The Cleveland Cavaliers have had an inconsistent start to the season and the team may look at trade deals in the future, as names like Corey Brewer, Timofey Mozgov and Jeff Green are out there and if they pull the trigger for LeBron James support, names like Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson or Anderson Varejao could be moved to help strengthen the roster.
The Cavaliers are 6-7 to start the season and while LeBron said it would take time for the team to come together, he did not expect it to be this tough this early. Some have criticized first year head coach David Blatt for his in game coaching decisions and starting lineups, but James has said that the coach is doing a strong job and that the team needs to play better. The Cavs won big over the Magic on Monday, but now they have a tough testy with the Wizards, who have been off to a strong start this season.
The Cavaliers have been mentioned in trade rumors this season already with Corey Brewer and the Mozgov interests stems back from the summer. According to ESPN.com writer Marc Stein, the Cavs are weighing their options with trade deals, as they are debating whether to add more depth on the wing with Brewer or if they should go in on a defensive big man like Mozgov. Stein wrote over the summer that the Nuggets were not looking to trade Mozgov and if it happened, they would need a solid package from the Cavaliers.
Stein also added that it is much harder this season to find an interior presence on the trade market, which is why the price for Mozgov is higher than Brewer. The Cavaliers also have to battle with the Houston Rockets, as they reportedly are interested in Brewer as well. The Wolves and Cavaliers already pulled off the Kevin Love deal and now they could look at making another move with the team. According to Pro Basketball Talk, the Rockets are also interested in Al Harrington, as they are dealing with injuries to Dwight Howard and Terrence Jones. That may overtake the team looking at Brewer and could open things up for the Cavs.
James is leading the team with 25 points per game and he feels that the minutes between James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving need to be managed better. Dion Waiters was moved from the starting lineup to the bench and he has been shuffled in and out. The former fourth overall pick has plenty of potential, but so far he has not been able to turn it into consistent play for the Cavaliers. The team is still considered one of the favorites in the east, but they have to start playing better overall as a team and on defense.
The Cavs have the chance to finish out the 2014 calendar year strong, as they have a number of winnable games coming up. James and the Cavs have a big road trip with five of the next six games away after playing the Milwaukee Bucks next Tuesday, but they have matchups with the Knicks, Thunder and Hornets down the line and those could be potential victories. The team plays against Miami on Christmas and that sold be an intense matchup after James made his decision to come home.
