Cavs Have The Flexibility To Go Big-game Hunting At Nba Trade Deadline

CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 26: Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket around center Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first quarter at Rocket Arena on October 26, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers added some much-needed depth when they swapped out De’Andre Hunter for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis in a three-team deal. Possibly more importantly, they freed up cap space for this season and next. They’re now just $13.9 million over the second apron, which puts them a little more than a Lonzo Ball trade away from getting out of it.

The second apron restricts teams from aggregating salaries in a trade. That means the Cavs can’t send out multiple players in a deal unless they’re able to get under the second apron in the process. This made it nearly impossible for the Cavs to enter the trade talks for someone like Giannis Antetokounmpo until now.

The Hunter trade makes that a possibility.

Whether or not the Cavs would want to trade for someone like Antetokounmpo is unknown. What we do know is that the Cavs are very active in trade discussions and could be willing to make a “home run swing.”

The Cavs could now make the following offers to the Milwaukee Bucks — provided that they find a taker for Lonzo Ball’s $10 million contract.

Offer 1

• Cavs trade: Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, 2030 first-round pick swap, ‘31 first-round pick, ‘32 first-round pick swap
• Bucks trade: Antetokounmpo

Offer 2

• Cavs trade: Garland, Allen, Jaylon Tyson, ‘30 first-round pick swap, ‘32 first-round pick swap
• Bucks trade: Antetokounmpo

Offer 3

• Cavs trade: Evan Mobley, Max Strus, ‘30 first-round pick swap, ‘32 first-round pick swap
• Bucks trade: Antetokounmpo

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Whether or not the Cavs or the Bucks would have any interest in that type of deal is unknown.

If I were Milwaukee, I’d prefer the above Cavs options over any of the other underwhelming trade packages that have been theorized, even if Jimmy Haslam wouldn’t want to help one of the two functional Cleveland professional sports teams. I mean, what are you realistically supposed to do with deals centered around Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby or RJ Barrett and Brandon Ingram if you’re the Bucks?

This theoretically also brings other bigger-named players into the trade discussions, but it’s harder to justify a move for a $40 million per year guy if it isn’t someone worth giving up Garland for.

As an example, the Cavs could trade Garland and Strus to the Utah Jazz for Lauri Markkanen, but that would leave a crater-sized hole at point guard, which you’d have to fill in a subsequent trade. The same is true if you wanted to target Domantas Sabonis. A $40 million per-year player doesn’t feasibly work with just Allen and rotation filler, even if Ball is out of the picture.

Similarly, the move also doesn’t make it easier to trade for LeBron James this season. The Cavs would need to give up Garland in a deal like that, given the trade restrictions around moving Schroder or Ellis before the deadline.

That said, the Hunter trade does give the Cavs more room to make deals this offseason. Additionally, certain players that aren’t available to them now with Allen will be more attainable once Allen’s deal switches over to the approximately $30 million value it will be next season.

The Hunter for Ellis and Schroder swap makes sense on its own, but it could also be the opening salvo in what could be a busy trade season. We’ll see if the Cavs make any more major moves before the Feb. 5 deadline.