After firing Tyronn Lue as head coach, rumors and speculations continue to swirl that the Cleveland Cavaliers are planning to move some of their veterans next. One of the NBA players who is expected to be traded before the February NBA trade deadline is Kyle Korver.
According to Joe Vardon of the Athletic , Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman had a “handshake deal” with Kyle Korver when he signed a new contract with the team in 2017. If LeBron James would opt out of his contract and leave after the 2017-18 NBA season, Altman promised to trade Korver — or to buy out his contract. Unfortunately, when James left and signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Cavaliers refused to move Korver, saying that they still wanted him to play and to help the team win.
However, after a 1-8 start, the Cavaliers may think that it’s time for them to take a different route. They may finally decide to fulfill their promise with Kyle Korver. Once he becomes available on the trading block, Frank Urbina of HoopsHype believes that the 37-year-old sharpshooter will be a perfect fit with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Despite having the power duo of Russell Westbrook and Paul George, the Thunder only rank 25th in offensive rating (106.4) and dead last in three-point percentage (29.1), per NBA.com . According to Urbina, one way to address those issues is by trading for Kyle Korver.
“One way they could help shore up their point production would be to acquire an elite outside threat – and someone like Korver would be perfect to fill that role. The experienced sharpshooter would be an immediate upgrade over the Terrance Ferguson/Hamidou Diallo/Alex Abrines triumvirate that Oklahoma City has been relying on this season with Andre Roberson still unavailable due to injury, and even when Roberson returns, Korver could still see time playing next to the defensive-minded wing.”
Cavaliers reportedly reneged on promise to move Kyle Korver if LeBron left. ? https://t.co/NdSVLAQ9Zx pic.twitter.com/2OuALI3Z2d
— theScore (@theScore) November 4, 2018
As of now, Oklahoma City is one of the ideal trade destinations for Kyle Korver. At this point in his NBA career, Korver would surely love to be on a team where he has a chance to compete for the NBA championship title. As Urbina noted, playing alongside Russell Westbrook and Paul George will maximize Korver’s potential, and his presence on the floor will make it easier for both superstars to penetrate forward to the basket.
While waiting for Andre Roberson to return from an injury, Korver could serve as the Thunder’s temporary starting shooting guard — and mentor their young players in the process. So far, it remains unknown if the Thunder have any actual interest in acquiring Korver. Expect more rumors to circulate before the February NBA trade deadline.