Cavaliers had interest in Markelle Fultz prior to Kyle Korver trade

The asset dump has begun for the Cleveland Cavaliers as they traded Kyle Korver to the Utah Jazz for Alec Burks and two second round picks.

The move was a savvy one for the Cavs, as they turned the 37-year-old veteran into a young expiring contract and helped replenish their supply of picks. It’s unclear what other offers were out there, however seeing Korver wind up in Utah was a bit of a surprise.

The most common destination for Korver that was thrown out there was the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers are paper thin and in desperate need of shooting, which made them a natural destination for Korver.

Keith Pompey of Philly.com reported that the Cavaliers had an interest in trading for Markelle Fultz prior to trading Korver to the Utah Jazz. Pompey cited that teams are concerned that Fultz has a mental block that isn’t being addressed, with the blame being redirected to his shoulder and wrist:

In other words, potential 76ers trade partners don’t want Fultz saying that his right shoulder and wrist are bothering him if he actually has a mental block that’s hindering his shooting

That was the word coming out of Cleveland, as the Cavaliers were interested in taking a chance on the 2017 first overall pick before trading Kyle Korver to the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, sources said

In theory, a resuscitated Fultz would be a compelling fit on the Cavs. The player he was supposed to be was a shooter that excelled as a secondary creator off ball —n ideal fit alongside Ben Simmons and someone that would work next to Collin Sexton.

However, that has not been the player Fultz has been so far in his career. Whether the issues are physical or mental, he simply hasn’t been the guy he was projected to be and his limitations have made him a complex player to make work in a functional offense.

It’s possible that the Sixers may have an interest in Alec Burks, but the market for Fultz is difficult to gauge. The smart money is probably on Fultz not ending up in Cleveland. However crazier things have happened before and he would be the type of flier with upside that the Cavs should try to pursue as they attempt to re-stock their cupboard.