavaliers and Magic. Cleveland needs a backup point guard with experience, and Orlando has a player who fits that profile who they are reportedly trying to move. The Cavs would almost certainly do this deal, but it is more complicated for the Magic. The “tiebreaker” might be just how high Orlando may be on Cedi Osman’s NBA potential. In any case, the Magic may be wise to move quickly, because the longer they wait, the less the team can expect to receive in a trade for Elfrid Payton.
[Featured Image by John Raoux/AP Images]
