Cleveland Cavaliers Acquire Former No. 2 Overall Pick In This Trade Idea

The Cleveland Cavaliers could match up with an Eastern Conference rival to strike a trade.

Feb 25, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Marvin Bagley III (35) looks to pass after rebounding during the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Cavaliers are apparently at a crossroads with Isaac Okoro. Okoro is a restricted free agent, but has generated very little interest on the open market. He has also apparently rebuffed multiple multi-year offers that the Cavaliers have made.

As a result, Cleveland may ultimately move Okoro in a sign-and-trade deal, a scenario that has been discussed throughout the summer.

According to Sam Amico of Hoops Wire, the Washington Wizards are one of the teams interested in potentially acquiring Okoro.

The Wizards have a player the Cavs may certainly be interested in: forward Marvin Bagley II.

The Cavaliers could trade Okoro for Bagley, who is an expiring contract and would not only give Cleveland with a solid young talent for the 2024-25 campaign, but provide the team with some financial flexibility next offseason.

Bagley fits a clear need for the Cavs: an offensively skilled big man.

The former No. 2 overall pick has not exactly panned out like many had hoped, largely due to injuries that have significantly stunted his growth. Bagley played in just 50 games this past season and has not appeared in 60 contests since his rookie year in 2018-19.

However, he possesses a skillset that the Cavaliers absolutely need and posted some very impressive numbers last season, averaging 11.7 points and 6.2 rebounds over 21.1 minutes per game on 58.6/39.1/76.2 shooting splits.

Now, it should be clarified that Bagley's gaudy-looking three-point percentage came on just 23 long-range attempts. He is a lifetime 29.6 percent three-point shooter on 1.6 tries per game. So, he isn't exactly a reliable floor spacer. But that doesn't mean he can't become one.

Bagley is a very skilled offensive threat, which was the primary reason why he was so highly touted coming out of Duke. Plus, he is just 25 years old and still has room to grow.

And let's be honest: Cleveland is not getting a major haul for Okoro. There is a reason why he remains unsigned so late into the offseason. He has shown very little offensive progression, and his horrific playoff showing this past spring was obviously a turn-off to most teams.

The Cavs will probably have to settle for a Bagley type of return, which is not necessarily the worst thing in the world. The Cavaliers do need more scoring off the bench, after all, and Bagley posted a true-shooting percentage of 62.9 percent last year. Maybe he is improving?

We'll see if the Wizards do, in fact, contact Cleveland about Okoro and if the Cavs are able to find a match with Washington.