NBA trade rumors 2016: Cavs willing to make a deal – for the right player

The Cleveland Cavaliers are the third best team in the National Basketball Association (NBA) right now, and the vast majority of basketball pundits believe that they are going to the NBA finals again this year. But if they want to win back-to-back championships, they will have to look for some players to shore up their bench.

The Cavs believe that starting guard J.R. Smith is going to be out for 12–14 weeks after he had surgery on his right thumb, and backup center Chris Andersen also tore his right ACL and will be out for the season. With this in mind, it's clear that the Cavs will have to add more players to their bench unless they want their starters to play major minutes. And according to USA TODAY Sports' Jeff Zillgitt, the Cavs may be willing to make a move â€” for the right player.

"They can make a deal before the trade deadline, and they also have a $9.6 million trade exception to use. Depending on who that player is if they use the trade exception, it would add salary and increase the luxury tax payment. But for the right player, who can help win another championship, the Cavs are willing to make that deal," Zillgitt stated.

Mo Williams may have announced his retirement from the NBA before the season started, but he never filed his retirement paperwork and he is still taking up a roster spot in the team. He's currently recovering from knee surgery and reports suggest the Cavs may waive him soon and add another player.

Furthermore, there are actually reports saying that the Cavs may put Kevin Love on the trading block because of his subpar performance in the 2016 NBA finals. Yes, he didn't play well in that series, but it should be noted that he's playing at an all-star level right now and he is fitting in nicely.