There is a certain percentage of fans of the Cleveland Cavaliers who are in the forever tank mode, waiting for the next LeBron James or someone of that ilk to come along and make the team contenders again.
The reality is those players come along maybe once in a decade, and so any NBA team should probably have an alternative plan to get better other than getting lucky.
Since LeBron James left via free agency after the 2017-18 season, GM Koby Altman has been trying to accumulate talent, and on face value, he has done that.
And since coach J.B. Bickerstaff has already been fired (probably not justly) in Houston and Memphis, one would think he feels he needs to win in Cleveland, or he won’t get another shot at an NBA head coaching gig.
While we understand the analytics that prevail in all professional sports, we still have enough old school in us to look at players and separate them into two categories: He can play and we don’t know if he can play.
Looking at the current Cavs roster, we see a lot of guys who can play. And that’s a good thing. Now, can Bickerstaff and the coaching staff mold them into a unit that can be cohesive and make each other better? That’s the challenge.
Up front, the Cavs have two former all-stars in Kevin Love and Andre Drummond. That should speak for itself. Between the two of them, there are five league rebounding titles, four by Drummond.
Love can shoot the ball and is a terrific outlet passer, and really sacrificed his personal game when Cleveland went to four straight NBA Finals. Drummond has been on losing teams most of his career, both times he has been in the playoffs, his team was swept. But he’s a skilled big man and a force inside, although not a big rim protector.
In the backcourt, Collin Sexton has grown on us. He’s a competitor to be sure and his work ethic is apparently off the charts. And it has been reported that Darius Garland was the most improved player on the team during the off-season workout period.
How can you not like what Kevin Porter Jr. did as a rookie last season? He seemed to get better each month as the season went on, and his minutes increased as a result, and so did his playmaking abilities. We are anxious to see how much he has improved this coming season.
Cedi Osman seems to be a polarizing figure, perhaps because some figured he was going to be a star for some reason, but he’s a player. He’s not a starter for a upper echelon team, but he can certainly be in the top eight players. His best role is probably more of a slasher, a drive and dish guy more than an outside spot up shooter.
Larry Nance Jr. is a guy who is perfect for a real good team, one reason he is coveted by them. With his perimeter shooting improving, he can get some minutes at small forward. He is probably the team’s best defender and is an underrated passer. He should be among the team’s leaders in minutes, even if he doesn’t start.
Then you have the new players we haven’t seen yet in Dylan Windler and rookie Isaac Okoro. We are anxious to see Windler’s shooting, and how Okoro’s defensive mindset plays in the Association.
And you also have JeVale McGee, who can be a solid rim protector if he comes to play, and another young guard in Dante Exum, who is still just 25, and was once the 5th overall pick in the draft.
The Cavs have some players who can play in our opinion. To us, the biggest message that the organization needs to send is that winning is important. Contending for a playoff spot should be on the table.
The days of tanking and hoping need to be over.
Cleveland Sports Perspective 