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The Cleveland Cavaliers have held internal discussions of pursuing a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers for LaMarcus Aldridge, according to sources.

The Cavaliers have enough assets in the form of young players and picks to acquire a player of Aldridge's caliber, but the front office is said to value Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters higher than the rest of the NBA.

Via Adrian Wojnarowski/Yahoo! Sports

If Cavaliers do this, this will be a big time move for them.

This is all good only if they dont get rid of waiters or thompson

Question is, why would Portland trade him?

It just doesn't seem like Cavs have enough to pursue trade talks for Aldridge for now. Maybe they can pull off a draft they trade if they could get someone who Blazers would be interested to acquire.

Cavs want Greg Oden also. Maybe Roy will demand a trade to Cleveland as well.

So are 29 other teams. What's the point of this article?

If the Cavs win the lottery, or at the very least get the #2 pick, they'll have a real chance. This would be a tricky offer. From what I read, Portland is trying to get a center. I doubt they would do that and then turn around and trade their star PF.
Thompson and Waiters both are meh. Doubt either would entice the Blazers.
However, if the Cavs can swing him, then they are immediately a playoff team. It would also give Lebron more reasons to want to return.

I think for the Blazers to be interested, the discussion would have to start with Irving. Even if the Blazers don't need him, he is the only player on the Cleveland team that is nearly on par with the talent of Aldridge, not the poo poo platter of questionable draft picks that Cleveland is floating in Thompson and Waiters.

10acious wrote:I think for the Blazers to be interested, the discussion would have to start with Irving. Even if the Blazers don't need him, he is the only player on the Cleveland team that is nearly on par with the talent of Aldridge, not the poo poo platter of questionable draft picks that Cleveland is floating in Thompson and Waiters.

There's absolutely no chance -- zero -- that LaMarcus Aldridge nets Portland Kyrie Irving. No GM would make the deal. Irving is better and younger than Aldridge; Cleveland would laugh at the mere idea of it. Moreover, the only reason to get Aldridge would be to PAIR him with Irving. That said, Portland may very well not like the pieces that actually WOULD be fair value, so any deal between the two teams is unlikely.

10acious wrote:I think for the Blazers to be interested, the discussion would have to start with Irving. Even if the Blazers don't need him, he is the only player on the Cleveland team that is nearly on par with the talent of Aldridge, not the poo poo platter of questionable draft picks that Cleveland is floating in Thompson and Waiters.

there is no chance in hell you trade a Future SUPERSTAR and current star in Kyrie (only in his 2nd yaer) for a great player in Aldridge. If you want Kyrie you're giving up lillard and even that might not be enough for Cleveland to do.

If you're Cleveland, I would trade anyone & everyone except Kyrie for Aldridge. Pairing those two together would do some major damage in the east for years. Assuming they both avoid the dreaded injury bug.

Waiters, Thompson, future 1st rounders for Aldridge, crappy contracts

The59Sound wrote:That said, Portland may very well not like the pieces that actually WOULD be fair value, so any deal between the two teams is unlikely.

The last part is right since Cleveland wouldn't offer Kyrie and no other combination of their assets would be fair. You'd need a 3rd team for this article to make any sense.

I don't disagree with everyone who saying there is no way Cleveland would include Irving. All I'm saying is that he is the only asset the Blazers would have any interest in --particularly not the marginal crappy Thompson and Waiters and 1st round choices in the upcoming dismal draft class. Cleveland is wasting its time.

What about Kyrie and Verajao for Lillard and Aldridge?

The Cavs have nothing the Blazers want. Kyrie is obviously off the market.

I *bet* they are.

10acious wrote:I think for the Blazers to be interested, the discussion would have to start with Irving.