Cavaliers Floated as Trade Spot for Intriguing Bulls Center

Could the Cleveland Cavaliers swing a trade to acquire this Chicago Bulls big man?

Oct 18, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Jalen Smith (7) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images / Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Heading into this past summer, one of the biggest needs for the Cleveland Cavaliers was frontcourt depth. More specifically, they needed a big man who could space the floor.

But could Cleveland explore other options between now and the NBA trade deadline?

Caleb Crowley of King James Gospel has identified a potentially interesting trade target for the Cavs: Chicago Bulls center Jalen Smith.

"For the Cavaliers, Smith is an answer to a long-running question," Crowley wrote. "The Cavs need a real backup center to fill out their frontcourt rotation rather than relying on one-year rentals every offseason. Cleveland has yet to prioritize their center depth, making it their biggest weak point entering the season. At 24 years old, Smith could be the perfect long-term frontcourt reserve."

But here's the thing: the Bulls just signed Smith to a three-year deal in free agency, so they may not exactly be jumping at the chance to move him.

Of course, Chicago doesn't really have a very clear direction at the moment, so if Smith ends up not fitting in the Windy City, the Bulls may have a reason to trade him in February. That's especially considering that he would have solid value.

The 24-year-old is coming off of a 2023-24 campaign with the Indiana Pacers in which he averaged 9.9 points and 5.5 rebounds over 17.2 minutes a night on 59.2/42.4/69.2 shooting splits.

While Smith's three-point shooting came on low volume (2.4 attempts per game), he has shown that he can spread the floor, which would be a major benefit for the Cavaliers.