Cavs reportedly pursuing Western Conference guard in trade talks
It’s no secret that the Cavaliers are looking for help before the NBA trade deadline.
After Thursday night’s narrow win Orlando, the Cavs stand at 27-17, in third place in the Eastern Conference, six games behind Boston.
On Friday, a new name emerged on Cleveland’s hit list.
It’s been an open secret that while Kevin Love has played well at center, the team needs some muscle down low, a defensive stopper, so it made sense to hear talk regarding the Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan.
That is seemingly still a possibility, but it now appears that Sacramento point guard George Hill is the apple of Cleveland’s eyes, according to a report from Yahoo’s Shams Charania.
Sources: In effort to bolster backcourt, Cleveland emerges as interested suitor for Sacramento's George Hill. Story: https://t.co/weWWGfM43d
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 19, 2018
The 31-year-old Hill is in the first season of a three-year, $57 million deal with the Kings, who are tied for the worst record in the NBA.
Sacramento had hopes of at least being in the chase for a playoff spot, but at 13-32, the team is ready to hand over the reins to De’Aaron Fox, the fifth pick in last year’s draft.
In the Kings’ 106-88 loss to Memphis on Friday night, Fox led the team with 16 points and six rebounds while Hill got zero minutes.
Hill helped lead Utah to a surprising playoff run last season, averaging 16.9 points and 4.1 assists. This year, his numbers have dipped to 10.5 and 2.7.
The Cavs, of course, have Isaiah Thomas, who is playing his way back to form after his hip injury.
There are two logical reasons for their interest in a point guard who earns $19 million each of the next two seasons.
First, he’s shooting 45.6 percent from the 3-point line, significantly better than his career average of 38 percent.
Second, the Cavs could certainly pry him away from Sacramento without giving up their top asset, the Nets’ first-round pick this summer, acquired from Boston in the Kyrie Irving trade.
Cleveland could then either try to use the pick to acquire Jordan, or his Clippers teammate Lou Williams, or keep it to try and rebuild if LeBron James leaves this summer as a free agent.
A potential trade that would work salary-wise would be forward Channing Frye and either Iman Schumpert (who has two years left on his contract) or J.R. Smith (who has three).
The trade deadline is early this year, on Feb. 8.
Names will be flying around in rumor mills, but we can be sure that Cleveland will do something to try and jump-start its season.
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