NOTE This trade assumes the Cavs keep their 2024 1st and use it to draft Bronny James, therefore signing LeBron to the MLE. Also I forgot to include the three picks NO is sending to the Nets as compensation for the trade. NO should be sending Brooklyn a 2024, 2025 and 2026 1st.

This is an updated version of my last trade (see that trade here: https://fanspo.com/nba/s/cavaliers/trades/gwLtmFau5GHhSp/cavs-pels-nets-3-team-deal), where the Cavs, Nets and Pels make a three team deal to move assets around in order to make all three teams better (the Nets get better by adding two young pieces and three 1st round draft picks).

In this scenario, the Cavs already know LeBron will sign with them if they draft Bronny, so they use their 2024 1st in order to make that happen. The biggest difference between this trade and my other proposal is the inclusion of Larry Jr. and Max Strus. The Cavs are getting Larry Jr. to come off the bench and the Pels are getting Strus to either: A) start at SG (where the Pels trade away CJ and picks for another player or roster depth) or B) come off the bench and give the Pels valuable minutes as their 6th man. In either case, trading away Nance is more than worth adding Strus.

For Cleveland, they’re moving Strus for 2 reasons. 1) To open up the staring 5 for LeBron (Mitchell, Bridges, BI, Bron, Mobley). 2) To open up cap space to resign both BI and Mobley. The team likely doesn’t want BI on a one year rental.

Overall, I feel like all the teams involved would prefer this option. NO is getting more value for BI and Trey (receiving DG, Allen and Strus) and Cleveland is getting arguably the best team in the East (stacked with Mitchell, Bridges, BI, LeBron and Mobley with bench help from Porter Jr. Okoro, LeVert, Niang, Wade and Nance Jr (not to mention Emoni Bates)). If LeBron were to return to Cleveland for one final run, my guess is K. Love would resign for the Vets Min as well. Cleveland would have the deepest roster in the NBA.

What do you all think? Am I a crazy Cavs fan or does this all make sense? Lmk in the comments below and make sure to take a look at some of my other trade scenarios. I think I do a decent job of keeping things realistic here.