John Kuntz, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving is unhappy and wants a trade. That much is clear. Things get fuzzy beyond that.

Under contract for two more years, boasting a team-friendly contract and only 25 years old with a sterling resume, Irving has plenty of value. This is a big moment for soon-to-be-full-time general manager Koby Altman. But the Cavs have to figure out the best direction.

The first question they need to ask is whether the Irving relationship is salvageable. He doesn't have a no-trade clause and is under contract, so theoretically they could hang onto him and hope things improve. That's unlikely, especially given the reasoning behind this exit strategy. What's really going to change in the next month? Would the Cavs really want to bring this unhealthy situation into a vitally important season? A trade appears inevitable.

So what can the Cavs hope to get?

Most times, these kinds of assets will net a combination of ascending players and draft picks. Think Jimmy Butler going to Minnesota -- a deal that included youngsters Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and the No. 7 overall pick, which turned into Lauri Markkanen. All of it was designed to help Chicago's rebuild. Or even the Paul George swap, which brought a pair of young players (Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis) while the Pacers eye a new future.

The Cavs are in a different place. For the kings of the Eastern Conference, seeking another title shot in LeBron James' final season under contract, it's about winning now and finding players to help with that quest. Perhaps the best option is to look for trades involving a combination of youth and win-now players. Grab one or two ready-made players to tighten the gap with the Golden State Warriors and hope to find some future protection with a valuable first-round pick or a high-celing youngster who is still on a rookie deal.

After playing around on ESPN.com's Trade Machine, here are the best possible deals for the Cavs.

By Chris Fedor, cleveland.com

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Utah Jazz

Cleveland gets: Ricky Rubio, Jeff Withey, Rodney Hood and Derrick Favors

Utah gets: Kyrie Irving, Iman Shumpert, Channing Frye

There was chatter around draft time about the Jazz showing interest in Irving. That was during a brief period when Utah was looking for a point guard to please free-agent-to-be Gordon Hayward. But Hayward bolted for Boston, choosing to reunite with his former college coach Brad Stevens, and left Utah with a gaping hole.

Aside from possessing the star power to replace Hayward, Irving gives the slow-paced Jazz an offensive jolt, which is a must in the restocked Western Conference. For Irving, pairing up with shot-blocker Rudy Gobert, a player who can help mitigate Irving's enormous defensive flaws, would be helpful in altering the leaguewide perception.

Rubio isn't an ideal fit in Cleveland, the kind of player who threatens to restrict an offense because of his shaky outside shot. But he's a much better distributor and could help the Cavs move away from the ISO-heavy style that often bogged down the offense. He's also a better defensive player than Irving.

As for Hood, he would be the ideal combination of a rising player who also has enough to help a win-now roster provided he can stay healthy. Derrick Favors, in the final year of his contract and unlikely to get an extension, provides more frontcourt depth and could perhaps play center in certain lineups.

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Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer

Phoenix Suns

Cleveland gets: Eric Bledsoe, Josh Jackson and 2018 first-round pick

Phoenix gets: Kyrie Irving

The Suns have been in the lottery the last seven years, building a young promising roster to one day become a Western Conference contender again. They have also been trying to lure a star in free agency, missing out on LaMarcus Aldridge a few years ago and watching as Blake Griffin stayed in Los Angeles this off-season.

Perhaps the Suns' best chance to reel in a difference-maker is Irving.

In this deal, the Cavs get Bledsoe, a Rich Paul client who James mentors and views as a little brother. He went to his wedding. The personality conflicts that exist between James and Irving likely won't be an issue with Bledsoe. The 27-year-old former first-round pick is coming off career-highs in points (21.1) and assists (6.3), but isn't much of an outside shooter, hitting 33 percent from long range.

Still, he's a tough, hard-nosed defender, which is something the Cavs have lacked at the point of attack with the poor-defending Irving.

Bledsoe isn't enough of a haul. Perhaps Phoenix could help take the Iman Shumpert contract from the Cavs. But Cleveland needs more. Forget the Devin Booker dreams. The Suns reportedly kept him off the table around draft time -- even when the Knicks were listening to Kristaps Porzingis offers. So that means the Cavs would have to sift through the rest of the Suns' roster, eventually leading them to athletic and versatile Josh Jackson.

Given Jackson signed his rookie contract on July 4, this trade couldn't be consummated until August.

If that's still not enough for the Cavs, perhaps the asset-rich Suns would be willing to sweeten the deal, giving up Miami's 2018 first-round pick, which belongs to the Suns and is protected for selections 1-7 in 2018 and unprotected in 2019.

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Denver Nuggets

Cleveland gets: Jamal Murray, Gary Harris and Wilson Chandler

Denver gets: Kyrie Irving

After missing out on the final playoff spot, the Nuggets have been aggressive this off-season. Despite coming up short in their pursuit for All-Star Kevin Love, the Nuggets lured stretch-forward Paul Millsap from Atlanta, giving them the look of an on-the-rise postseason squad.

Adding Irving would only enhance their chances.

This deal allows the Cavs to add youth to an aging roster, quality young pieces that have plenty of future promise, but have already shown glimpses of being able to help Cleveland stay atop the Eastern Conference.

Harris, 22, averaged career-highs in points (14.9), rebounds (3.1), assists (2.9), shooting percentage (.502) and 3-point percentage (.420).

Murray, the seventh pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, got more comfortable as the season progressed and eventually was named Second Team All-Rookie. He would give the Cavs a much-needed playmaker off the bench and has the outside shooting prowess to play alongside James. Chandler is a versatile wing, the kind of player that would fit well in a Finals matchup against the Warriors. Three players for one is the kind of swap the Cavs should look for and the math works well with Harris and Murray being on rookie deals.

This is a lot for the Nuggets, especially given the Chandler loss, the team's starting small forward. It's also a blow to the core for a player who may not want to stick around for the long haul. But the reward is a legitmate star. And maybe the Nuggets could snag a bargain in free agency or shift Will Barton over to Chandler's old spot to answer that question.

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Charlotte Hornets

Cleveland gets: Kemba Walker and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Charlotte gets: Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert

It's fair to wonder if Charlotte even needs Irving, especially with Kemba Walker coming off a near-All-Star campaign where he averaged a career-high 23.2 points and boasted a player efficiency rating almost on par Cleveland's disgruntled star.

Walker is a score-first guard who, like Irving, can get buckets at every level (around the rim, midrange and deep) and would slide into Irving's old spot without much of an issue.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has a funky shot that still hasn't been corrected, but surrounded by Cleveland's star power, he could slide into a lesser Swiss Army knife role, showing off his unique combination of length, athleticism, quick hands and versatility -- all of which made him a college star at Kentucky. Most importantly, MKG wouldn't have the same expectations he does in Charlotte as a No. 2 pick and would give Cleveland another capable defender in a potential Finals matchup with Golden State, keeping James from having the primary defensive assignment against Kevin Durant.

This one feels like a long shot.

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Milwaukee Bucks

Cleveland gets: Malcolm Brogdon, Khris Middleton and John Henson

Milwaukee gets: Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert

No, the Cavs can't get Giannis Antetokounmpo. Forget that. But this would still be a quality deal, one with an ideal mix of quality and quantity.

Malcolm Brogdon, reigning Rookie of the Year, gives Cleveland a new starting point guard, one who can grow into a much bigger role and provide a glimmer of future hope if James leaves following this season. Tough and feisty, Brogdon is on a team-friendly $1.3 million deal after somehow sliding into the second round of the 2016 draft. While he doesn't have the create-your-own-offense mentality that Irving possesses, he can play off the ball with James serving as Cleveland's primary point guard.

Middleton remains one of the league's most underrated players. After his breakout 2015-16 season, Middleton dealt with a hamstring injury that kept him out of the lineup until the final few months. Still, he's a career 40 percent 3-point shooter and has the size and length to defend on the perimeter while also holding his own in the post.

Henson, a 2012 first-round pick, signed a contract extension with Milwaukee two years ago, but seems to have faded from Milwaukee's plans, especially after Thon Maker's arrival. He's an underrated bouncy frontcourt defender who may be able to fulfill his promise with more playing time.

This deal also makes sense for the Bucks, who are looking to keep franchise cornerstone Antetokounmpo happy. Adding another legitimate star is a big step in that goal. But would Irving be happy with this setup?

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Three-team blockbuster

Cleveland gets: Eric Bledsoe and Carmelo Anthony

Phoenix gets: Kyrie Irving

New York gets: Iman Shumpert, Channing Frye, Marquese Chriss and 2018 first-rounder

It didn't take long for the rumblings of a Phoenix-Cleveland-New York swap. But three-team deals aren't always easy. The Cavs saw that firsthand during the Paul George conversations. Each team has to be satisfied with their haul.

Is this really enough for Cleveland? It's fair to wonder. Would the Knicks be happy helping facilitate an Irving deal if they don't end with him?

Carmelo Anthony's longstanding relationship with James -- he is a member of Team Banana Boat -- and his scoring punch will help soften the Irving blow. Toss in Bledsoe as a replacement starter and it starts to become a bit more appealing.

The Suns get Irving, the star they've coveted for quite some time and will team him with Booker, creating one of the league's most exciting young backcourts.

The Knicks are forced to take salary back to dump Anthony, who isn't part of the team's long-term plans and could stunt the growth of a rebuilding group. Frye's expiring deal allows them to free cap space for the summer of 2018 while also adding intriguing 20-year-old Marquese Chriss who had some big games in the second half of the season. The first-round pick coming to the Knicks from Phoenix is the key to their happiness in this three-team blockbuster.

There could be another variation of this three-teamer, with the Knicks getting Irving. In that scenario, the Suns would likely demand youngster Frank Ntilikina, the eighth-overall pick in June, and perhaps even a little bit more to entice them to stay involved.

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Miami Heat

Cleveland gets: Goran Dragic, Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson

Miami gets: Kyrie Irving

Irving and Dion Waiters reunited. That should be ... well ... interesting.

The Cavs working with Pat Riley on a deal -- another fascinating subplot.

Don't forget, Irving put Miami on his list of preferred destinations, which means the Heat may be more motivated to pay the price, believing he will stay past his contract.

Dragic gives the Cavs a capable starting point guard, one with postseason experience and comfort in the up-tempo style Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue covets. Winslow, the 10th-overall pick in the 2015 draft, needs to improve his jumper, a problem since he left Duke, but has the length and bulk to defend multiple positions and would help in Cleveland's desire to get better defensively.

Richardson is an intriguing defensive-minded young piece with a favorable contract who has been developed in Miami's culture, giving Cleveland more perimeter depth.

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Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer

Minnesota Timberwolves

Cleveland gets: Andrew Wiggins, Tyus Jones and Gorgui Dieng

Minnesota gets: Kyrie Irving

Minnesota just paid a hefty price for Jeff Teague, believing he could be the team's lead guard for the foreseeable future. But Irving presents a unique opportunity for the Wolves and that's why Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns are reportedly recruiting the Cavs' All-Star.

This is an enormous risk for the Cavs and one I doubt a new front office would be willing to take.

Wiggins, who was once traded by Cleveland, has one year left on his rookie deal and then could become a restricted free agent. His long-term intentions are hard to decipher and there may be bad blood from the summer of 2014, making him a possible rental.

Imagine a scenario where the Cavs could lose Irving, James and Wiggins in a short stretch. Oh boy.

Then again, perhaps there's a scenario where the long and athletic Wiggins helps the Cavs win the Eastern Conference and test Warriors in the Finals.

Still, a dreadful defender, hit-and-miss outside shooter and volume scorer, Wiggins doesn't seem to check a lot of the Cavs' boxes. I don't think it's even worth considering a straight-up Minnesota trade. It gets complicated because Teague can't be moved until Dec. 15 and the Cavs' timeline for a deal may not match so that would mean using Gorgui Dieng as salary filler. A three-teamer is possible, of course, and could end up netting some future draft picks. But each potential trade involving Wiggins seems to be slanted in Minnesota's favor, not Cleveland's.