NBA Trade Rumors: Deron Williams To Cleveland Cavaliers
NBA trade rumors indicate Deron Williams is receiving a lot of interest from the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs would reportedly like to acquire Williams from the Dallas Mavericks before the NBA trade deadline hits on February 23. A report by NBC Sports on Wednesday (February 1) states that the Cavs are looking for a backup point guard to serve as a playmaker when Kyrie Irving is resting on the bench. That search has led the team to the Mavs.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr, LeBron James requested that the team find another playmaker, leading the front office to officially begin a search. It led to Nate Robinson submitting his own “application” through Instagram, but he hasn’t been invited to work out with the team yet. Players who have been invited include Mario Chalmers, Jordan Farmar, Lance Stephenson, and Kirk Hinrich. As NBA analyst Kurt Helin reports, Deron Williams is better than all of them.
So do these latest NBA trade rumors have any legs? It has been confirmed that the Cleveland Cavaliers have made overtures to the Dallas Mavericks about acquiring their starting point guard. The inherent problem, though, is that it doesn’t appear that the Mavs are looking to move Deron Williams. This could be because the team is holding out hope of making it to the 2017 NBA Playoffs, though it would take a lot of success in the second half to fulfill that goal.
In the updated NBA standings, the Dallas Mavericks are currently the No. 13 team in the Western Conference at 18-30. With two straight wins, the Mavs have moved within three and a half games of the Denver Nuggets (21-16) for the No. 8 seed. Even with four additional teams to pass in the standings, it does show just how close the Mavs are to returning to the postseason. This could cause the front office to keep the roster intact in the weeks leading up to the NBA trade deadline. That mindset could change if the losses pile up in the next three weeks.
In 37 games this season (all starts), Deron Williams is averaging 13.5 points, 7.1 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game. His shooting percentages are decent as well, with 43.2 percent from the field, 35.1 percent from three-point range, and 81.7 percent from the free throw line. Although Williams is only playing 30.1 minutes per game, he is still putting up good averages at this point in his career. This could be a primary reason why the Cavs have taken notice. The numbers would take a hit coming off the bench in Cleveland, but he would have a shot at an NBA title.
Williams is making $9 million this season before becoming a free agent again. He is still receiving money from the Brooklyn Nets, but that is outside of his current contract situation. This could add to the interest level that the Cavs have shown because it means the team wouldn’t be on the hook for a long-term contract. For a point guard who could put up a double-double on any given night, it is also an extremely affordable deal for the rest of the 2016-17 NBA season.
The Dallas Mavericks appear to be in no hurry to deal Williams, even though that stance could chance over the next three weeks. He could become a hot commodity if the franchise officially pulls in the sails to try to move up in the 2017 NBA Draft. His value could go up in that timeframe as well, with the Cleveland Cavaliers possibly willing to offer more in a deal. These are definitely NBA trade rumors that fans of both teams should pay attention to, especially if another team decides to enter the situation and offer the Mavs a better package than the Cavs.
[Featured Image by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images]
