Cavaliers obtain Lauri Markkanen

   The Cleveland Cavaliers used the sign and trade maneuver to land what I consider to be a mild surprise as the Cavaliers added forward Lauri Markkanen from the Chicago Bulls with Cleveland sending popular veteran big man Larry Nance Jr to Portland and a 2023 second-rounder (previously acquired from Denver) to the Bulls as their portion of the three-way deal that included the Portland Trail Blazers.

Markkannen will receive sixty-seven million over the next four years as part of the new contract that he signed with the Bulls on the condition of trading him to Cleveland.

Markkanen was drafted seventh overall by Minnesota in the 2017 draft after Markkanen played one college season at Arizona but never played for the Timberwolves as he was traded to Chicago as part of a package in a trade for Jimmy Butler.

Markkanen averaged 18.7 points per game in his second season with the Bulls and looked to be developing into a star but his points and minutes on the floor have decreased in each of the last two seasons.

The 24-year-old Finn did improve his shooting last season to career highs in percentage (.480) and from three-point distance (.402) but his points have fallen from 18 two years ago to 14 and then 13 with his rebounding dropping from 9.0 to 6.3 to last season's 5.3.

Larry Nance Jr's loss may be felt more in the locker room and by the fans than on the court and Nance at 28 might be more helpful to a contender as a complementary player than for a rebuilding team like Cleveland.

Nance averaged nine points and six boards last season in thirty-five games due to missing time due to injury but defends the rim well and can extend the floor defensively as well as adding an improved three-point shot last season with a career-high in percentage and attempts.

Now for my take.

I'll miss Larry Nance Jr for his hustle and positive attitude and being a local is always nice to have on your team but even though some fans are screaming "Why not Kevin Love instead", it's easy to say that without considering Love's value (next to none) due to his poor Olympic training camp, his constant injuries and a contract that has proven to be impossible to move.

But at 28 (29 in January) Larry Nance's value is now as he's unlikely to be part of whenever this team makes their next shot at playoff success so I can understand why Nance was moved if disappointed.

Here's the issue- you have just added a seven-footer after drafting Evan Mobley and re-signing Jarrett Allen that gives you very little outside of his shooting.

Markkanen's rebounding has dropped, he's not very good defensively, and it seems that Cleveland either already is thinking about a future without Jarrett Allen or they are considering playing Markkanen at the three, which seems to be ludicrous to even think about.

Add into this conundrum that Kevin Love makes a ton of money, seems to be without a market for a potential trade, through his agent has refused to entertain thoughts of a buyout, doesn't seem to have a path to playing time, and you have what seems to be a real mess in the Cavaliers organization.

I'm not sure that this doesn't come down to a desperate Koby Altman making one last attempt to avoid another awful season that could cost his job at the end of the year.

Considering Markkanen's flaws against the one thing that he does well with the fact that you won't be able to play Markkanen with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen (in my opinion, anyway, they may try it but I don't see how it ends well)  with the fact that they appeared to be bidding against themselves to acquire and what could be an impending disaster with the salary cap soon (check out what could be a thirty win team over the cap at the end of the year with Collin Sexton eligible to be an RFA) to see that this may have not only not solved problems- it may have created more and still didn't address the largest issue- a lack of talent at the wing.

Perhaps Lauri Markkanen will re-establish himself as a coming star and prove to be a bargain for the next four seasons but they are several reasons to think that the Cavaliers may not have improved their team for the price that was paid ( the contract/cap issues more than trading Larry Nance Jr) and that could be bad news for Koby Altman, J.B. Bickerstaff, and a frustrated fan base.