Cup of Cavs: Cleveland Cavaliers news and links for Saturday, February 5

Going to do these on the weekend now! Cool? Cool.

The first sip

So, NBA trade season perhaps kicked off yesterday with a deal between the Trail Blazers and the Clippers. In what was a salary dump of some kind for Portland, Los Angeles was able to nab Norm Powell and Robert Covington for an ok prospect in Keon Johnson and a second-round pick.

Here’s why this maybe — and I stress the word MAYBE — for the Cavs. The likeliest package Cleveland will offer at the upcoming trade deadline is Ricky Rubio and his expiring contract plus picks for whatever they can get. If all it took the Clippers to get Powell (who is going to fit really nicely with them when they get Kawhi Leonard and Paul George back) and maybe Covington if they bring him back is a second round pick, maybe that lowers the price for Cleveland’s possible targets — Caris LeVert, Buddy Hield. Gary Harris.

What Cleveland is really offering is salary relief and some picks, as a treat. Maybe they can still keep their first here if th Powell deal is any indication.

Read this

Dan Devine on the Clippers-Blazers trade and looking at the bigger picture

Links of the day

A James Harden-Ben Simmons trade at the deadline? Maybe possible.

ICYMI, Mobley and Okoro will be teammates on All-Star weekend

The salary cap next year will be slightly higher than estimated

WNBA free agency grades!