May 25, 2013

Leon Powe to the Cavs: Win-Win?

July 27, 2009 by 29 Comments

poweThis off season has certainly been full of rumors and speculation. Over the weekend, a new one popped up thanks to the folks over at Celtics Blog and Hoops Daily. (via Fear the Sword) This bit of speculation has the Cavs interested in PF Leon Powe-

Leon Powe is considering an offer from Cleveland. Apparently Dallas has an offer to him as well, but with Drew Gooden signing he might be leaning towards taking the Cavs offer. He still has not received an offer from Boston.

We have not heard anything as of yet about an official offer from the Cavs. Even if they haven’t made an offer you can bet that they have at least gauged interest from Powe and his agent.

It is important to remember that Leon Powe is still recovering from season-ending surgery. He sprained his knee a couple weeks before the regular season ended, and tried to come back too soon. The result was a torn ACL and meniscus in the playoffs. The Celtics decided not to tender an offer to Powe, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Here what I like about it-

When healthy, Leon Powe can play the game. He is an experienced (but still young) power forward that has been on the floor during crucial playoff games. He’s been through the NBA Finals and won. He’s banged bodies with Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. His playoff averages from the Celtics championship run: 11.7 minutes, 5.0 points, 2.7 rebounds. That’s decent production from your 9th or 10th man.

Going beyond numbers (and for the record his career PER stands somewhere around 17.0) Leon gives your team second chances to score with his rebounding and nose for the ball. He takes charges well, and is a better defender against the pick and roll than most of our current options.

Powe is currenly a better option than D-Block.  He is better – right now – than JJ Hickson. We know that Powe is out until February, but we also we have no idea what is going on with Hickson’s back. He could be back at the beginning of the season, or he could be on the shelf for the majority of the year.

I’d rather take my chances on a somewhat known commodity. The Cavaliers should be able to handle the first half of the season without Powe. Then he would provide a mis-season lift right around the trade deadline. By then the Cavs should know how the team compares against the rest of the league and what they might need to do. It would give them freedom to make a deal knowing Powe was getting set to come back.

Here’s what I don’t like about it-

As much as we need another PF, Powe’s game is very similar to Andy’s. I would much rather have a physical, shot blocking type of defender than another lane stuffer who tries to beat you to a spot. He gets into foul trouble fairly easily (not the best quality for a 15-minute per game guy). Most importantly though, he is a gamble. If they tie up the bi-annual on him and he ends up not being able to contribute, the Cavs will have seriously hurt their chances of improving themselves at the trade deadline.

Would Powe sign for the veteran’s minimum?  Hard to say.

The market isn’t good right now, and there are healthy players that should get deals before Leon. He could rehab on his own and then hope a club is ready to use the MLE (or a good chunk of it) when the all-star game comes around. Then again, he could sign with the Cavs on a one year deal and rehab at one of the best facilities in the NBA, paid for by his current team. Then he could treat the second half of the season as his try out for the rest of the league, proving himself to be healthy again.

That sounds like a win-win to me.

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  • doogy

    I heard JJ has been workin out with Lebron and Mo, so hopefully that is a good sign that he will be ready to play and is on his way to improving

  • nobody

    Last thing the Cavs need is Powe.

  • TampaBrett

    Rather him than Joe Smiff

  • biff

    I actually like it. I was at the Cavs-Celtics game in Boston in March and saw Powe absolutely destroy the Cavs inside. I realize that was somewhat of a mirage but still…we’re talking about the 4th or 5th guy off the bench. You could do a lot worse than Powe.

  • adam

    booooo bad rumor. even worse if it happens. this is not the player we need. he cant even come back still the end of the season if at all!

  • http://gooddoctorzeus.blogspot.com DocZeus

    I didn’t realize that Powe is not going to be back til February. That seems waaaaaaay too risky.

  • Mike

    I love the guy, he attacks rebounds like very few players in the league. But there is no way to tell if he will have nearly the strength, speed and explosiveness he had before the knee injury.

    I think he’d b a fine value pickup at the right price.

  • booo

    jamaal tinsley.

  • adam

    im gonna go ahead and BOOOOOO this rumor again

  • archangel

    i would also like to boo this rumor. and raise it to a boo hiss.

  • Swig

    Zeus,

    How is $1-2mill for an end of the bench player (and potential to be a solid contributor) waaaaaaaaaaay too risky. I can’t imagine this is more than a 1 year contract (2 years, ok sure that’s more risky). When (or if I guess) he’s back he’ll be playing for a contract during our stretch run. That’s a very ideal situation.

  • Boomer

    I tend to agree with Rick. This is a guy who we should target. If the money’s right, it’d be very low risk, too.

  • mike

    i like it but what about hakim warrick now that he is unrestricted? imagine his offense off the bench at the PF spot! heck – he could even start and you bring AV off the bench.

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com/ Rick

    Warrick will sign for more than the Cavs have to offer…

  • David Stern

    @#8

    I’m sorry. I must be seeing things. Did I just read a suggestion that we get Jamal Tinsley? How about we inject our team with AIDS? last thing we need is one of the former jailpacers, who they’ve been trying for years to get rid of because he’s pure gangsta. The only thing differentiating Tinsley from the likes of Pacman Jones and Michael Vick is dumb luck.

    I can only assume that was a joke.

  • http://gooddoctorzeus.blogspot.com DocZeus

    #11

    Its that if we use our bi-annual exception on the guy and it turns out that he CAN’T play there is absolutely no way to add another piece to our team mid-season. If he would sign for the veteran minimum…

  • http://gooddoctorzeus.blogspot.com DocZeus

    As a Syracuse alum, I would love to have Hakim Warrick though. I’ve always been a big fan of his since he blocked Michael Lee’s three pointer in the NCAA championship game.

  • mike

    rick – you are probably right about warrick. anything can happen though right? maybe the odds are a million to 1? “so youre saying theres a chance?!”

  • Kevin Hignett

    @DocZeus – I second that! I’m not an alum, but I’m a Cuse fan and loved that block by Warrick too.

    That said, I think the Cavs have more pressing needs (a backup PG anyone???) right now. I do like both Powe and Warrick for the right price, but if only one more player is added, I’d rather see Anthony Carter or another veteran backup PG so that Gibson never has to play more than garbage time minutes. I want his useless butt on the very end of the bench or in another uniform.

    Just sayin…

  • kingdiesel

    Leon Powe can play. All he needs is a chance for some minutes. Anyone that thinks otherwise knows nothing.

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com Denny

    @ kingdiesel – he also needs an ACL or two.

    That being said, cat can ball.

  • adam

    @kingdiesel

    actually leon powe cant play until he fully recovers from his ACL injury… which will be feb AT THE EARLIEST. tell me why the cavs would spend money on a guy they arent sure will be at full strength until next year if ever at all

    the dude had some nice games, but id rather have someone who can step in while d block and JJ continue to develop. asking them to play the first off the bench at the 4 is a lot to ask of those guys…

  • Isis

    I like this, a LOT. Leon Powe plays with passion, intensity, and aggression. He’s always moving, always going after the ball, always in the right spot. Championship teams need guys like Leon Powe…..if the Cavs can get him at what they have left…….it’s an absolute coup.

    He’s NOTHING like Andy. Powe has power at the basket, and can play both ends against strong PF’s. He would compliment, not duplicate, what Andy provides the Cavs. How can you not like a player that plays with that type of aggression and intensity every minute he’s on the court? Please…….don’t even mention “D-Block”…….not even close.

    And…….please, the Cavs don’t need nut cases like Jamaal Tinsley, a guy who is hurt half of every year. Hakeem Warrick…..please, give me Powe anyday. The Cavs don’t need to sign any of the stiff backup PG’s I keep hearing people mention here…………if we can get a real contributor like Leon Powe, I LIKE IT, A LOT.

  • Kevin Hignett

    @Adam – I think a couple people, including Rick, have nicely laid out a couple reasons why it could be worth the small investment to sign Powe. And I think saying he “had some nice games” is an understatement. He was solid all year and had a couple MONSTER games off the bench. One thing I’ll add to the list of positives for this potential deal is that the Cavs would be taking away one of Boston’s cherished bench guys. Anytime you can deplete your opponent, it’s at least worth considering.

    And I don’t think D Block and JJ are the first off the bench at the 4. I think you’re going to see Andy sit while LBJ slides to the 4 and Moon comes in at the 3. As Rick points out, the Cavs are fully equipped to “handle” the first half+ of the season without a guy like Powe on the active roster. If he can contribute from Feb. on and take pressure off the young bigs, then great because that’s when they would really need him.

    It’s all rumor at this point anyway though.

  • steve

    well as long as he’s on our team. the dude kills us every time we play boston

  • bobby

    I have been wanting powe ever since I realized he was an UFA. I agree with Isis that powe and andy are not alike. Powe is a force on the inside and finishes at the rim. He would be the one out there with Z, while Andy would play with Shaq. Getting him as a 1-year tryout, seeing how he reacts to the acl injury would definitely be worth it for the cavs.

    Also.. still a mystery trade that could happen in august! (I hope Pluto is right in his prediction!)

  • WTPFO

    i second jamaal tinsley. shabba!

  • http://bucketnotes.net Illmatic8

    I would love to sign Leon Powe, even for a couple years. This dude is a very good player when he gets minutes. His 17 PER is legit, every time I watched him he made plays. Knee injury is scary, but we need to surround LeBron with a young nucleus.

  • whipjacka

    Look at the depth:
    C:Shaq/Z
    PF:Andy/Powe/JJ
    SF:LBJ(not the president)/Moon
    SG:West/Parker
    PG:Mo/Gibson

    Our second string is stronger than the starting five of the 2007 team (with the exception of LeBron). Z,Moon, and Parker were all starters for the majority of the year last year and they are rolling on the bench now.
    How can you not like our odds, especially with the offseason of the magic and the lakers.

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