The Cleveland Cavaliers’ search for another playmaker—and thus a way to quiet LeBron James’ pleas and demands for one—is soldiering on as the NBA nears its Feb. 23 trade deadline. One of their latest treks into the rumor mill included inquiring about the Philadelphia 76ers’ T.J. McConnell.
Not surprisingly, though, the Cavaliers’ overtures were rebuffed, according to Philly.com’s Keith Pompey:
The Cleveland Cavaliers approached the Sixers several weeks ago about acquiring McConnell in a trade, according to several sources. The Sixers declined the offer.
The Cavs wanted to put together a deal that would have brought Jordan McRae back to Philly. The Sixers acquired McRae in the second round of the 2014 draft. The Sixers sent him to Australia to play for Melbourne United during the 2014-15 season. McRae was waived by the Sixers on Oct. 26, 2015.
I mean, duh.
McConnell isn’t this world-beating point guard. He doesn’t shoot threes, and he can be a little turnover-happy. His defense is a wash, which probably makes him a slight upgrade over Kyrie Irving on the less glamorous end, but he’s not going to transform the Cavaliers in any specific way.
Still, McConnell has started the Sixers’ last 14 games and plays well with Joel Embiid. Given what the Cavaliers can offer—scraps mostly—it wouldn’t make sense to deal him. He is under team control through 2018-19, and the Sixers don’t have any point guard solutions behind him. That will only change slightly when rookie Ben Simmons makes his NBA debut.
Even then, the Sixers won’t be exceptionally flush with playmakers. So while McConnell isn’t the untouchable-type, let alone Philly’s point guard of the future, the Cavaliers certainly don’t have the assets to pry away a team’s starting floor general.
