What if the Cavs Pull off a Trade for Ben Simmons?

It would appear unlikely that the team is going to have him in their lineup ever again. But, they’re trying. In the off-chance he is traded to the Cavaliers, this would be the fallout.

Cleveland’s Length Would Be #1 in the League

If the Cavs were to acquire Ben Simmons, one or both of their starting guards would have to be included in a deal. And at this point, judging from the start they have gotten off to, it would not be the worst thing. Length has been their big X-factor in the 4-4 beginning, with a trio of seven-footers in their first-five.

It was a bit of a questionable call to start Lauri Markkanen at SF, but one that has surely paid off. The team looks competitive and fantastic. He is now going to miss several games in health & safety protocols, but they’ll find other solutions.

Adding Ben to the trio they have with Lauri, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen would make them very tough to score on. It would probably be Collin Sexton who was dealt and not Darius Garland, allowing them to play the two of them next to each other.

It would be like doing what the Magic did under their old regime in just drafting length.

Dark Horse Threat in the East?

Not too get too far ahead here, but the Cavs are 4-4 to open 2021-22. And it is quite a bit different from their 10-9 start a year ago, which of course took even more games to get to. But, looking this time, they have beaten three playoff teams and another who made it to the play-in.

This is not something anywhere near the norm for Cleveland without LeBron James on the roster. And so, adding Simmons to the lineup would make them more formidable, even. With their ability to guard all five positions on the other side of the ball, it gives them a tough reputation.

CLE is already doing something so unconventional with their lineup choices and personnel groupings, and it would be like that, but more with Ben. Might it even make them a team to fear? They would have the length to make life difficult for practically every player.

Cementing the Core

The Cavaliers starting lineup, at full strength, features five guys 24 years of age or younger. The projected lineup had 23-year-old Jarrett Allen as the oldest. With all of that youth, they are building towards the future, which will be here before they know it.

Adding in Simmons gives them a defensive identity, and makes length a priority. John Hammond did that for the Bucks and then the Magic as a GM. It would be fantastic for the Cavs if they had that.

Acquiring Ben is a total longshot, but the viewpoint looks better now if they did than before the season.