Kyle Korver Trade Gives the Cavs Much Needed Depth

Somewhere in the depths of suburban Ohio, David Griffin will be sleeping a little bit easier tonight. This is of course due in no small part to his signing of Kyle Korver today.

Griffin is no stranger to big signings. Two season ago Griffin traded for Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith, and Timofey Mozgov in the offseason. After signing Lebron, Griffin traded Andrew Wiggins to the Timberwolves for Kevin Love. Last season, Griffin acquired Channing Frye.

The litany of moves made by the GM over the past few years have transformed the Cavaliers into the dominant force they are today. His latest acquisition of Kyle Korver, for what is reportedly Mike Dunleavy and a first round pick, could make them the outright favorite to repeat for the NBA Championship.

Kyle Korver should have many open looks in his new offense. (Photo: Zimbio.com)

Korver has been one of the best three point shooters in the league since he was drafted in 2003. He’s hit 41% of his looks this year from beyond the arc. More importantly to the Cavaliers, he’s hit 48% of his looks when he’s open. When it comes to playmaking, the Cavs have a once-in-a-generation talent in Lebron James. Needless to say, Korver is going to get his looks this year.

In the bigger picture, this solidifies Cleveland’s chances of representing the Eastern Conference in the NBA Championship. The Raptors pose a threat, especially if they can obtain Paul Millsap by the deadline. The Celtics also pose a threat if they can strengthen their team with a deadline trade. Ultimately though, the Cavaliers should ride their star power and depth to an Eastern Conference Finals victory and a third straight Finals appearance.

The most likely scenario remains a rematch with the Warriors. Ever since the signing of Kevin Durant, the Warriors have been the heavy favorites to take the championship. The Warriors’ biggest weakness however, continues to be a strength for Cleveland. Simply, their lack of depth.

Despite what is most likely the strongest starting lineup in basketball, the Warriors bench is the weakest of any contender. Andre Iguodola has struggled compared to last year, and they have minimal depth in the frontcourt.

The Korver trade strengthens the Cavaliers bench and makes them even deeper than they were before. Mike Dunleavy was barely playable for the Cavs, and Korver can immediately bring a scoring presence to this lineup.

The Cavaliers already had Channing Frye, Kyrie Irving, J.R Smith and Kevin Love raining threes. On top of that, Lebron is having one of his best seasons from beyond the arc at 37%. The addition of Korver makes them one of the deadliest teams from long range in the entire league.

This trade makes the potential Warriors-Cavs rematch even more interesting as the amount of offensive firepower continues to grow between the two teams. The deal should boost the Cavs odds of taking the title, all with another deal on the horizon. The Cavs are reportedly in the market for a backup point guard, which could give them an edge on the Warriors. Either way, this will hopefully kick off one of the more eventful trade deadlines in recent years.

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