The trade deadline whizzes by the Cleveland Cavaliers (I think)

There is a difference between a 32-16 Cleveland Cavaliers team and the 9-40 Washington Wizards. Ok, maybe at least two. The Cavs are number 2 in the Eastern Conference and the Wizards are on their way to great lottery odds. The Cavs' best player is Donovan Mitchell, whereas the Wizards’ is Kyle Kuzma.But on Wednesday night, I was prepared for the Cavs to come out disappointed and fall to lowly Washington. Cleveland looked uninterested in fighting most of the first half, as Daniel Gafford bullied inside for rebounds and blocks, Corey Kispert made smart plays and outside shots, and Kuzma found out how to turn his Star Power on in Guitar Hero to the tune of 18 first-half points. The score was tied at 57 after the first half, and the Cavs led by one after 3 quarters, but this felt like a letdown game, the final fizzle of the recent hot streak for the Cavs falling to a lowly Wizards team.Then the Cavs remembered they were 32-16 and the Wizards were 9-40 and Cleveland won the game by 8, 114- 106. The defense started scrambling and staying strong instead of allowing open looks and giving Kuzma time and space. Jarrett Allen eventually outplayed Gafford. Mitchell backdoored his way to another 40-point game with some late free throws, slowly creeping his way closer to LeBron’s team record, even though he’s only been here a year and a half. Kuzma finished with 28, but faded down the stretch, missing all three of his fourth-quarter shots. Jordan Poole, who the Golden State Warriors thought was worth a 4-year, $140 million deal a year before dumping him to Washington, scored zero points and was booed by his hometown crowd in the 4th quarter of this one. The Cavs had the depth to hold close leads until the stars closed it out in the end. That is the difference between a winning team and a losing team.All of this to bury the lede and say I don’t think the Cavs make a move at the Thursday NBA trade deadline, and they don’t really need one. Getting as healthy as possible is a more useful outcome for these current Cavs. They have multiple depths in the way the All-Star Game is voted for now: They have quality players in the backcourt, they have quality players in the frontcourt. When you start to break down what specific position everyone plays, you start to think there are holes everywhere. “Oh no, they don’t have a real starting small forward!” What they get there from Max Strus, Caris LeVert, Isaac Okoro, Georges Niang, and Dean Wade is plenty to not need a guy. “This team doesn’t have a backup point guard that isn’t a rookie! Can't have that in the playoffs!” Remember when LeBron would run the offense so much you didn’t really need a backup point guard? The Cavs have a mini version of that with Mitchell, a star scorer who has come into his own running good offense for the Cavs this year. Also, LeVert and Strus can give you some offensive organization/playmaking. “But what about the backup center? Damian Jones hasn’t done anything!” Evan Mobley is not only a great starting power forward, but an elite backup center, and the rebounding Niang and WFNY fave Dean Wade gives you covers a lot of the issues. Mobley and Darius Garland are still playing under 30 minutes on restrictions from getting back in game shape. While Garland looked a bit out of sorts for much of the game, Mobley used his short spurts of playing time to be aggressive in scoring, making a couple of three-pointers, and snatching a block out of the air. ((I’m always amazed at how Mobley gets his long limbs and skinny body to make the moves and plays that he does, then I watch Victor Wembanyama and my jaw hits the floor because it’s the same thing times 100.)) Getting those two back to full strength is the cliché better addition than any player they could add from outside in a trade.There are some interesting decisions still to come for the Cavs after the trade deadline. Barring deadline additions, they only have 13 of 15 roster spots filled, and one of those 13 is filled by Ty Jerome, who hasn’t played since October and still has no timetable for return, and another is Tristan Thompson, still in the midst of his 25-game suspension. They have Isaiah Mobley, Emoji Bates, and Craig Porter Jr. all still on two-way contracts, so the team could fill a spot by signing CPJ to a full deal and leave the second open for 10-day contracts, like Pete Nance. Or, there is always a buyout market after the trade deadline, and since the Cavs have yet to reach the first apron of the salary cap, they are free to sign buyout candidates, unlike many of their Eastern Conference contender brethren. In that realm, I would expect a depth center to be the most obvious addition if one becomes available. That should be a more exciting watch of the news feeds than hoping the Cavs do any wheeling and dealing before 3 pm ET Thursday. Whatever may happen in the next 24 hours, the Cavs get to be boring, as far as 2nd in the conference and on a 7-game win streak with an All-Star playing out of his mind, and in the 3pt contest next weekend can be boring. They’ve earned that right by accumulating talent, playing hard, and just winning, baby. Who needs a deadline to get excited?