Last month, it was reported that the Cavs were looking to move Dion Waiters for a “difference-making center“. They didn’t get that center in tonight’s three-team deal involving Waiters, but that doesn’t mean they’ve given up on finding a five that can make an impact. Sources tell Sam Amico of FOX Sports (on Twitter) that the Cavs plan on using the first-round choice from the Thunder as a part of a different trade for a big man.
No deal is imminent, Amico adds, but the Cavs are certainly looking. Cleveland remains interested in Nuggets center Timofey Mozgov and Grizzlies forward/center Kosta Koufos (link). Still, Denver remains reluctant to part with Mozgov, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter).
It’s not clear what it would take for the Cavs to land Koufos, though he hasn’t been a major part of the gameplan in Memphis over the last two seasons. Koufos started 81 games and averaged 22.4 minutes per contest for the Nuggets in 2012/13 and saw that playing time cut to 16.9 MPG in his first season with the Grizzlies. That figure is down to 15.4 minutes per contest this season, though there has been a slight uptick in recent weeks.
The Cavs tried over a period of months to pry Mozgov away from Denver but Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio reported in late December that there wasn’t much in the way of recent talks. It’s possible that the Cavs’ newly-acquired first round choice could help reignite that chatter, however.
Do we have any inclination on what the protection is for the pick heading from OKC to Cleveland?
More Centers will be available at Deadline. Coukd just sign O’Nesl.
Now that the answer to my question has been answered in the trade article (and its pretty much exactly what I was speculating it would be), This should be a pretty nice asset to add to what the Cavs already had. I’d assume it’ll definitely be of help towards landing a big, but then again, I would have guessed that Waiters would have had that ability himself. They did end up getting help defensively that they need at the G spot with Shumpert, so maybe they had deals for a big on the table for Waiters, but elected to go this route to better help fill their needs?
i bet they sign Samuel Dalembert when the knicks waive him from their roster watch and see