Cleveland Cavaliers Should Pursue Controversial Trade

The Cleveland Cavaliers should pursue this rather controversial trade before the NBA deadline.

Dec 23, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Toronto Raptors forward Kelly Olynyk (41) warms up before a game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers don't appear to need a whole lot of help, as they boast the NBA's best record well over two months into the season.

However, some improvement never hurt anyone, and there is absolutely an area in which the Cavaliers could stand to get better: big man depth.

Cleveland does not have a whole lot of options behind Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley up front, which means that the Cavs should be in the market for another center before the NBA trade deadline.

And you know what? A perfect—yet controversial—option should be available: Toronto Raptors sharpshooter Kelly Olynyk.

Yes, Olynyk was public enemy No. 1 in Cleveland for a while after his incident with Kevin Love during the 2015 playoffs, but that was literally a decade ago.

The Cavaliers should simply be aiming to do whatever they can to win a championship, and there is no question that Olynyk would help them in that regard.

The 33-year-old has been limited to just 12 games this season due to a back injury that kept him sidelined early on, but since returning, he is averaging 7.2 points and 4.1 rebounds over 15.7 minutes a night on 46.0/47.8/85.0 shooting splits.

Olynyk is a very underrated player who spaces the floor well and takes good shots. He lays claim to a lifetime true-shooting percentage of 60.1 percent, and he is a career 37 percent three-point shooter.

Not only that, but Olynyk is an underrated defender, as he positions himself well and actually has the ability to switch on to smaller players out on the perimeter.

It probably wouldn't take a whole lot to pry the Gonzaga product away from the Raptors, seeing as how Toronto is in clear rebuilding mode.

Cavs fans may not like it at first, but there is no doubt that Olynyk would represent a terrific pickup for a Cavaliers squad in need of some frontcourt assistance.