While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.
“On the Defensive side, the Cavaliers have a rating of Poor defending the following Play Types: Spot Up, Post-Up, P&R Ball Handler, Cutting, Miscellaneous, and P&R Roll Man. In some ways that could read: feel free to do whatever you’d like against the Cavaliers on offense if you’re prepping for a game, but in other ways you can see how a team might look at this and decided to Pick and Roll the Cavaliers to death. Not to say it’s as simple as looking at this sheet, but the data does support the fact that the Cavaliers do not defend the P&R well in anyway. Watching them on television does too though I guess.” [Bowers/Stepien Rules]
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“Cleveland has amassed so many draft picks, they almost literally can’t use them all. One year after picking 1st and 4th, Cleveland is the only NBA team owning more than five first round draft picks over the next four drafts. Cleveland’s eight 1st round draft picks far outpace anyone else. Add those to seven second-round selections, and Cleveland has a roster’s worth of available options to add to Kyrie & TT. What all these picks could facilitate is the subject of a different, speculative column. Instead, I’ll just touch on how sneakily good most of their “extra” first round picks can be.” [Ketrick/Cavs the Blog]
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“While that idea certainly has value in a vacuum, it goes back to something that I wrote last week that was expounded upon by Anthony Castrovince, as Castro writes that “the Indians, at this moment, project to have three guys in their everyday lineup who were non-roster invitees in their camps just one year ago — Hannahan at third, Shelley Duncan in left and Casey Kotchman at first. Hey, at least corner spots aren’t considered pivotal power-producing positions or anything…” with Castro’s piece (which is worth a whole read) drawing some frightening comparsions between Lonnie and MaTola (who was sent down on the same day as Chiz) being blocked by “one-tool” players at points that they should have been handed everyday MLB PA without hesitation and with Castro summarizing that “the Indians better hope Chisenhall tears it up in Triple-A, because a lineup with Jack Hannahan, Shelley Duncan and Casey Kotchman in three of the four corner positions is in dire need of some offensive upside.” That’s where I eventually come down on this – that ON THIS TEAM on Opening Day as it’s currently constructed, Chiz’s offensive upside (he was the 25th rated prospect going into last year, per BA, with his “bat” being his best tool) outweighs the stability of Hannahan’s glove, groundballers considered. ” [Cousineau/The DiaTribe]
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A completely ridiculous premise? Yes, but hey you have to have fun- “First of all, you must know that I intend on playing fast and loose with the names. If there is a foreign version or a different spelling or even a shared abbreviation of different names, I’m lumping all of that into one group. I’m crazy, and I don’t care.
Team Al: Al Harrington (PF), Al Horford (C), Al Jefferson (C), Al Farouq Aminu (SF), Al(ec) Burks (G), Al(onzo) Gee (SF). I actually don’t hate this team. Sure, it doesn’t have anyone who can create shots for others, but it has a pretty brutal frontcourt. [I Go Hard Now]
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Finally, Trent Richardson bowls over Browns’ RB coach Gary Brown. [SBN Cleveland]
