It has been almost two weeks since the Cleveland Cavaliers turned over their roster. Six players departed and four came to the wine and gold in the well documented three-team deal consummated just prior to the NBA trading deadline. Have the Cavs improved? Are the strong enough to make a return trip to The Finals? Has anyone surprised us?
The most heralded players coming to the Cavaliers were Ben Wallace and Wally Szczerbiak, well known, highly paid veterans. However, the best additions to the roster were the other two guys, Joe Smith and Delonte West. West has moved into the starting lineup and has shown an ability to push the ball up the court unlike anyone the team has had in recent years. West is also unafraid to stick his nose in and rebound, block shots, and play defense. He may have problems with smaller quick guys like the Bucks’ Maurice Williams, but he has the length that Coach Mike Brown likes in his starting backcourt.
Smith has become the forgotten guy, not just by the fans, but also by his coach. Smith’s ability to make the mid-range shot came in very handy Sunday afternoon as he hit four jumpers in the fourth quarter to help the wine and gold comeback. Quite frankly, he needs to get more time. He’s a solid rebounder, and also keeps the ball alive on the offensive end. When Zydrunas Ilgauskas returns from his back issues, he and Smith will came a strong offensive combination in the frontcourt.
It is too soon to evaluate how much Wallace has in the tank, but I still believe he will be at his best playing around 25-28 minutes per night. Against the Celtics, he did force Kevin Garnett off the low block, but he couldn’t handle the big ticket on the pick and roll. The Timberwolves’ Al Jefferson scored 18 first half points against the Cavs last Friday night, and although you can’t hold Big Ben accountable for all of them, I thought the deal solved the wine and gold’s problems defending big men in the post. Another thing is clear, you can’t have both Wallace and Anderson Varajao in the game at the same time. It gives the defense two players they really don’t have to guard.
Szczerbiak is a perfect bench guy for this team. He does struggle on defense, especially when forced to play off guards, and his shot has been off since coming to Cleveland. However, against the Bulls, his shot returned and he hit some key shots in the fourth quarter. When he’s making his long-range jumpers, he can change momentum in a hurry. He is also not just a sniper. We have seen him post up smaller opponents, and he can drive to the basket as well. He will be a major contributor for the Cavs, especially come playoff time.
There is no question that all four players will be key contributors to any success this Cavalier team has. However, if Smith and West continue to play well, they just may be the difference makers to get past Boston and/or Detroit in the post season. The coaching staff needs to get Smith, in particular, on the floor more often for the Cavs to win. All four are important, but Joe Smith and Delonte West are much more important than anyone analyzing this trade thought right after they became Cavaliers.
JK
Cleveland Sports Perspective 