The Cleveland Cavaliers kicked off the NBA trade deadline with a blockbuster move, sending De’Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis. 

As significant a trade as this was, it shouldn’t be the only or last move Koby Altman and his team make before Thursday’s deadline, and the next move the Cavaliers should make is crystal clear.

After sending Hunter to the West Coast, the Cavaliers' next move should be trading Lonzo Ball. There are a couple of reasons this would make sense.

First, the Ball experiment in Cleveland just hasn’t worked out, and it’s time for the front office to admit that. The 28-year-old is only averaging 4.6 points while shooting 30 percent from the floor and 27.2 percent from behind the arc this year. 

Schroder’s addition to Cleveland’s backcourt gives the team another veteran guard who is having a much better season, leaving Ball really without a role on the roster.

When Darius Garland is healthy, he and Schroder will man the point guard duties, with Craig Porter Jr. and Tyrese Proctor being the backup options. Kenny Atkinson has already played the ladder over Ball in recent weeks. 

Ball’s inclusion on the roster feels redundant with Schroder’s arrival, and Cleveland could use his roster spot for another area they need depth, such as in the forward department.

The next, and probably more significant reason that trading Ball should be Cleveland’s next move simply comes down to financial implications for the team. 

After trading Hunter, the Cavaliers have cleared $50 million in savings and are now only $13.9 million away from being out of the second apron, and inheriting all of the harsh penalties that come with that.

Cleveland would need to make multiple moves to get back into the first apron, but the first and easiest step is trading Ball and the $10 million left on his deal, then trading some of the minimum contracts on the roster, too.

If the Cavaliers can get out of the second apron, it would open plenty of other possibilities for Cleveland to get creative with upgrading the roster, such as aggregating contracts to trade for a player. 

With the way the Cavaliers’ roster is now contracted, and with the financial flexibility a Ball trade could give Cleveland, moving on from the veteran guard should definitely be the next move the Wine and Gold make before Thursday. 

Cavs Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Cavs. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.