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The Woj has spoken.
The Cavaliers are attempting to move up to 13th overall via a trade with Dallas in order to secure Sergey Karasev of Russia, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
This is not in any way a surprise if you've been following the situation. It's been pretty common knowledge throughout the draft process that the Cavaliers are enamored with Karasev and want him in a Cleveland uniform next season. It's not a real surprise either that the Cavs probably will have to move up to get him, as Karasev has also been linked to the Hawks as well as the Bucks. The Cavaliers have been linked with the Mavericks as trade partners for a couple of weeks now, so this deal has been speculated upon endlessly. The Timberwolves lurk above the Cavs and Mavericks as another team that likes him at ninth overall, but I think that would be certainly be a shocker if they were to steal him early.
I'm not particularly a fan of moving up to get Karasev because there are quite a few shooters in this class that they can pick up later. But if they're basically moving up for free to get the guy they covet, plus receiving another legitimate asset for next season, you won't ever hear a complaint from me.
So where the new surprise comes in is that apparently the Cavaliers may be able acquire Shawn Marion and the 13th overall by only giving up their two early second-rounders, if you want to believe Ohio's favorite reporter Sam Amico.
The Cavs supposedly are offering their No. 19 pick for Robinson. They believe a draft-night deal consisting of their two second-rounders (Nos. 31 and 33) will be enough for them to land forward Shawn Marion and the 13th pick from Dallas, sources said.
If the Cavaliers are able to acquire the 13th overall (presumptively Karasev), Shawn Marion, Thomas Robinson, and one of Nerlens Noel or Alex Len on draft night tomorrow, that is pretty much the absolute home-run scenario. It gives them their project big man, their shooter, plus two guys that can probably help next year at the two forward positions.
If that happens, Chris Grant is a wizard. However, there's no way that Mark Cuban wants to get rid of the 13th pick for only two second rounders, right? The Mavericks won't become THAT tied to the outcome of free agency in two weeks, right? Normally when things seem too good to be true, they are. I'm guessing this is one of those scenarios.