CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavs’ impressive recent five-game winning streak was snapped not just by the Phoenix Suns, but by a harsh reality that’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore: this roster, as currently constructed, might not be good enough.
With Darius Garland, Craig Porter Jr., and Max Strus all sidelined with injuries, the wine and gold’s lack of ballhandling and secondary creation was brutally exposed in their 126-113 loss to Phoenix — and the front office appears to be taking notice with the February 5 trade deadline rapidly approaching.
“From everything that I’m told, the Cavs continue to be active in trade talks,” revealed Chris Fedor on the latest Wine and Gold Talk podcast. “There are people around the league that have said that they’re ‘open for business’ and they’re among the most active teams when it comes to trade conversations.”
The most glaring issue? What happens when Donovan Mitchell isn’t on the floor.
“They got rocked during those minutes,” Fedor explained. “So I think the Cavs have to ask themselves what can we do? How can we survive the non-Donovan minutes?”
This roster vulnerability has become impossible to ignore, particularly when injuries force players like Lonzo Ball into expanded roles.
Ball, acquired in the offseason, has struggled mightily to provide the secondary creation the Cavaliers desperately need.
“Lonzo Ball has been a negative for this team since the Cavs acquired him this off season from the Chicago Bulls, he has been a negative,” Fedor stated bluntly. “At one point in tonight’s game, he was a minus-24 in 14 minutes.”
The injuries have painfully highlighted that Cleveland’s offseason moves simply haven’t produced the intended results. The front office’s self-assessment appears to acknowledge this reality.
“All the guys that they brought in this offseason, none of them are playing well. Maybe Thomas Bryant is the best offseason pickup that they had, which is a bad thing. Lonzo hasn’t worked. De’Andre, who we traded for at the deadline and we were willing to go into the second apron for, that hasn’t worked. The signing of Larry Nance Jr. Hasn’t worked,” Fedor said, channeling the front office’s internal assessment.
What makes this situation particularly urgent is the sense that the Cavaliers’ championship window won’t stay open indefinitely. With the NBA’s most expensive roster and the Eastern Conference more vulnerable than it’s been in years, there’s pressure to maximize this opportunity.
This isn’t merely a matter of strengthening the roster on the margins. As host Ethan Sands noted, the upcoming games will serve as a crucial evaluation period to determine exactly what Cleveland needs before the deadline.
“I think this next couple of games could show Cavs fans, the Cavs organization, what they need to do at the trade deadline,” Sands predicted. “Because maybe Kenny Atkinson starts with De’Andre Hunter \[as an offensive focal point in the second unit\], and it doesn’t work still. And then he’s like, well you’re forcing my hand, Jaylon Tyson, go do what you’ve been doing. That could be emblematic of what the Cavs need to do at the trade deadline.”
The challenge, of course, is navigating the complex financial landscape of potential trades given Cleveland’s salary cap situation. Fedor acknowledged that despite the motivation to improve, executing a meaningful deal won’t be simple.
“There’s a difference between being motivated to do something and actually being able to pull it off,” he cautioned.
As the Cavaliers embark on a challenging West Coast trip with a depleted roster, every game becomes not just a test of their resilience, but a potential referendum on what moves the front office needs to make before February 8.
For the complete, in-depth analysis of the Cavaliers’ trade deadline strategy and roster needs, don’t miss the full episode of the Wine and Gold Talk podcast, where Fedor and Sands break down all the possibilities as Cleveland looks to strengthen its championship aspirations.
Here’s the podcast for this week: