Cavs Receive: F Cam Johnson, G Austin Reaves, F Rui Hachimura
Cavs Lose: PG Darius Garland, G/F Caris LeVert
Even though the Cavs are giving up the best player in this trade, Cleveland gets a big boost in size, shooting and financial flexibility moving forward.
Donovan Mitchell proved he can play the point guard position full-time when Garland was hurt last season, and the Cavs had a better net rating with the five-time All-Star at floor general (plus-7.9, per Cleaning the Glass) than when Garland and Mitchell played together (plus-5.7).
Reaves helps make up for the loss of playmaking with Garland and LeVert now leaving, as the 26-year-old averaged a career-high 5.5 assists to go along with his 15.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. At 6’5″, Reaves gives the Cavs a much bigger starting backcourt, or he could serve as a sixth man who can score and set the table for others.
Johnson, 28, can play either forward position with his 6’8″ frame and is an elite floor-spacing option. In 47 games as a starter with Brooklyn last season he averaged 14.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and shot 41.2 percent from three, including a 46.2 percent mark from the corners. He’d potentially give the Cavs a huge frontcourt along with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen or could slide down to power forward in one-big lineups as well.
Hachimura, 26, is another big wing (6’8″, 230 pounds) who can shoot, defend and is a potential starting option for a new-look Cavs lineup. He was terrific for the Lakers in 39 starts, putting up 15.4 points and 4.8 rebounds on 57.5 percent shooting overall and 43.9 percent from three.
All three players are under multiyear contracts that range from $12.9 million (Reaves) to $23.6 million (Johnson) and are in or about to enter their primes.
Cleveland would come away with a starting five of Mitchell, Max Strus, Johnson, Mobley and Allen with Reaves, Hachimura, Isaac Okoro (restricted free agent), Dean Wade, Georges Niang, Sam Merrill, Craig Porter Jr., Ty Jerome and Jaylon Tyson off the bench.
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