Cavs Seem Out Of “Play In” Tourney. Did They Really Want To Be In?

The Cleveland Cavaliers keep saying they would like to qualify for one of the spots in the “Play In” tournament for the 7th through 10th seeds in each conference (a ridiculous concept, by the way), but are they really interested in getting in?

They currently sit at 21-40 with 11 games remaining in the truncated 72 game schedule this year, and are now 6 games behind suddenly red hot Washington, who sit in 10th place.

So, it doesn’t really look promising, does it?

We never really thought the Cavs, as an organization, were really gung-ho about going after the spot, because of recent coaching and personnel moves.

For example, after beating another contender, Charlotte, on the road on April 14th, the wine and gold lost at home to Golden State. That shouldn’t seem to be weird, as the Warriors are over .500 on the year.

When watching this game, what stood out was the lack of playing time for backup big man Isaiah Hartenstein, who played just three and a half minutes. Why was that strange? Well, Jarrett Allen, the Cavaliers’ starting center, was having a great game.

Allen made six of his seven shots, scoring 17 points and corralling 14 rebounds in almost 35 minutes. So, J.B. Bickerstaff wanted to play small ball when Allen was resting? Also, Allen was a minus one while on the floor, and it wasn’t as though the Warriors took huge advantage of Hartenstein being on the floor. He was a minus two.

The next game for Cleveland was at Chicago, with the Bulls not having their leading scorer, Zach LaVine, due to COVID protocols. The Cavs led at the half, but got blitzed in the third quarter and lost by ten. Oh, and by the way, the wine and gold were very much in the playoff chase at that time, a half game behind Toronto.

The strange thing about this game (and the Golden State game too) was a cut in minutes for Matthew Dellavedova. After missing most of the season with a concussion, when he returned, he was playing about 16 minutes per game, and the Cavaliers were 3-4 in the seven games he played.

Against the Warriors, Delly played just 13 minutes and versus the Bulls, just 10 minutes. Given he is usually a stabilizing factor for the young Cavs, don’t you think he could have helped when Cleveland was getting run off the court in the third quarter?

Now, he was a -16 and a -14 in the two contests, but he was a +9 in the win over Charlotte. Again, in viewing the game, we thought his absence was a little odd.

You also have the case of Taurean Prince opting for season ending ankle surgery following the April 21st win over the Bulls at home. Prince averaged over 20 minutes per game over the previous five games, averaging 12 points a game in those contests.

He had two 20 point games and a 19 point outing since returning from injury on March 29th. It doesn’t seem like Prince’s ankle was hampering him that much, as he was playing well, and there were only 14 games remaining.

If the Cavs were going for the play-in tournament, they could have used Prince’s outside shooting. He’s made 41.5% of his threes since coming to the Cavs, who shoot 34% as a club from distance.

To us, it sends another bad message throughout the organization. While we think the play-in tournament is a dumb idea, if you get a chance to get into the “real” playoffs, why not go for it? To continue to play for a chance to get a high draft pick, when you’ve had three picks in the top eight the last three seasons seems a little like the definition of insanity.

Winning starts when everyone is pulling in the same direction. Hopefully, that direction starts next season. There has been some progress this season, but a playoff berth, something this franchise hasn’t accomplished without LeBron James in almost 20 years, should be the goal and should be attainable.

But it starts at the top.

No Big Moves For Cavs, But A Change That Can Still Be Made.

There is one thing that is certain with the Cleveland Cavaliers. And that one thing is change. You can be pretty certain every season that the roster that opens the season will have major changes by the end of that year.

We understand why. The Cavs are far from a finished product, in year three of the second post-LeBron rebuild, and GM Koby Altman should be looking for assets to keep the franchise moving forward.

Cleveland already took part in the biggest trade of the season, the one sending James Harden to Brooklyn, which netted the wine and gold center Jarrett Allen, a major building block for the rebuild, and forward Taurean Prince. The only roster player Altman surrendered in the transaction was guard Dante Exum.

This year was relatively quiet at the deadline, with the Cavs dealing veteran big man JaVale McGee to Denver for a pair of second round draft picks and a young big man, Isaiah Hartenstein.

Hartenstein is a seven footer, a second round pick of the Houston Rockets in 2017. He’s played in the league for three years, appearing in 81 games, averaging 3.3 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.

He’s a project and can also play some power forward, something McGee really couldn’t do. And since he’s averaged just nine minutes per game in his time with the Rockets and Nuggets, he figures to get more time in Cleveland.

As for McGee, the franchise did right by the veteran. We will skeptical what kind of attitude he would come to town with, considering the Cavs’ rank in the league, and that he has played most of the latter part of his career with championship teams (Warriors and Lakers), but he took the veteran leadership role to heart and was a solid guy, by all reports, in the locker room.

The Nuggets have aspirations of getting to The Finals this year (they traded for Aaron Gordon from Orlando today as well), and getting a big man with McGee’s experience should help in that regard.

So, what do the Cavs do going forward? We would like to see playing time start to be based on merit rather than draft status.

It’s time for the organization to start bringing some mental toughness for the players. Yes, they are a very young squad, made even more so with today’s trade. The oldest guy who gets significant playing time is Larry Nance (28). The second oldest is Prince (26), who is currently injured, followed by Cedi Osman at 25.

There needs to start being accountability for the players. We understand fans want the team to lose and gain a higher pick in the NBA Draft, and maybe Altman feels the same way. And while the team might wind up getting a very talented player, you can’t have the other young players thinking losing is acceptable.

If a Lamar Stevens or a Brodric Thomas are giving Bickerstaff more than say, former first round pick, Dylan Windler, then play the former. This isn’t youth sports where everyone should get an equal chance. If you produce, you earn more playing time.

Ask Dean Wade. He took advantage of his opportunity even though some people, including us, thought he looked unplayable.

It’s called culture, and the Cavaliers franchise has been in a malaise since James departed for Los Angeles. The rest of this season should serve as the beginning of a change.

What Does Second Half Hold For Cavs?

All Star Weekend is over, but the Cleveland Cavaliers still have a little while before they play their next game. They don’t take the court again until Friday night when the New Orleans Hornets come to Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.

That gives J.B. Bickerstaff a few days of practice time for his young squad, and it will give Larry Nance Jr. some time to get re-acclimated, since he should be back when the second half of the schedule resumes.

However, it also gives GM Koby Altman time to make some roster changes, although he does have until March 25, which is the trade deadline. But the rumors have already started.

It has been reported than there was an offer for Nance involved two late first round picks, and the Kevin Love rumors have started again. Both players should be of interest to contending teams because they both provide things that good teams covet.

Nance is an all around player. He can defend, shoot, block shots, and is a very good passer. Teams with championship expectations love to have players with his kind of basketball IQ. It’s the reason the Cavs wanted him when they still had LeBron James and were trying to win the title in 2018.

Love is a good three point shooter, a solid rebounder and outlet passer, and a better defender than he is given credit for. He was a large piece of a team that did win the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers.

We understand the biggest factor in moving Love is his extremely high contract, and at age 32, he’s not interested in a long range rebuilding plan, and would welcome a chance to win right away.

However, Nance is exactly the kind of player you want around to not only teach and mentor young players, but he’s at 28, he still could be a part of a playoff team. Heck, at just three games out of the eighth seed currently, the Cavs could make the post-season this spring if things break their way.

Keeping it simple, the Cavs need players, and Larry Nance Jr. can play.

That shouldn’t preclude Altman from making moves though. The Andre Drummond situation is still in play, and teams needing centers that aren’t located in Los Angeles or the New York metropolitan area would be wise to make a trade with Cleveland, because rumors having the big man signing with teams in those areas if a buyout become inevitable. Remember, he also carries with him an expiring contract.

Our guess is the wine and gold get something for Drummond, rather than buying him out.

There are also rumors about Cedi Osman and Taurean Prince as well, it would not be a shock if one was moved before the deadline, although it is interesting that the Clippers, coached by Tyronn Lue, who coached Osman here is interested in him.

Although unlikely, does Altman do something about the guard position? We go back and forth on whether or not the Cavaliers can win with a pair of starting guards under 6’2″. Remember, Collin Sexton can be a restricted free agent after this season, so he is in line to get paid rather handsomely.

Yes, we are aware that Toronto won a championship with two small guards, and both Portland and Utah are winning without height in the backcourt. But did those teams win because they played small at guard? And when you add in that Bickerstaff is using a 6’5″ small forward, it leaves the team very small at point guard, #2 guard, and small forward.

However, we feel that’s something to be discussed in the off-season, after a full year of play. Then the question becomes can Isaac Okoro improve enough offensively to play the shooting guard spot.

Again, this is something that will probably be handled in the summer unless Altman is bowled over with an offer.

It seems the one constant with the Cavs is the roster keeps changing. At least it keeps the people who stitch the names on the uniforms busy.

Situation For Drummond Changed Quickly.

Man, things change quick in the NBA, especially when it comes to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

On January 27th, the Cavs beat the Pistons, 122-107 to raise their record to 9-9. Andre Drummond had 23 points, 16 rebounds, and five steals and was a huge part in the victory over his former team. The week before, the wine and gold knocked off the star laden Brooklyn Nets in back-to-back games, giving everyone, us included hope for the current season.

Yesterday, not even three weeks later, the Cleveland brass sent Drummond home until they work out a trade for the league’s leading rebounder.

Since, that game, the Cavs have gone 1-9, with the lone win being against Minnesota, a game in which Drummond did not play. So, that win against Detroit was the last win Drummond will experience as a member of the Cavaliers.

After starting the season strong, the big man seemed like a different player after GM Koby Altman traded for Jarrett Allen as part of the mega-swap involving James Harden going to the Nets.

He averaged 17.5 points for Cleveland this season, but since that Pistons game, that figure dropped to 14.4 and his rebounding dropped to just under 10 per game. To be fair, his minutes dropped from 30 to 25 in February, but did his numbers drop because his minutes fell, or vice versa?

There is a downside to free agency sometimes. Drummond was a free agent at the end of the current season, and the Cavs felt like he wasn’t going to sign with the team long term, so when Allen became available, Altman jumped at the chance to get a good, younger big man, who would be a restricted free agent after the year, meaning the Cavaliers could match any offer, thus keeping him here for awhile.

But Drummond seemed to be bothered by the presence of Allen, perhaps seeing the writing on the wall, and he played differently.

When the deal was made, most people, including us, felt Cleveland would be moving Drummond sooner than later, and it seemed to cast a pall on the entire roster. Maybe it didn’t affect the locker room, but it certainly appeared the whole squad was in a funk.

Drummond was held out of Sunday night’s tilt against the Clippers, citing rest. But yesterday’s announcement certainly made more sense. How quickly a move will come is anyone’s guess, but for right now, Allen is the starter at center, with JaVale McGee getting back up minutes.

So, if Drummond’s attitude was an issue, and by the team sending him home, it appears that is the case, the next thing to fix is the defense in the backcourt which is becoming an issue again. Allen is a good defender, but he finds himself covering for players being allowed to go to the basket at will, and no one is helping. Offensive rebounders from opposing teams are getting easy baskets.

And until Kevin Love can take the court again, the move also makes Cleveland very small up front. The starting power forward is Taurean Prince, who is a slight 6’7″. Don’t forget Isaac Okoro, who gets the bulk of the minutes at small forward is only 6’5″, so once again, the wine and gold is very small.

Hopefully, Love and Larry Nance Jr., who have started the majority of the games at power forward will be back sooner than later, and maybe (hoping) another player with size comes back in a possible trade for Drummond.

Drummond’s legacy with the Cavs: 33 games, 17.5 points, 12.9 rebounds. Altman got him for a song, and hopefully gets more than he paid in a deal.

Things can change quick in the NBA for sure.

Sexton’s Hard Work Pays Off

When Collin Sexton was drafted eighth overall in 2018, he was just 19 years old. As fans, we probably don’t remember things like that enough.

Think about when you were 19, we, like you, probably did a lot of dumb stuff. Fortunately, most people don’t do those things in front of thousands of people who are paying to watch you, nor do you do them as part of a group where the other members are folks who have been doing it longer than you.

We were critical of Sexton when he first came into the NBA. He seemed to dribble incessantly. Fans used to keep track of the possessions the Cavaliers had where Sexton and only Sexton touched the ball.

His veteran teammates didn’t like playing with him for that reason.

Still, there were things that should have been looked at as positive signs. Sexton is a basketball junkie, working on his game endlessly. There were stories about how Cavs’ management had to order him to leave the practice facility.

He also never had any issues off the court.

Scouts said his outside shooting was his weakness at Alabama, where he played for former NBA player Avery Johnson. But he shot 43% from three point range in his rookie year, averaging 16.7 points, three assists and three rebounds playing in all 82 games.

He was hailed as one of the most inefficient players in the game. The Cavs went 19-63 in the first year after LeBron James departed for Los Angeles. Since he was drafted with the choice obtained in the Kyrie Irving deal, which the front office clung to with all their might, Sexton became the symbol for all that was wrong with the wine and gold.

In his second year, Sexton was paired with the fifth overall pick the following year, another smaller guard in Darius Garland, who played all of four games at Vanderbilt. More losing followed and at the All Star break in his second season, the second year pro averaged 19.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists, and his three point shooting dropped to 36.5%.

Something changed for Sexton when play resumed after the break. Not initially, though. In February, Sexton averaged 21.9 points, and his assists started to go up, from under three in every month, to 4.1 in February.

At the end of the month, Garland was injured, and Matthew Dellavedova started getting playing time, getting at least 18 minutes in the last eight games of the shortened season.

How does that figure into Sexton’s blossoming into a very good player? When Delly was on the floor, the ball started to move better, the Australian averaged seven assists per game in these contests.

We believe Sexton saw how the team was better when the ball moved and his assist total increased by a half of one per game.

We noticed a difference watching the game. The ball didn’t stick when he had it. His shot selection improved, he was growing as a player right in front of our eyes.

This season, Sexton has taken it to yet another level. He’s scoring 26.8 points per game on 52% shooting, 46.8% from three. His assists have improved by one, going from 3.0 to 4.2. His turnovers are down as well.

Suddenly, he is the best player on a team with a realistic shot at making the playoffs.

And after GM Koby Altman acquired Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince in the James Harden deal, a transaction which right now borders on robbery, the Cavaliers are young, long, and deep. As long as Andre Drummond is still wearing a Cleveland uniform, J.B. Bickerstaff has three rim protectors in Drummond, Allen, and Larry Nance Jr.

The players have also bought in to Bickerstaff’s defensive system, Cleveland ranks 4th in the league in defensive efficiency, a tremendous improvement from the past several years.

The roster is filled with hard workers, improving their games every off-season. Altman should be given credit for that, and Bickerstaff should get a ton of credit for giving these players direction, seemingly for the first time since James left.

It’s fun to watch the Cavs again, and it’s fun to watch Collin Sexton grow as a player. He’s a reminder that perhaps fans and experts shouldn’t put a label on players just one year out of high school.

However, Sexton should get all kinds of credit for changing his game, growing as a basketball player. He’s proof that sometimes hard work does pay off.

Cavs Get Involved In Mega Deal, And Get Better

The Cleveland Cavaliers have gotten off to a pretty good start this season, considering the injury problems that have beset J.B. Bickerstaff’s team.

They are sitting at 5-7, remarkable really, when you realize Kevin Love has played two games, Collin Sexton has missed four, Darius Garland six, and rookie first round draft pick Isaac Okoro five. And it doesn’t take into consideration that one of last season’s bright spots, Kevin Porter Jr., hasn’t even suited up.

However, GM Koby Altman saw a chance to improve the team when the Brooklyn Nets wanted to get disgruntled star James Harden, and got involved. And at first look, he cashed in big time.

He dealt a first round draft pick, don’t panic, not ours, it’s Milwaukee’s in 2022, which wouldn’t seem to be a lottery pick with Giannis Antetokounmpo staying there, a second round pick, and Dante Exum, currently injured to get Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince.

In watching Allen play against the Cavs in his three year career, we loved him as a player. Not yet 23-years-old, the 6’11” center averaged 11.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in the regular season, and then 14.8 rebounds per game in the Nets’ four post-season games.

He shot 65% from the floor last season, and is a career 70% shooter from the free throw line.

He’s a classic big man too. He took just six three pointers a year ago. He’s a rim protector, a rebounder, and a low post presence. And again, at his age, he will get nothing but better.

We believe as he gets more experience, he will more a major force inside for the Cavaliers.

Our first thought when the deal was announced was Andre Drummond’s time here isn’t long. Drummond is a free agent at the end of the year (Allen is restricted, so the Cavs will have to pay him next summer), and no doubt Altman will be looking for a contending team who wants to pony up for a big man who is currently averaging 18 points, 15 boards, and is playing very good defense this season.

The wine and gold also received small forward Taurean Prince in the deal. The 6’7″ Prince’s best season was probably his second year in the league with Atlanta, averaging 14.1 points and 4.7 rebounds a night. He will be 27 in March, fitting in with the Cavs’ youth movement.

Last year with Brooklyn, he scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds, while shooting a career low 37.6% from the floor. He also took the most three point shots of his career, so maybe he’s better off using the mid-range game.

Again, the cost was more than reasonable to pick up two players who should be in Bickerstaff’s rotation immediately, and both are good defenders.

We also love the addition of size. With Love out of the lineup, the Cavs have been forced to use two way player Lamar Stephens and Dean Wade in the rotation. For the time being, Bickerstaff now can use Drummond, JaVale McGee, Allen, and Larry Nance Jr. at the #4 and #5 spots.

And Prince gives the team another small forward to go with Cedi Osman and Okoro, who can also move to the backcourt. It gives them the option to play like a traditional basketball team in terms of skill set, when either Sexton or Garland are on the bench.

Again, you have to believe another move will be coming before the trade deadline with Drummond, who has played very well, and has been much more active defensively this season. It’s just that he’s a free agent, and he is likely to want to move on.

The injuries haven’t allowed Bickerstaff to use his depth, as they are constantly playing shorthanded. This deal gives them even more when everyone is back.

Kudos to the GM for seeing an opportunity to improve the team and doing it. The Cavaliers got better now and in the future.