The Cleveland Cavaliers were eliminated from the playoffs almost a week ago, and the sting still lingers for fans of the wine and gold. Of course, the biggest news from the worldwide leader is the constant speculation about where LeBron James will play next season.
Just as big is the question of what will happen to the Cavs next season.
Many of the national media have James long gone already, and there isn’t any doubt that word is coming from LBJ’s camp that he is ready to leave. However, remember that James has to be disappointed with his team’s early exit, and that feeling is still part of what he is thinking about his future.
In the next six weeks, that disappointment will wane, and LBJ and his “team” will look at his future from a calm, rational perspective. What team will give him the best chance to win a title? Maybe that team will be Cleveland, maybe it won’t, but Dan Gilbert has proven that he will do what it takes to bring an NBA title to this city.
If he stays in the wine and gold, the Cavs once again will compete for an NBA title, but there will definitely be some changes.
The first change will occur any day now, and that will be finding a new coach. Mike Brown established a defensive mindset during his time here, and that served the franchise well. He took the team to its only conference championship.
However, his offensive shortcomings will doom him. He simply didn’t find a way to use newcomers Antawn Jamison, Anthony Parker, and Jamario Moon effectively. His solution for Shaquille O’Neal was to have him stand in the low post, for the most part. This team had offensive weapons, and they weren’t utilized correctly.
As for those who say the new players weren’t capable on the defensive end, that may be true, but it is incumbent on the coach to put them in a scheme where they can be hid, or at least minimized.
As for the players, it is unlikely that Zydrunas Ilgauskas will be back, opting for retirement instead of coming back for another season. Perhaps O’Neal will be asked back, but only if he takes a rather large pay cut. Therefore, there will be a need for additional big men, and those guys should be defensive minded more than anything else.
Also, look for GM Danny Ferry to look for an upgrade in the backcourt. Mo Williams is a good offensive player, but his lack of ability to stay in front of quick point guards proved to be a huge problem, particularly in the playoffs. If Williams were back, perhaps he would be better suited to a role off the bench, similar to what Jason Terry does in Dallas.
The problem is the salary cap, though. If James stays, Cleveland is over the cap, and it is doubtful that any team is going to help them out by taking a big contract for an all-star type player.
So, the changes will have to be for role type players using guys like Boobie Gibson as trade bait. Management will have to look for players who are under-utilized elsewhere, much like Delonte West was in Seattle.
If James leaves, then all bets are off. The Cavaliers will have to start a major rebuilding process, because O’Neal will be gone too, and the team’s best players will be Jamison and Williams. That’s a team that barely makes the playoffs at best.
Therefore, the difficult thing for the organization is they are hamstrung until James makes his decision. His presence determines what mode the franchise is in. It’s a difficult time not only for fans of the Cavaliers, but for the people who run the team as well.
JK
Cleveland Sports Perspective 