Potential Free Agent/Trade/Sign Tracker, '25-'26 Season

[Kingster]

Cleveland needs defense so they trade for DDR and Schroder? Garland is very meh regardless. The whole thing is very unexciting and bland to me.

 

[hrdboild]

Cleveland needs defense so they trade for DDR and Schroder? Garland is very meh regardless. The whole thing is very unexciting and bland to me.

They were 8th in Defensive Rating and 1st in Offensive Rating during the regular season last year but lost their Semifinal series to Indiana 4 games to 1 and are already trending down this year. I don't think defense is going to be their top priority -- they just have too much committed in salary to players (Mitchell/Garland and Mobley/Allen) who have overlapping skillsets and positional redundancy. Also they were 2nd in 3pt% last season and right now they're 21st with DeAndre Hunter having the biggest individual drop off (42.6% to 31.1%).

Most likely that front office is just going to be looking to shake things up with the biggest star they can get in return for their redundant pieces. Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson have distinguished themselves as a solid supporting cast in the back court. The Lonzo Ball reclamation project hasn't worked out for them yet. Mostly I think they're looking for a talent upgrade at either SG/SF or PF/C who will make up a big 3 with Mobley and Mitchell.

 

[Kingster]

They were 8th in Defensive Rating and 1st in Offensive Rating during the regular season last year but lost their Semifinal series to Indiana 4 games to 1 and are already trending down this year. I don't think defense is going to be their top priority -- they just have too much committed in salary to players (Mitchell/Garland and Mobley/Allen) who have overlapping skillsets and positional redundancy. Also they were 2nd in 3pt% last season and right now they're 21st with DeAndre Hunter having the biggest individual drop off (42.6% to 31.1%).

Most likely that front office is just going to be looking to shake things up with the biggest star they can get in return for their redundant pieces. Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson have distinguished themselves as a solid supporting cast in the back court. The Lonzo Ball reclamation project hasn't worked out for them yet. Mostly I think they're looking for a talent upgrade at either SG/SF or PF/C who will make up a big 3 with Mobley and Mitchell.

Apparently, they don't have depth in the defense area. Mobley goes out and their team craters defensively. Everytime I look at Garland I don't see the impact on the game that I want to see from good players.