Cavs Trade Rumors: Blazers' Josh Hart Drawing 'Strong' Interest from Cleveland

The Cleveland Cavaliers are looking to make some NBA-title-worthy moves ahead of the NBA's Feb. 9 trade deadline, and it appears they are targeting one Portland Trail Blazers veteran.

Cleveland is among the teams "expressing strong trade interest" in Portland's Josh Hart, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

"Hart has joined the likes of Denver's Bones Hyland, New York's Cam Reddish, various veterans in Utah and the LA Clippers' John Wall on the Most Likely To Be Traded list at this deadline," Stein wrote.

The Cavaliers have been in the market for another wing, but Hart's fit in Cleveland would be somewhat interesting.

The 27-year-old is a 6'5" guard who can, at times, play at small forward. Starting him at the wing wouldn't be the best decision as he's undersized and isn't the greatest shooter from deep.

Through 49 games this season, Hart is averaging 9.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 50.6 percent from the floor and 31.1 percent from beyond the arc. He's attempting just 2.1 three-pointers per game this year.

Hart is a great defender and would certainly help the Cavaliers in that department, though Cleveland already has the best defense in the NBA this season with a 109.7 rating. The team needs some help on offense as it currently sits 11th in the league with a 114.4 offensive rating.

If the Cavaliers were to acquire Hart, he'd be given the chance to enter the starting lineup and replace Isaac Okoro alongside Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.

Hart has been in the NBA since the 2017-18 campaign. He was a first-round pick by the Utah Jazz, though he never played a game for the franchise after getting traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Villanova product's best season came in 2021-22, which he split between Portland and the New Orleans Pelicans. He averaged 14.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 54 games while shooting 50.4 percent from the floor and 34.3 percent from deep.

The Cavaliers would be looking for him to replicate that success in Cleveland.