Cleveland Cavaliers Must Consider This In Any Possible Trade

The Cleveland Cavaliers have a unique bond on and off the floor.

Oct 28, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) sets the play against the New York Knicks during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images / John Jones-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers continued their league dominance as they went undefeated on their latest West Coast road trip.

This team is proving to be a true championship contender, yet there has still been a fair share of trade rumors and dialogue surrounding them.

Do the Cavaliers have a perfect roster? No.

Could they benefit from another small forward or backup center? Sure.

However, Cleveland's front office must consider one critical factor before making any trade: team chemistry.

Jan 3, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates with Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (1) during the first half against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

This Cavaliers team has a special connection both on and off the floor.

Watch one of the locker room videos after Cleveland's wins. It's clear everyone on this team genuinely enjoys being around one another, and this chemistry is rare in the NBA.

Kenny Atkinson also noted, "They enjoy making fun of each other, which is usually what a good locker room does."

However, this bond goes deeper than creating memorable moments and video clips. It's helping them win games on the floor.

Evan Mobley perfectly described how this connection leads to team success, saying, "Everybody just plays for each other. It's like a brotherhood out there. Everyone knows where each other is going to be at [on the floor]."

If Koby Altman is going to make a significant trade, he must gauge how that deal could affect the locker room and, therefore, the team's play on the floor.

The tricky part is that this cannot be measured through analytics or stats.

Disrupting the chemistry is also something that ESPN's Brian Windhorst is also warning the Cavaliers to consider in any trade. "They have great chemistry ... their comradery is just great. So, you've got to be careful about messing with that," said the NBA insider.

At the end of the day, the NBA is a business and tough decisions will be made. These could involve financial implications or simply how the front office believes a team will perform on the floor.

However, Cleveland's chemistry with another player cannot be overlooked when determining whether a particular player should be included in a trade.