Maccabi Tel Aviv forward Deni Avdija, who won the Israeli League’s MVP award this year, should be considered one of the leading candidates to be drafted by the Cavaliers at No. 5 overall, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
As Fedor explains, the Cavaliers have done “extensive work” on Avdija, who fits the team’s culture both on and off the court. General manager Koby Altman, director of scouting Brandon Weems, and assistant GM Mike Gansey all made trips overseas to see him play prior to the season shutting down, while head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has reached out to former players Omri Casspi, Tyler Dorsey and Tarik Black for intel on their Maccabi Tel Aviv teammate, writes Fedor.
It’s possible that Avdija will be gone by the time the Cavs are on the clock — sources tell Fedor that the previous Bulls regime “loved” the Israeli forward and probably would’ve taken him at No. 4, though it’s unclear if the new decision-makers in Chicago are as high on him.
The Cavaliers also like Isaac Okoro and Devin Vassell, so if all three wings are still on the board at No. 5, it won’t be an easy decision, according to Fedor, who adds that forward Obi Toppin is “very much in play” at that spot as well.
Here’s more from Fedor on the Cavs:
- There’s no specific mandate from team owner Dan Gilbert for the Cavs to stay out of the tax going forward, but the team would prefer to do so and that will play a role in roster decisions, according to Fedor. Long-term financial considerations may also dissuade the team from taking on an exorbitant multiyear contract such as Tobias Harris‘ or Al Horford‘s in any trade, Fedor adds.
- Given the money already on the Cavs’ books for 2020/21, the team is unlikely to re-sign Tristan Thompson and use the full mid-level exception this offseason, according to Fedor in a separate story. Cleveland may have to choose one path or the other, per Fedor, who thinks the team should prioritize Thompson.
- One source estimated to Fedor that the odds of Thompson returning are 50-50. “I believe there’s a chance of him re-signing in free agency,” another source close to Thompson told Cleveland.com. “He hasn’t necessarily played his final game there.”
- If Thompson departs and the Cavs do look to use their MLE, Derrick Jones and Pat Connaughton are among the free agents they may target, Fedor writes.
If Bulls pick Advija then Cavs trade down to get Okoro, good body type
Cavs need defense
Can’t trade down unless there is someone that someone else wants to trade up for.
Drummond for Hayward? Boston’s season could end tonight.
They may need a 4 more… Kevin Love.
I like the draftees mentioned but not the FAs. Odd that none are PGs.
Shaq Harrison, Shab Napier, Brad Wanamaker, MCW, affordable free agents, or trade for Troy Brown. FAs Reggie Johnson & Trey Burke are too much like Sexton. Lamelo Ball, other PG prospects have good size/length.
Cavs could take Deni. Be smarter to take Toppin and move Love. Minnesota 17th pick would be a nice start. It’s true that Bulls were scouting Deni. Deni has good upside. Still a little raw. Has good size at SF. And plays both ways. Has toughness even though very young.
I’m not really a believer in Toppin becoming a really good NBA player, and even if the Cavs traded Love, he’ll never be going back to Minnesota.
It’s not his decision, he has a contract
Yeah, but Cleveland would setting a horrible precedent by trading a player who’s contributed so much for their team to an undesirable destination. Nobody would want to play on a team with that sort of front office
*be
Boston would be ideal for Love though, they are so small at the 4&5. Tatum gets nailed by the refs when he gets physical. Not good at it… he gets ugly. And the Cavs could use Hayward as a playmaker even if they take Advija. Deni has a big adjustment to make, getting his game to work in the NBA. So far, still figuring it out in Israel!
No offense to anyone, but is there a destination that is currently more “undesirable” than Cleveland? They have probably the worst combination of young players in the league and the only really good player they have is an aging, overpaid Kevin Love. They are at least 4-5 years away from the playoffs.
“Nobody would want to play on a team with that sort of front office”
So you think no one would want to play for a front office that set out to improve their team in the best way they could find? Trading a player where they want to go when there is a better offer elsewhere is just foolish.
My original reply was just saying that Love won’t end up in Minnesota because I doubt things have fully healed since he got traded a few years ago. All else being similar, the Cavs would probably not send him back there. Maybe if their offer was significantly better, but a) nobody is overpaying to get Kevin Love with his contract and b) the Cavs have enough respect for Love that they’d probably only send him somewhere after talking with him about it.
And yeah, the Cavs are admittedly pretty unappealing right now. You could probably toss them in a hat with the Wizards, Knicks, and Hornets.
I’ll give you the Knicks and especially the Hornets, but I think you are understimating the Wizards. If they were healthy this year, they were easily a playoff team. They have Wall and Beal. which is two more star players than the other three teams combined.
I don’t think it matters so much how appealing a team is, if you get traded there, or if they’re paying the most. The worst things are, no true PG starting to distribute, and the stars are not popular.
What Love makes, makes no diff. Winners get paid. Be a winner. One cannot be much taller or faster.
Avdija is gonna be sooo good!
Should be on the top 3, instead of Edwards.
Feel sorry for Deni if he gets pick by CLE, I mean swapping a beautiful city on the Med for Cleveland/Ohio, ain’t cool, right?
Very cool. Also no tunnels being dug to place bombs.