**Do the Cleveland Cavaliers Need to Make a Substantial Trade to Reach the Eastern Conference Finals?**
*An episode recap from the Wine and Gold Talk podcast with Ethan Sands and Chris Fedor*
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In this episode of the Wine and Gold Talk podcast, hosts Ethan Sands and Chris Fedor dive deep into the question on every Cleveland Cavaliers fan’s mind: Does the Cavs roster need a substantial trade to make a run to the Eastern Conference Finals this season?
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### The Core Dilemma: “Will They” vs. “Should They” Make a Trade?
Chris Fedor frames the central question in two parts – whether the Cavaliers **should** make a major trade and whether they **will**. According to Fedor, while he personally feels the team should at least consider making a significant trade, he doubts they actually will. This contrast underscores a core conflict: the front office’s faith in the current roster versus lingering doubts about the team’s playoff readiness.
Fedor expressed concerns about the ability of key players like Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen to perform at the level of contenders such as the Boston Celtics or Denver Nuggets. Yet, the organization believes the team has underperformed relative to its potential and views the eventual return of injured guard Max Strus as a meaningful mid-season “acquisition.”
Moreover, the Cavs don’t seem to see a trade opportunity that would unquestionably improve the team. They highly value their core players Garland and Allen and feel offers from struggling teams like the Sacramento Kings or Washington Wizards wouldn’t bring back enough value to justify dismantling the core.
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### Beyond Basketball Fit: The Human Element and Integration Challenges
The podcast emphasized that trade decisions involve more than on-court fit. The Cavaliers have learned challenging lessons from integrating De’Andre Hunter mid-season, highlighting the difficulty in acclimating new players with limited practice time.
The Cavs’ leadership is wary of disrupting the locker room culture, especially when it involves trading homegrown talents like Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland—players groomed within the organization. Such moves could significantly impact team morale.
This “human element,” alongside the organizational memory of past mid-season chemistry struggles, argues strongly for patience and continuity with the existing group.
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### Hypothetical “Win-Now” Trades Explored
While a major trade seems unlikely, Ethan and Chris explored several hypothetical trades aimed at bolstering the Cavs’ immediate championship chances:
– **Darius Garland for Jrue Holiday (Portland Trail Blazers)**
This trade centers on acquiring Holiday’s defensive prowess and championship experience, prioritizing “playoff-ready” talent over Garland’s youth.
– **Darius Garland for Kyrie Irving (Dallas Mavericks)**
A more sensational hypothetical involves swapping Garland to Dallas and bringing in Kyrie to be Donovan Mitchell’s proven co-star. This would shorten the team’s long-term development runway but could maximize playoff prospects within Mitchell’s contract timeline.
Both scenarios come with pros and cons, reflecting the balancing act between their “win-now” window and long-term potential.
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### Everything Hinges on the “Donovan Mitchell Timeline”
All roster decisions are shadowed by Donovan Mitchell’s contract, which has two years remaining. The franchise’s overriding goal is to convince Mitchell that Cleveland is the place to win a championship.
Any trade or roster move would be evaluated based on whether it increases championship odds within Mitchell’s remaining contract years.
Acquiring veterans like Jrue Holiday or Kyrie Irving tends to shorten the team’s “runway” (the long-term window for contention) provided by younger players like Garland and Evan Mobley. However, these moves could improve the odds of success during the immediate window.
Front office decision-makers must carefully weigh long-term building against the urgent need to field a Finals-caliber team now.
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### On the Podcast: A Detailed Conversation Between Ethan Sands and Chris Fedor
The episode featured a candid discussion where Ethan and Chris addressed a listener’s question about the necessity of a substantial trade to reach the Eastern Conference Finals.
Chris Fedor outlined the broad considerations, including the financial limitations the Cavs face as a “second apron” team, their internal confidence in the roster, and skepticism about whether available trade partners can offer valuable enough assets.
They reflected on offers the Cavs reportedly have turned down for players like DeAndre Hunter and Dean Wade, indicating the organization feels current players offer greater upside, especially with expected progress as players regain full health.
Ethan added that the difficulty the team faced integrating Hunter mid-season reinforces the desire for stability and avoiding potentially disruptive roster moves.
The conversation also explored potential trade partners and realistic returns. For example:
– Sacramento and Washington, both struggling teams, likely can’t provide value commensurate with what the Cavs would give up.
– Minnesota’s roster and contract situations make any large swap complicated.
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### Hypothetical Trade Scenarios Mentioned on the Podcast
Ethan presented several trades run through the trade machine, such as:
– Jarrett Allen to New Orleans Pelicans for Herb Jones and Yves Pons
– DeAndre Hunter to Milwaukee Bucks for Bobby Portis and Andre Jackson
– Darius Garland and DeAndre Hunter to Minnesota Timberwolves for Jaden McDaniels, Nas Reid, and Dante DiVincenzo
– Lonzo Ball to Brooklyn Nets for Dahron Sharpe and Sadiq Bey
– Devin Carter to the Cavs from the Kings for DeAndre Hunter
While these trades could be feasible under the salary cap, their actual basketball impact and fit are uncertain.
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### The Challenge of Playoff Readiness
Chris stressed his key concern: which players on the roster are truly on Donovan Mitchell’s playoff championship timeline? He noted that while Garland and Allen may have potential, their readiness to handle playoff intensity remains in question, especially given Evan Mobley’s slower-than-expected leap this season.
He also underscored that they are unlikely to trade Mitchell or Mobley, leaving Garland, Allen, Hunter, and Wade as possible trade pieces—though none are without complexity.
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### Deep Dive on Trade Hypotheses: Jrue Holiday and Kyrie Irving
Chris mentioned two particularly intriguing trade concepts:
– **Darius Garland for Jrue Holiday:** Though Holiday is 35 and recovering from injury, his championship experience and defensive intensity could provide the Cavs with the veteran presence needed for a deep playoff run.
– **Darius Garland for Kyrie Irving:** This swap aligns with current trends in Dallas and Cleveland. Dallas is pursuing youth alongside Cooper Flagg, making Garland an appealing fit, whereas Kyrie offers Cleveland a proven scorer to pair with Mitchell—albeit with risks like his ACL recovery and shorter timeline.
Ethan added the wrinkle of Anthony Davis possibly moving from Dallas to Atlanta as part of other potential moves impacting Dallas’s roster construction.
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### What’s Next for the Cavs?
Despite the entertaining hypotheticals, both hosts agree the Cavs will likely stay the course this season, focusing on internal growth and health. The franchise has expressed belief in this core’s eventual playoff success.
They anticipate any major roster maneuvers will more likely occur during the offseason, when contracts and player values are clearer, rather than mid-season.
Until then, the Cavs await the return of Max Strus and expect Garland, Mobley, and others to elevate their play as the season progresses.
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### Final Thoughts
The Wine and Gold Talk podcast offers a nuanced look behind the scenes of Cavs decision-making—highlighting the delicate balance between loyalty to the core, financial realities, and an urgent championship window centered on Donovan Mitchell.
While trade rumors swirl, the organization remains patient, emphasizing continuity, culture, and maximizing the current roster’s potential.
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### Listen to the Full Episode
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*This transcript was generated by artificial intelligence and may contain minor errors.*
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**Tags:** Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA Trade Deadline, Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, Jrue Holiday, Kyrie Irving, NBA Playoffs, Wine and Gold Talk Podcast
https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2026/01/transcript-story-headline-here-wine-and-gold-talk-podcast.html
