The Cleveland Cavaliers added sharpshooter Kyle Korver. (Photo: Derick E. Hingle – USA TODAY Sports)
By Jesus Gomez
Follow @JejeGomez_PtR
We have the first trade of the year. The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired the Atlanta Hawks’ Kyle Korver in exchange for Mike Dunleavy Jr. and a protected 2019 first round pick, according to The Vertical’s Shams Charania.
Now, the news that Korver was on the move was anything but surprising. The Hawks were expected to move the veteran before the trade deadline, as they look to rebuild on the fly. Had he landed anywhere but in Cleveland, the trade would not have been a big deal. Korver is simply not the player he once was, so he would have not moved the needle for most franchises.
The fit with the defending champions is so good, however, that his addition could really have an impact on their chances to repeat and might spur other franchises into action.
It’s hard to overstate how big of an upgrade the Cavaliers have gotten. Cleveland was surely counting on Mike Dunleavy Jr. to be its designated bench shooter; someone who could come in and sink open looks generated by the stars. Unfortunately for them, he disappointed and fell out of the rotation. Fellow veteran wing Richard Jefferson has done a better job of sopping up some minutes, but his shot has abandoned him as well. Neither guy was getting it done as an outside threat. The lack of bench shooting was obvious.
Enter Korver, one of the best marksmen the league has ever seen.
The now former Hawk is one of the few volume shooters who has remained consistently efficient from beyond the arc throughout his career. He’s shot 40 percent or higher on 3-pointers in 10 of his 14 seasons in the league and never below 37 percent. This season he has connected on 41 percent of his outside shots and 44 percent on catch-and-shoot situations. Dunleavy, the man he’s replacing, was shooting 25 percent from outside, while Richard Jefferson is hitting just 30 percent.
As impressive as those numbers are, he could be even better now that he will be able to focus on just spotting up instead of having to constantly come off screens. The Hawks needed him to be on the move in order to keep the offense going, as they didn’t have players who commanded the defense’s attention. That will change now. He should be able to cut down on those shots coming on the move — which is where his decline is more evident — and mostly pull the trigger with his feet set, which should only improve his efficiency.
Cleveland can now trot out four deadly shooters — Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith, Korver and Kevin Love — around LeBron James. That type of set-up has traditionally been almost impossible to stop. A simple pick and roll becomes deadly when opponents can’t help off anyone on the floor. That positive impact on offense should outweigh any concerns about Korver’s defense and rebounding.
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As far as small additions go, it’s hard to find anything to dislike about this one. Except for the chain reaction if might create, of course.
The trade that sent Korver out is looking more and more like the first domino to fall. There have been reports that Atlanta is actively trying to move other players. The fire sale is on. There have been rumors about Thabo Sefolosha, a heady defender who can hit an open shot, also being on the market. Considering the low price the Cavaliers had to pay for Korver, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him gone soon and likely landing on a contender.
And then there’s the truly big piece that could actually change the playoff picture in the east: Paul Millsap.
The Hawks are clearly giving up on this group. There’s really no reason to hold on to him if the Hawks are hoping to get younger. Millsap is 31 years old and is going to become a free agent at the end of the season. With the Hawks trading Jeff Teague and losing Al Horford in the offseason and now moving Korver, the core that Millsap was a part of is gone. He’s a virtual lock to leave next summer, so trying to get something in return now makes a lot of sense.
That raises the question: How will the rest of the league respond if the Hawks indeed blow it up and move their best player? Will other front offices follow their lead and move their veterans for assets in an effort to tank? If the arms race heats up and raises the value of stars, teams will be motivated to sell. If, say, the Raptors land Millsap, will the Celtics make a Godfather offer for Jimmy Butler in an effort to keep up? Will that motivate the Cavaliers to use their other assets to make another addition? Atlanta could really change the shape of the Eastern conference.
For now, that’s all speculation. The Cavaliers. meanwhile, have something tangible: a player that fits their roster well with a skillset they were missing. At this point, they are an even bigger favorite to reach the finals and now have more firepower to go shot-for-shot with the Warriors, if they meet there.
There’s a clear sense, however, that the dealing has only just begun. Bigger names than Kyle Korver could be on the move now that the floodgates are open. It’s hard to imagine a move that could actually change the balance of power in the league, but stranger things have happened.
Trade season has come early this year, and it could be a doozy. The NBA has never been more entertaining.
Follow @JejeGomez_PtR
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