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With the Cavaliers floundering, it appears that a roster shakeup could be in the works.
After barely beating the Orlando Magic on Thursday night after having lost eight of their last 10 games, Koby Altman appears to be working the phones and he’s got two targets in mind.
Sources: In effort to bolster backcourt, Cleveland emerges as interested suitor for Sacramento's George Hill. Story: https://t.co/weWWGfM43d
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 19, 2018
The Cavaliers are pursuing separate deala for DeAndre Jordan and George Hill in advance of the Feb. 8 trade deadline, according to league sources
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 20, 2018
Well then. Let’s tackle these one at a time, shall we? We’ll go in chronological order, starting with Hill.
Hill signed a three-year, $57 million dollar deal with the Kings to shepherd their rookie point guard De’Aaron Fox, with the third and final year only guaranteed for $1 million. Hill is putting up some of the worst numbers of his career, averaging only 10.5 points, 2.7 assists and 3.0 rebounds. He is shooting 45 percent from three, something the Cavaliers suddenly could use much more of.
He’s also big for a point guard, and is a stout defender, though at 31, he’s slipping on that end of the ball. If I were the Cavaliers, I wouldn’t give up much beyond matching salary for Hill. His contract is an albatross even without that third year guaranteed, and the Kings shouldn’t expect much back for him.
Jordan is a more interesting case. He’s on an expiring deal, and is set to turn 30 this summer. He’s still a devastating weapon on the boards, pulling in an astounding 14.9 rebounds per game. He also is a strong finisher around the basket, shooting 66 percent from the field this season, and would benefit from playing with a passer like LeBron James.
He’s also blocking less shots than ever (1.0 per game), and may not be the premier defender he once was. He also could walk after a half-season, or command an insane salary.
Basically, the Brooklyn pick should be off the table, even to go chase Lou Williams alongside Jordan.
The Cavaliers have allso registered trade interest in the Clippers’ Lou Williams, according to league sources, with Cleveland vets such as Tristan Thompson and J.R. Smith featuring in various trade proposals.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 20, 2018
Williams is having a career year. He is also on an expiring contract, and it doesn’t seem wise to put such an important asset up for rentals.
The Cavs can offer their own 2018 first, and appear willing to trade with core pieces of the rotation to get a Jordan deal done. That simply may not be enough.
As a result, a Jordan deal feels like a long shot. We’ll have to wait to see how the process plays out.
Welcome to deadline season.