Report: Cavaliers Turned Down Chance to Trade Up with Hawks During 2018 Draft

The Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly passed on an opportunity to trade up to No. 3 overall during last month's NBA draft.    

According to Cleveland.com's Joe Vardon, the Cavaliers "were offered on draft night the chance to trade up to No. 3 with the Hawks in a deal that would've sent Kent Bazemore to Cleveland."

The point-guard needy Cavaliers may have been tempted to move up to No. 3 since Luka Doncic and Trae Young were both on the board after the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings selected Deandre Ayton and Marvin Bagley III first and second, respectively. 

However, climbing five spots wouldn't have come cheap.

The Cavaliers' salary-cap sheet is bloated to begin with, and adding Bazemore would have tacked on an $18.1 million salary this season. Plus, Bazemore owns a $19.3 million player option for the 2019-20 campaign. 

Instead of making that fiscally irresponsible move, the Cavs stayed at No. 8 and selected Collin Sexton, who has been stellar to this point in Las Vegas Summer League. 

On Wednesday, Sexton piled up 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting, seven assists and four rebounds as the Cavaliers advanced to the second round of elimination play with a 96-84 win over the Sacramento Kings. 

Sexton and the Cavs will be back in action Saturday against the Houston Rockets.