With the 2023 NBA trade deadline approaching, the Cleveland Cavaliers have already been linked to a number of a players. A new report indicates that Doug McDermott, Luke Kennard and Alec Burks are new names to watch for Cleveland.
Sam Amico of Hoops Wire offered some insight on the matter.
“The latest from Chis Fedor of Cleveland.com suggests that the Cavs have an interest in [Dallas] Mavericks guard/forward Tim Hardaway Jr., known mostly for his outside shooting and offering a steady hand alongside star Luka Doncic,” wrote Amico.
“Hoops Wire sources have confirmed that interest, as well as their interest in [Detroit] Pistons small forward Bojan Bogdanovic. Other names to keep an eye on, Hoops Wire has learned — [San Antonio] Spurs forward Doug McDermott, [Los Angeles] Clippers shooting guard Luke Kennard and Pistons guard/forward Alec Burks. They have also been linked to [Charlotte] Hornets guard/forward Kelly Oubre Jr., via Marc Stein of The Stein Line.”
It’s clear that the Cavs are exploring lots of different options on the trade market. The team could certainly use some help on the wing, and it seems like there’s a good chance that area will be addressed before the Feb. 9 trade deadline comes and goes.
When it comes to McDermott, Kennard and Burks, all three players certainly have what it takes to help the Cavs. Here’s a closer look at each of them.
Doug McDermott
McDermott is a great spacer. For his career, he’s a 41.0 percent 3-point shooter, and this season, he’s hitting 41.6 percent of his shots from deep.
The veteran is averaging 10.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game this season for a Spurs team that likely isn’t going to the postseason. He’s under contract through the 2023-24 campaign.
McDermott has a fair amount of playoff experience under his belt (15 games).
Luke Kennard
Kennard is another outstanding spacer, and from a shooting standpoint, he’s in the midst of his best NBA season.
The 26-year-old is shooting a whopping 46.2 percent from deep this season. Since the start of the 2020-21 campaign, he has maintained a 3-point shooting percentage of 45.0 while taking 4.7 shots per game from deep.
Kennard is averaging 8.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game this season. He’s under contract for this season, next season and has a club option for the 2024-25 campaign.
Alec Burks
There’s a theme here, as Burks fits the trend of being an extremely valuable spacer. The former lottery pick is shooting 44.7 percent from deep this season, an accomplishment that really speaks to his growth as a shooter.
Burks shot 36.4 percent from beyond the arc over his first nine NBA seasons. In recent years, he has completely flipped a switch and is shooting 41.5 percent from deep since the start of the 2020-21 campaign.
The 31-year-old is averaging 14.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game this season. He’s under contract for the remainder of the 2022-23 campaign and has a club option for the 2023-24 season.
