Kyle Korver picked up by Cleveland Cavaliers

kyle korver picked up by cleveland cavaliers 2017 images

Kyle Korver picked up by Cleveland Cavaliers 2017 images

Cleveland Cavaliers Acquire Sharpshooter Kyle Korver To Bolster Guard Position

Kyle Korver didn’t take the court in the Atlanta Hawks comeback win over the New Orleans Pelicans Thursday after being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier in the night. The three-point specialist adds a much-needed reliable guard behind Kyrie Irving. The Cavs were reportedly looking to acquire Rajon Rondo or Mario Chalmers before pulling the trigger on Korver.

The 35-year-old veteran has seen time with the Philadelphia 76ers, Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls, and Atlanta Hawks over the years before landing with the defending NBA Champions. Korver has always brought one consistent feature with him no matter where he played—his deep ball.

Korver averages nearly 43 percent from beyond the arc for his career, including a remarkable 53.6 three-point percentage with the Jazz during the 2009-2010 season. While the move may be tough for Korver, he brings an amazing talent to a winning team that’s only getting better.

“Definitely mixed emotions,” said Korver after the Hawks win. “There’s a lot of hard ties to Atlanta for a lot of reasons…it’s where I had my best basketball years, it’s where I had all my kids. So it’s hard to leave that behind. Obviously, it’s a great opportunity for me to go to Cleveland, so I’m very excited about that part.

“From a basketball perspective, it’s a great, great fit for me,” said Korver. “And I know that.”

The deal is a three-way trade also involving the Portland Trail Blazers. The Hawks receive Mo Williams, Mike Dunleavy, and a protected first-round pick from the Cavs in 2019. The Blazers receive the Cavs first-round pick this season. The Cavs receive Kyle Korver and their own 2018 pick back from Portland. Also, both the Cavs and Hawks will be looking for trading partners to move Dunleavy to a fourth team.

Complicated, yes. The most important part is Korver to the Cavs. Since the Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, and San Antonio Spurs are the only three teams that have any real chance of doing anything this season, the others should simply begin rebuilding now. And it looks like that’s exactly what the Hawks are doing.