Tag: nba rookie of the year

Cavs Pass With Fans is Beginning to Wane

The Cleveland Cavaliers are becoming a frustrating basketball team.

After losing superstar LeBron James to his much-celebrated free agency, most of the hoops fans in this city have given them the space to rebuild.

The fact that James didn’t give any clue to the team that he was intending to leave, and that the Cavs management had no Plan B, the following season was a disaster that everyone expected.

The wine and gold went 19-63, and wound up with two picks in the top four of the NBA draft thanks to a trade with the Clippers for Mo Williams.

The following year, armed with the first overall pick in Kyrie Irving, who wound up being the NBA Rookie of the Year, the team improved to 21-45 in a lockout shortened season.  This record projects to a 26-56 record for a full 82 game slate.

A seven game improvement is a good start toward the road to respectability.

However, this season has been a huge step backwards.    The Cavs currently sit at 8-28 on the season, which projects to an 18-64 season, which puts them right back to where they were the after James went to Miami.

We want to trust Chris Grant and Byron Scott, but right now, it is difficult to do that when the young Cavaliers play so inconsistently.  They seem to play to the level of their opponent, which is scary for such a young team.

These guys should be happy to be playing professional basketball and shouldn’t be taking nights off against anybody, especially when their record is so poor.  The worst road teams in the NBA have wins on their resume against the Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena.  That’s not a good sign.

While no one misses Antawn Jamison’s shot selection or poor defense, it is obvious that his veteran leadership is missed.  With Anderson Varejao now out 6-8 weeks, there is no one on this roster who provides guidance for the youngsters.  Luke Walton has been around the league for a long time, but doesn’t get enough minutes to be a leader to the young roster.

That has to fall on GM Chris Grant for not bringing in someone who can show these players how to act and play like a professional.  That’s probably a big reason Scott and Grant brought in Shawn Livingston.  He’s a veteran and has a good feel for the game.

Because they have so many young players, the Cavaliers have horrible shot selection.  They hoist up a lot of ill-advised three point shots, and too often the ball in monopolized by one player, usually Irving.

That comes down to coaching.  Scott and his staff need to remind players that they are usually that wide open for a reason, the defense wants them to shoot.

Also, there doesn’t seem to ever be any low post presence, even when Varejao was healthy.  It is understandable that rookie Tyler Zeller isn’t strong enough at this point to not get pushed out of the post, but there is no law that says the center has to be the guy to post up.

Perhaps it is Alonzo Gee or perhaps Irving or Dion Waiters who can line up near the basket on offense.  There has to be some option.

The fans are starting to get a little angry.  After a nice increase in the win total last year, the wine and gold have taken a step backward.  As long as progress was being made, there is optimism, but the way the Cavaliers have played this year has some people worried.

JK

Cavs Need Players, Not Projects

Thursday night, the Cleveland Cavaliers take the next step in building the future of the franchise.

Last year, they drafted Kyrie Irving with the first pick in the draft, and he was named NBA Rookie of the Year, and shows every indication that he will be an all-star in the league for many years to come.

They also added PF Tristan Thompson, who improved greatly from the beginning of the season to the end, but should still improve greatly (as should Irving) in his second year in the NBA.

He’ll be a starter in the league, but it would be a stretch right now to say he could ever be an elite player.

There is no question the Cavs need more talent.  A look at their roster right now doesn’t show a lot of keepers.

Certainly, there is Irving and Thompson.  Anderson Varejao is a quality NBA big man, but is also going to be 30 years old this September and has been injured the last two years.  Alonzo Gee showed last year he can be a contributor, but looks to be more of a sixth man type.

Samardo Samuels is a good reserve big man, and Donald Sloan came to the team after Ramon Sessions was dealt, and looks to be able to back up Irving at point guard.

GM Chris Grant and Byron Scott hope Omri Casspi can help off the bench, and Daniel Gibson can contribute, but has a history of missing games due to injuries.

So, overall, the wine and gold seem to have a good bench, but they need to help the starting lineup.  Thankfully, they have two first round draft picks to help address that.

That’s why Grant probably isn’t looking for projects with the 4th selection on Thursday night.  He needs someone who can step right in and start on opening night.  That’s why the Cavs are looking at Florida’s Bradley Beal, Kentucky’s Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and Kansas’ Thomas Robinson.  They will get one of those players at four.

Connecticut C Andre Drummond has been mentioned by some draft gurus as the Cavaliers’ pick, but he’s a project who probably will not be ready to contribute in the 2012-13 season.  Plus, he’s a boom or bust pick.  Could be Dwight Howard, but could be DeSagana Diop.

Beal is the scorer the team needs, especially since Antawn Jamison is no longer with the team.  They need someone who can put the ball in the basket.  At 6’4″, he has a 6’7″ wing span, but isn’t considered an explosive jumper.  All in all, he could make Cleveland set at the guard position for the foreseeable future.

Kidd-Gilchrist isn’t really a scorer, but can do everything else well.  At 6’7″, he’s athletic, can run the floor, and is a good defender.  He’s a good all around player, but isn’t a good shooter.  He likes to take everything to the basket because he’s not confident in his jump shot, which he would need in the NBA.

Robinson is 6’9″, is strong and can jump.  He doesn’t have polished post moves at this point.  He does have the ability to get to the line and is a solid jump shooter.  He’s a more offensively polished Thompson.

Besides Drummond, another guy who makes us raise an eyebrow is Harrison Barnes.  Barnes was supposed to be the best freshman coming into college two years ago, but has never really dominated in the college ranks.  He seems afraid to be great, which isn’t a good attribute for an NBA player.

Thursday night will be the next step for Grant and the Cavs’ organization.  They need to find players who can start and be stars in the NBA going forward.  This isn’t the time to take a player who may be good in three to four years.

JK