The NBA trade rumors continue and there is no exception, even the Eastern Conference leader.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are still open to changes and they even fired their coach in a move that, while often predicted, still came as a surprise.
The Cavs had a rude awakening when they were bamboozled by last season's NBA Finals' tormentor, Golden State Warriors at their home floor.
With that realization, the Cavs roster is not at all "set." Thus, they had to look around and according to reports, Jared Dudley is one of their prospects. ESPN Insider has vouched that he is indeed a trade target.
"Dudley's ability to defend both forward positions and space the floor at an elite level make him an ideal Cleveland target," ESPN Insider Bradford Doolittle wrote. "Washington, of course, still needs him, but if the Wizards' season comes unhinged over the next few weeks, perhaps they'll seek to unload Dudley's reasonable but expiring deal."
The Wizards has a rivalry with the Cavs but Dudley is an expiring deal and Washington probably does not have a chance to topple the Cavs this season so they could be amenable to trade with Cleveland, as Today's Fastbreak proposed.
"With Dudley set to be a free agent and the Wizards struggling, they may be willing to trade him in the right deal," TF stated. "The Cavaliers have a trade exception at their disposal that can be used to absorb Dudley's $4.375 million salary, but then they'd have to give up a future draft asset of some kind to make it work. If Washington engages in discussions, Cleveland would have to decide what kind of asset it would be okay giving up and if adding Dudley's salary would be worth it given all the luxury tax penalties."
The Wizards did beat the Cavs' in one of their meetings this season and Dudley played a key role in Washington's small ball strategy. That was probably how he got into the Cavs' radar.