Like the Chicago Bulls, the Cleveland Cavaliers don’t figure to be done making moves. However, the Cavaliers have a narrow focus in their search for trade partners.
Cleveland acquired Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis from Sacramento for De’Andre Hunter on Sunday. Schroder and Ellis will provide depth in the backcourt. Schroder is a veteran combo guard who provides the Cavaliers with an upgrade at backup point guard on the offensive end. He is a good scorer who is at his best when putting pressure on the rim.
Cavaliers Aggressively Pursuing Trades Involving A Pair Of Veterans, Where Could They Land?
Specifically, Schroder does some of his best work when pushing the pace and in pick-and-roll. Schroder is a solid facilitator, though he sometimes has difficulty with particular reads. He is a streaky high-volume 3-point shooter who averages 1.7 threes for his career. While Schroder projects as a good fit with Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell when one of them sits, he doesn’t help address the Cavs’ backcourt defensive issues because he is undersized. Granted, Schroder does compete on that end; bigger guards often target him.
Schroder was essentially a throw-in as the Cavaliers really wanted Ellis. Ellis is one of the top 3-and-D archetypes in the league, though he is having the worst shooting season of his career. He is a point-of-attack menace due to his length and relentlessness. In Addition to being a strong individual defender, he is also a great team defender.
Offensively, Ellis is a connector who can consistently knock down threes off the catch from the corner or wings. Ellis is capable of making quick decisions, though he is not a creator and struggles in traffic. He is an excellent complement to Mitchell and Garland, as he doesn’t need the ball and allows the Cavs to play small by covering their defensive gaps.
Schroder and Ellis are slated to make their debut on Wednesday in Los Angeles against the Clippers. Speaking of Ellis, who becomes extension eligible next week, “will be able to retain him beyond this season with tonight’s trade saving them $70 million against their payroll and luxury tax projection for next season,” NBA Capologist Yozzi Goslan said.
