IN the world of dead NBA trade rumours, one that keeps doing the rounds is DeAndre Jordan making his way to Cleveland. Any potential deal would no doubt have to include their most valuable asset, no not LeBron, the Brooklyn first rounder they acquired in the Kyrie Irving/Isaiah Thomas trade. It’s a calculated risk getting rid of the pick in an effort to go all in on winning this year, but maybe it’s one the Cavs should take.

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Why They Should Do It

WE all now DeAndre’s shortcomings. He isn’t going to go out there and drop 30 on any given night and his offensive game can be described as limited. The Cavs don’t need him for his offense though, it’s his defensive prowess that would be a massive help. Right now the league’s leading rebounder has a defensive rating of 105, which is better than any current Cavalier. They are terrible when it comes to blocking shots too, ranking 28th in the league only ahead of the Bulls and Pistons. Jordan is blocking just over one shot a game, but in a team that lacks talent, there’s no doubt his numbers would go up in a Cavaliers uniform.

CLOGGING the lane with Jordan would give the Cavs a defensive stopper that could make life hell for their opponents. Tristan Thompson, who has been mentioned in possible trade packages has struggled to be the great rebounder he has in years past and at 6′ 9″ he is undersized at the position. Ultimately they are trying to build a roster that can combat the Golden State Warriors should they make their way to the NBA Finals for the fourth straight season, and throwing a guy like Jordan into the mix helps them take a massive step towards dethroning Dub Nation.

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Why They Shouldn’t Do It

THE recipe is quite simple from a Cavaliers point of view. If you’re going to go all in on this trade then you must give LA the Brooklyn Nets 2018 first-rounder. Currently, that would be the 9th overall pick in next years draft, a draft that is full of franchise-altering level talent. That potential player could be an integral part of their future, a future that might not feature LeBron James.

WITH his pending free agency looming many, myself included, think that James will leave the team in the offseason. Therefore that young top 10-player they draft would instantly become more important and be a building block for them in life post LeBron. Giving this pick up to acquire Jordan would be a bold move, one that I wouldn’t support unless the front office knew that James wasn’t going anywhere in the off-season.

Verdict

DON’T DO IT! The pros just simply don’t outweigh the cons of this trade. Yes, there’s no denying that DeAndre Jordan would help the Cavs, I mean who wouldn’t want to roll out a lineup of Thomas/Wade/James/Love/Jordan. But this trade can’t become anything more than a rumour for the Cavs given LeBron’s uncertain future. If he was contracted for another year or two, sure, go for it, but it’s just too big a risk.

WE have seen James leave before and since he has fulfilled his promise of bringing a chip to ‘The Land’ he has nothing left to prove in Ohio. Besides, we aren’t certain just how good this new team with Isaiah can be yet. It may not be enough to beat the Warriors, but it should at least give them a shot. Trading away a potential cornerstone of their future isn’t worth it to try and bring them closer to the juggernaut out West.

Peace ✌️

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