Cleveland Added Two Young Frontcourt Options
The Cavaliers acquired Semih Erden and Luke Harangody from Boston at the February 2011 deadline, sending the Celtics a future second-round pick. Cleveland wanted to examine younger reserve big men while rebuilding the roster after LeBron James's departure. Erden offered size and experience from playing in Boston, while Harangody brought energy and outside-shooting potential. Boston chose another future draft opportunity over keeping both players as the team pursued more immediate rotation options in other transactions.
Erden and Harangody Supplied Limited Cavaliers Minutes
Both players joined Cleveland and received NBA chances, but neither became a durable starting frontcourt answer for the franchise. Their earlier college profiles and brief Boston performances explained the appeal, not proof of what the Cavaliers actually obtained. The pair gave Cleveland additional depth and player evaluations during a rebuilding season. The organization eventually continued to change the frontcourt, showing that the two-player return served more as an experiment than a long-term solution.
Boston Held a Pick Later Tied to Jeff Withey
The Celtics acquired a second-round right eventually associated with the 2013 No. 39 selection used on Jeff Withey. The choice had movable draft value, but Withey's subsequent NBA minutes cannot be counted as Boston production without tracing the intervening rights transfers. Boston did not receive an active player at the 2011 deadline in this particular swap. It held a future opportunity instead, trading away two reserve players with limited immediate responsibilities on its roster.
Neither Team Gained an Enduring Centerpiece
Cleveland got two young big men to evaluate and Boston received one second-round asset. Both sides had understandable reasons for making the exchange, though neither immediate outcome became an obvious franchise success. Erden and Harangody failed to establish lasting Cavaliers roles, while the draft choice did not translate into a long-tenured incoming Celtics player. That limited realized value on both sides supports equal grades rather than inventing a major winner from a marginal deadline trade.
Final Verdict
Even Trade. Boston earns C+ for the 2013 second-round asset later linked to No. 39 Jeff Withey, without claiming his later NBA games as Celtics production. Cleveland also gets C+ for Semih Erden and Luke Harangody, two reserve frontcourt options whose Cavaliers roles remained limited. Neither side acquired a lasting core contributor, leaving a modest tie.