Nearly halfway through the season, the Cleveland Cavaliers are the best team in the NBA despite making no trades in over a year. Led by Donovan Mitchell and a starting lineup consisting of potential All-Stars, the Cavaliers are playing historic basketball. Currently, they are 32-4 and have not lost a game in over a month. Furthermore, they own the best offensive and net ratings in the NBA. Their 110.5 defensive rating also ranks as the eighth-best in the league. Despite being an elite team in the league, they could still make a trade ahead of next month’s deadline to ensure their title contention. And according to ESPN’s NBA insiders, there is one particular candidate to monitor–Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson.
“Acquiring Cameron Johnson and Maxwell Lewis from the Nets for Caris LeVert, Georges Niang and draft capital would give the Cavs a coveted two-way player. Johnson is on a reasonable contract for years to come, while LeVert is on an expiring deal. Cleveland has been so good that this isn’t an absolute must move — the Cavs front office is reluctant to disturb the chemistry in that locker room for any marginal deal, sources told ESPN, but Johnson seems like he could fit in anywhere with his game and demeanor.”
NBA Insiders Link Top Trade Candidate to Cleveland Cavaliers
The Brooklyn Nets Are Likely to Trade Cameron Johnson
Entering the season, the Nets had three specific players they were expected to move on from. Those players were Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Dennis Schröder. The Nets have since sent Finney-Smith to the Los Angeles Lakers and Schröder to the Golden State Warriors. This just leaves Johnson, who is in the midst of a breakout season.
Johnson has been linked to multiple teams, with the Sacramento Kings being the one most often mentioned (subscription required).
Specifically, the Kings are known to have had extensive talks with the Brooklyn Nets about small forward Cameron Johnson. There is an internal awareness that the roster needs to be improved, and the Johnson pursuit is just one of many avenues the Kings are known to be exploring.
Furthermore, the Indiana Pacers and Memphis Grizzlies have also reportedly expressed interest in the 28-year-old (subscription required).
League sources say that Indiana is a team to watch in the trade pursuit of Brooklyn’s Cam Johnson. Memphis is another team frequently mentioned as a likely Johnson suitor … although it’s unclear how eager the Grizzlies are to return to the trade table with the Nets in the wake of Brooklyn deciding to swap Dorian Finney-Smith to the Lakers after extensive talks with the Grizz.
The Last Word
Trade or not, the Cavaliers can compete for a title this season. Whether their success is sustainable is something to monitor. This will prove especially true in the playoffs. However, as it stands, there is no reason to believe they will not at least make the conference finals. Even if they stand pat, the Cavaliers are arguably the best team in the league. And if they do make a trade, they may even become title favorites if they are not already there.
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