Cleveland Cavaliers RUMORS: Dion Waiters Trade Offered By Cavs In Effort To Acquire Big Man – Timofey Mozgov Or Kosta Koufos?

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dion Waiters reportedly is on the trade block. The Cavaliers are willing to trade Waiters for a rim protector, such as Denver Nuggets center Timofey Mozgov or Memphis Grizzlies center Kosta Koufos, ESPN's Marc Stein reported.

Waiters name is again making the rounds ahead of this year's trade deadline, according to Stein.

"Sources say that the Cavs are well aware landing a quality big man likely depends on selling on potential trade partners to take back polarizing shooting guard Dion Waiters. Cleveland rates Waiters' talent highly, but sources maintain that the Cavs have let a number of teams know they are prepared to surrender him if they can acquire a difference-making center in return," Stein wrote Sunday night. "And Koufos, regarded as one of the league's more underrated interior defenders thanks to the limited minutes he gets behind Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, would certainly qualify. How willing the Grizzlies are to part with Koufos, meanwhile, remains to be seen."

Cleveland also has two first-round picks next year to sweeten the pot, and a $5.4 million trade exception to help facilitate any trade. As Stein pointed out, it's uncertain what - if anything - Memphis would want for Koufos. As for Mozgov, Denver would almost certainly demand a first-rounder in addition to Waiters - Mozgov has upside, and he has a team-friendly contract.

As for Waiters, the team could do without him. He's a No. 4 scoring option at best, and he's not a lockdown defender, which makes him expendable on a team that desperately needs better defense.

Cavaliers forward Tristan Thompson has also been mentioned in the past as being shopped, but that seems unlikely to happen now. Since the arrival of LeBron James, whose agent also represents Thompson, the rumors have quieted down; Thompson's solid production off the bench also helps to keep him safe.

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Cleveland cavaliers rumors, Nba trade rumors, Dion waiters trade, Timofey mozgov cavaliers
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