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With the Cleveland Cavaliers starting off the season in just brutal fashion (an ugly 4-10) and the Sixers being the Sixers, the two teams were bound to be associated in trade rumors together. This one comes from everybody's favorite Mempis Broussard -- after an altercation between Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson, it looks like the Cavs are actively trying to move the 2nd year guard out of Syracuse.
We've also heard in the past week or two that the Sixers have been taking a closer look at the Cavs in preparation for a possible trade. With Evan Turner riding counting stats to a breakout season of 22-7-3.5 on decent percentages, it seems like a matter of time before Sam Hinkie capitalizes and moves him for good value. He is a restricted free agent this offseason and smart money is on some other team offering him money that the Sixers would be unwilling to match.
Other names on the Cavs list include Iman Shumpert of the Knicks and Luol Deng of the broken Bulls. I actually think Turner makes the least sense for Cleveland out of those three. Shump has another year on the cheap and wouldn't take the ball away from Kyrie Irving as much. Deng is also great off the ball, and he's got a fat expiring contract that Cleveland would just love to have free going into the offseason.
But let's say Evan Turner was a priority for Cleveland (and the interest is rumored to be there). What would a trade look like? Well, I don't think Dion Waiters is very good. He also doesn't seem like a great dude, calling out Kyrie when it's been proven that Kyrie is on a Jrue-level of cuteness and that ain't right. Dude doesn't play much defense, takes too many bad shots, and... I really don't like much about his game and I don't think he fits here. I don't care that he's from Philly. He did play with Michael Carter-Williams for a year though, so... yay?
I would trade Turner for Waiters and a lotto-protected pick, but the odds of Cleveland doing that are very slim. Would certainly take Sergey Karasev or Anthony Bennett off their hands. Tristan Thompson will not be moved. Not really interested in Tyler Zeller.
If I had to guess, it becomes a straight up Waiters-for-Shump trade. Let's just give Hinkie room to work his magic. Trust.
