NBA Trade Rumors: The Cleveland Cavaliers could look to shop Isaac Okoro this summer to upgrade their roster.
Last summer, the Cleveland Cavaliers made the big splash of acquiring Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz. It paid off with the Cavs finishing as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference standings this season. Even though they lost in the first round of the NBA Playoffs to the New York Knicks, this is a team that is clearly heading in the right direction and one that will be looking to build off their momentum heading into the offseason.
The Cavs will now be tasked with upgrading the roster in a way that could help this team take another step forward in their progression. They are not that far off from the top teams in the East and having a strong young, talented core gives them a leg up heading into the offseason.
And according to a recent report, one way that Cavs could look to improve their roster during the summer involves shopping Isaac Okoro via the trade market. The Cavs don’t have many trade-eligible draft picks after the Mitchell trade and if they’re going to upgrade the roster, it will have to be by trading one of their young players.
Okoro could very well be the one that the Cavs end up parting ways with this offseason.
One step back to take two steps forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers
Okoro was the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Through his first three seasons in the league, he hasn’t exactly developed as perhaps the Cavs thought he would when they initially drafted him. For one reason or another, it may be in the best interest of Okoro and the Cavs to part ways soon.
Okoro is still just 22 years old and likely still has the best basketball of his career still in front of him. However, there’s an argument to be made that he may never reach that as a member of the Cavs. This past season, Okoro averaged just six points on 49 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent shooting from 3-point range.
What has to be most concerning for Okoro is the diminished role that has shrunk for him in each of the last two seasons in Cleveland. During his third season, Okoro averaged a career-low 22 minutes per game for the Cavs.
And the Cavs could probably get a quality veteran contributor for Okoro on the open market. He’s still a quality young player that some team out there would be willing to take a flier on. It may not be ideal for the Cavs to give up on Okoro this early but if they want to improve the roster, it may be a necessary move for the team this offseason.