Tag: Andrew Bynum

Hard To Criticize Possible Move for Gasol

The Cleveland Cavaliers rehired Mike Brown as coach because they wanted to re-establish a defensive identity.

Last season, they ranked 25th in the NBA in points allowed per game at 101.2 and were the league’s worst team in defensive field goal percentage, allowing opponents to shoot 47.6% from the floor.

However, this season the Cavs have actually allowed more points per game at 101.3, but their defensive field goal percentage has dropped to 16th in the Association at 45.1%.

The wine and gold is actually rebounding better defensively as well, ranking last in the NBA in 2012-13, and this year improving to 14th.

So, the case can be made that the Cavaliers do play better defense, which is what Brown was brought in to accomplish.

While we have been critical of Brown’s ability to coach offensive basketball, how does the scoring compare to last season?

Last season, the Cavs scored 96.5 points per night, and shot 43.4% from the floor.  This year, the points are down to 95.5 (one point per game) and the shooting percentage has also dropped to 42.2%.

So, Cleveland has improved the frequency with which their opponents make shots, but they are still allowing the same amount of points while they are scoring less than last year.

Therefore, there hasn’t been any improvement in total.

The record hasn’t improved all that much as Byron Scott’s team was 7-25 after 32 games, while this year’s edition of the Cavs is sitting at 11-21.

It’s the lack of dramatic improvement that gets basketball fans in Cleveland antsy.  Many people thought the natural progression of young players, the return to health of Anderson Varejao, and the addition of Andrew Bynum could get the Cavaliers over the .500 mark and into the playoffs.

The return to the playoffs is still a possibility as the wine and gold is still just three games out of a post-season spot despite their mediocre record.

That’s why a change is needed and the quicker the better.

With the amount of youth on this basketball team, there isn’t a huge gain to be made by making the draft lottery again.  To be sure, the fans and media who believe that everyone in the draft is great will disagree, but really, GM Chris Grant needs to change the culture of losing that has seeped into the franchise since LeBron James departed.

That’s why if Grant can get C/F Pau Gasol from the Lakers for Bynum, he should do so immediately.

If Gasol comes here with the right attitude, and he hasn’t had any character issues in the past, he would provide a player who has been on winning teams and would also provide a legitimate scoring threat, averaging 15.3 points per night this season.

Remember, the Cavs are dealing a player they no longer want in Bynum and perhaps, if the rumors are true, a wing player who has fallen out of the rotation in Alonzo Gee, so it’s hard to be critical of the move.

Plus, Gasol can be a free agent at the end of the year, which helps with salary cap implications.

It still doesn’t address the need of a legitimate #2 guard and/or a small forward, positions the Cavs need to take a leap in the standings and also to balance the roster, but it is getting something for nothing.

However, Grant then needs to make another move to bring in players at other spots besides guards who handle the ball who can score.  And he needs to do that as quickly as possible.

The Cavs need to do anything they can to make the playoffs and show young players like Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters, and Tristan Thompson what it’s like to experience playoff basketball.

That’s what the “draft people” don’t get.  The franchise needs to take a step forward and the quicker the better.

JK

 

Optimism for Cavs Should Be Guarded

Tonight, the 2013-14 edition of the Cleveland Cavaliers will debut tonight at Quicken Loans Arena when the wine and gold take on the Milwaukee Bucks.

There is a lot of optimism regarding the team this season, with many national experts picking the Cavs to make the playoffs for the first time since LeBron James went to Miami.

Is this optimism warranted?

You can make arguments both ways.

The first concern would be the injury factor.  Three key members of the squad have had problems staying on the court over the last three years:  Kyrie Irving, Anderson Varejao, and newcomer Andrew Bynum.

If all three can play 60 or more games, Mike Brown’s team will be in great shape.  But that’s a huge “if”.

Bynum and Varejao, along with Tristan Thompson, who we feel will be much improved, and Tyler Zeller will provide a formidable frontcourt combination.   

However, the first two players mentioned can’t be counted on to stay healthy.

We said over the off-season that the Cavaliers needed to proceed as if Bynum would not play one minute this season.  They needed to continue to build as if he wasn’t going to play.

Perhaps reducing Varejao’s minutes will help him stay on the court.  Even if Bynum can’t play, Thompson and Zeller can handle the post, and first round draft pick Anthony Bennett and free agent signee Earl Clark can split time at the four spot as well.

However, if both big men are out, does the wine and gold have enough at the key rebounding positions?

In the backcourt, Irving has shown he can be one of the most dynamic players in the NBA, but he has missed significant time in each of his first two seasons with injuries.  Perhaps this will be overcome as the former first overall pick gets stronger with age. 

If he misses a lot of time this year, he could get the “injury prone” rap that no one wants.

Last year, when Shaun Livingston came in from Washington on Christmas Day, he brought veteran leadership for the guards.  He has moved on, and in his place, GM Chris Grant signed Jarrett Jack as a free agent.

Jack will bring that same leadership and he has a proven history of putting the ball in the basket, scoring 13.0 points per game last season and 15.6 per contest the year before that.

The veteran is a true combo guard, playing the point when Irving is on the bench and playing off guard when Irving is on the floor. 

Along with Dion Waiters, the Cavaliers will have a solid three guard rotation most nights.  That is if Irving can stay healthy.

One thing can be said with certainty for this year’s squad.  They will be better defensively; Brown will make sure of that. 

Because of that, no longer will the Cavs lose huge leads down the stretch.  The coaching staff will make sure that everybody makes an effort when the opponents have the basketball.  That alone will lead to more victories.

If Irving, Varejao, and Bynum can stay on the court for most of the season, the Cavaliers will definitely be much improved.

However, none of those three can be counted on for durability until they prove otherwise. 

Until this is proven, the Cavs will have to be viewed through jaundiced eyes.

JK