To recap the trade: Cleveland sent Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji and first-round picks in 2025, 2027 and 2029 to Utah for All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell. Utah and the Cavs also agreed to trade picks in 2026 and 2028, with the highest pick going to Utah. The executive is not affiliated with the Cavs or has a personal agenda. I expected him to have some of the same concerns I have about the deal – the small backcourt, the three first-round picks, weakening the defense. “All this is true,” he said. “But you’re missing the big point.” “What is this?” I asked. He explained that the Cavs are “in a unique situation.” They already have three young players under long-term team control in Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Then you add Mitchell, a career 24-point scorer who is under contract for three more years. Mitchell turns 26 on September 7. “It’s rare to have four talented young players (ages 21 to 26) together,” he said. “It’s not a matter of a year. This is an opportunity to take a big swing to really do something in the East – you have to take it.” Garland and Allen made their first All-Star team last season. Mobley looks like a future All-Star. Mitchell is a 3-time All-Star. The executive emphasized that Mitchell “is young, but further along than some other Cavs players.” Mitchell has played in 39 postseason games, averaging 28.3 points. Mobley, Allen and Garland’s playoff experience is limited to a pair of play-in tournament games last season. Donovan Mitchell averaged 28 points in 39 career playoff games. AP A DIFFERENT LOOK AT THE OFFER The Cavs rated 20th in total offense last season. They especially struggled to score near the end of the year when opposing defenses focused on shutting down point guard Garland. Remember Cleveland’s 107-101 loss to Atlanta in the last play-in game? An exhausted garland tried to bring the offense. He was 9 of 27 from the field for an ugly 21 points. That game was one of the reasons the Cavs front office was looking for another point guard who can score. The executive talked about Mitchell’s ability to “get anywhere on the field to score. I think he and Garland can learn to play together.” I’m told the Cavs have a lot of internal stats that show how productive Garland is “off the ball,” meaning he runs from picks to get open and make shots. He showed it when he was paired with Ricky Rubio last season. They had the best plus/minus ratio of two players last season in the NBA. Rubio re-signed with the Cavs. The veteran guard played two seasons with Mitchell (2017-19) in Utah. So there’s a good chance the guards will develop chemistry quickly. Mitchell averaged 5.1 assists last season so he can pass. Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley can be one of NBA’s best 1-2 defensive combos, John Kuntz, cleveland.com WHAT ABOUT THE DEFENSE? I wasn’t happy about Markkanen being included in the trade. The executive emphasized that the presence of the 7-foot-7 Allen and Mobley “can cover almost anyone at small forward.” He assumed the Cavs would likely play 6-foot-6 Isaac Okoro at small forward. “I don’t think they’ll miss Markkanen as much as you,” he said. “No disrespect to him, it’s just that Allen and Mobley are so unique defensively. It might be like when David Robinson and Tim Duncan played together in San Antonio.” He didn’t mean Allen and Mobley were going to the Hall of Fame like those Spurs stars. But those two 7-footers changed games defensively, just like Allen and Mobley did last season. The executive isn’t the only NBA person who told me Mitchell “could be better defensively.” Mitchell played two seasons in Louisville, averaging 11.7 points and shooting 41 percent. He was known for his defense and athleticism when Utah drafted him No. 13 in 2017. Can the Cavs bring back that old mentality? “With these guys, they should always have at least two good players on the court at the same time,” he said. “This is a big deal. Even when subbing, you should avoid having really bad combinations on the court.” WHAT ABOUT DESIGN OPTIONS? The executive I spoke to is old-school, still somewhat shell-shocked by all the first-round draft picks being traded in the NBA. Before making the Mitchell deal with the Cavs, Utah traded Rudy Gobert to Minnesota for FOUR first round picks! They also added three players, including Minnesota’s top pick in the 2022 draft. The Cavs sent three first-rounders and their 2022 top pick (Agbaji) to Utah along with Sexton and Markkanen. The new theory is that teams can trade more first-rounders, in part because teams are also willing to trade first-round picks – especially non-draft picks. So you can trade your options now and trade more of them later. “The Cavs have at least a 3-year window with these young guys,” the executive said. “Three years is an eternity in the modern NBA.” The Cavs haven’t made the actual playoffs (not the play-in) without LeBron James since 1998. The last time they won a playoff series without James was 1993. “They have an opportunity to do something special,” the executive said. “This is the right time to do it.” RECENT TERRY PLUTO COLUMNS How the Jimmy Garoppolo deal affects the Browns The Cavs are making a bold, exciting trade with some risk What do you think Kevin Stefanski learned last season? – Hi Terry Hey Terry Podcast: Myles Straw, Browns, Guardians Regarding Joel Bitonio’s comments to Deshaun Watson, some Hey Terry Browns About Mike Clevinger and the Story Behind the Big Cleveland/San Diego Trade Who Is Baseball’s Silent Superstar? Cleveland fans know him very well
