I likewise prefer Cruz, but will gladly settle for Trump.
One of Trump’s great undervalued features is the ability to legitimize saying what has been sociopolitically shameful (to wit: un-PC). He’s able to grab that bully pulpit and say “that’s great that we’d all like to spend lots of money on all these laudable causes - BUT WE DON’T HAVE THE MONEY” and proceed to not just veto the deficit-spending bills, but actually _as_administrator_ realize that whatever spending bill overrides his veto doesn’t mean he _must_ spend that much (going further into insane debt) but that he can nonetheless tell the bureaucracy under him to NOT spend more than the money they are ACTUALLY given. Nobody else is going to do that, likely not even Cruz.
Third party isn’t going to happen, as most voters make their choice long before the options are presented.
Trump is doing the only viable alternative to a third party: commandeer an existing party.
I see his potential as an individual, but the whole system including Congress needs overhaul or else they will be in the way.