Grade the Trade: Spurs wrestle star guard from Cavs in major trade proposal

Would the Spurs and Cavs agree to this deal?

The deal, as proposed by Garcia, would be a no-brainer for the Spurs and something to consider for the Cavs. The Spurs get a major talent upgrade while also consolidating two of their more questionable players and their salaries into a starting point guard of the future. Johnson is still a good player, but his role on the team is replaceable.

Meanwhile, Collins is due for a bounce-back season but with Wembanyama starting, he doesn't make sense as a backup considering that he was given starting center money on an extension that will pay him $35 million over the next two seasons.

Factor in Branham, who has a 50/50 chance of figuring things out and the Spurs probably aren't going to second-guess the decision to trade each of them, even if it costs three firsts. The Cavs, on the other hand, may want to give it 40–50 games to see how their team looks with a new coach.
They could stumble out of the gate and fall behind the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Milwaukee Bucks and have the Orlando Magic on their heels for sixth in the East.

That might force them to reconsider the Donovan Mitchell and Garland back court and take the best offer available for Garland, which may be something similar to this one. Getting two, or possibly three, rotation players and three firsts would give them both depth and flexibility to retool their roster.

Their waiting would also benefit the Spurs, with the Cavs being able to see if the Bulls pick has a chance to convey next season. Johnson, Collins, and Branham could also raise their stock, and Bassey should be healthy by the trade deadline and ready to fill in if Collins is traded. As a result, the proposed deal gets a A+ for the Spurs and a B- for the Cavs.