ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel fueled the trade rumor mill across the NBA this week by labeling the Cleveland Cavaliers as a dealer ahead of the trade deadline and identifying Cavs forward Dean Wade as a potential target for the injury-riddled Denver Nuggets.
“I’ve been told that Dean Wade on the Cleveland Cavaliers is very likely to be moved, and he’s kind of preparing to be moved before the trade deadline,” Siegel said on Clutch Scoops. “There was interest in him during the free agency period, and the Cavaliers were taking trade calls then. … Maybe even the Denver Nuggets, given all their problems right now. Maybe they can flip Zeke Nnaji and a future draft pick for Dean Wade.”
Wade, who is making $6.6 million in the final year of his contract, fits the profile of a plug-and-play stretch forward. A career 36.2 percent three-point shooter, he provides size and positional versatility at a manageable cap number. Around the league, Wade is viewed as one of Cleveland’s more realistic trade chips as the organization explores marginal roster adjustments.
The Nuggets have been battered by injuries, most notably Nikola Jokic’s recent knee issue. Other Nuggets players have also missed time. That's left the front office with limited opportunities to evaluate the roster before the deadline.
Should the Nuggets make a move for Cavs forward Dean Wade?
Denver’s trade flexibility is minimal. Siegel noted that Nnaji’s contract represents the Nuggets’ primary salary-matching mechanism, but moving it would likely require attaching a future asset. As a result, a low-cost, short-term addition such as Wade appears far more realistic than any blockbuster move.
“You [have to] look at what’s the path forward,” Siegel noted. “There really is none because they don’t have trade assets. It’s not like they’re going to go out and make a drastic move because Jokic is hurt.”
Cleveland, meanwhile, has fallen short of internal expectations after entering the season viewed as a clear Eastern Conference contender. While a full teardown is unlikely, a Wade trade appears increasingly plausible for the Cavs as the deadline approaches.
