Drug Charges Against OSU’s Bri’onte Dunn Dropped
July 31, 2012Roberto Hernandez Gives Up Five Runs in Rehab Start in Columbus
July 31, 2012Now that Summer League has come and gone, things are probably going to be mostly quiet on the Cleveland Cavaliers homefront until training camp starts in late September/early October. Sure, the Cavaliers will likely sing restricted free agent Alonzo Gee at some point, they still have to decide whether or not to pick up Daniel Gibson’s team option (they probably will), and there’s always the chance of the Cavaliers being involved in some kind of trade. But for the most part, this is the quiet period for the team.
So in the meantime, while football is getting ready to start and baseball is going through all their trade deadline hoopla, here’s some random basketball thoughts to pass the time.
– I fully expect an Alonzo Gee deal to be done in same shape or form, whether it be simply Gee signing his qualifying offer for 1 season or the two parties agreeing to a multi-year deal. I also fully expect the Cavaliers to pick up Daniel Gibson’s option. The $4.792 million price tag isn’t exactly cheap, but it’s not a huge burden either.
Gibson and Anderson Varejao are the only remaining links to the LeBron era, and with that Gibson still brings some veteran experience and leadership that the team is lacking with the departure of Antawn Jamison and Anthony Parker. We know Gibson’s peak, and it’s more or less an average SG with the ability to fill in a few minutes here and there at PG. But Gibson has also become a vastly improved defensive player and was one of the few players who really showed a lot of effort on that end of the court last season. I don’t see any reason for the Cavaliers not to bring back Gibson this season.
– So what will the Cavaliers roster look like this season? Well, to begin with, here’s the breakdown of players with a chance of making the team in training camp, at least as I see it today:
- Anderson Varejao
- Luke Walton
- Kyrie Irving
- Daniel Gibson
- Tristan Thompson
- Dion Waiters
- Alonzo Gee
- Omri Casspi
- Tyler Zeller
- Luke Harangody
- Jeremy Pargo
- Kelenna Azubuike
- Samardo Samuels
- Kevin Jones
- Donald Sloan
- Jon Leuer
The Cavaliers can keep 13-15 players. The 11 locks (i.e., fully guaranteed contracts) to make the team are Andy, Walton, Kyrie, Gibson, Thompson, Waiters, Gee, Casspi, Zeller, Harangody, and Pargo. That leaves 5 guys (Azubuike, Samuels, Jones, Sloan, Leuer) fighting for 2-4 spots.
I’m going to guess that Sloan will be the odd man out. I thought for sure he did enough in Summer League to warrant getting first shot at backing up Kyrie. But with the acquisition of Pargo on a guaranteed contract, I’m not sure the Cavaliers will want to carry another PG. I think Leuer and Samuels are virtual locks to make the team. Azubuike will come down to his health, and the same with Jones. If healthy, Jones will have a chance to show why many thought he would have been and should have been drafted.
If the Cavaliers decide they do like Sloan, one option would be to cut either Azubuike or Jones (my guess would be Jones) and keep Sloan but send him to the D-League to start the season.
– What kind of team will the Cavaliers be? Young and inexperienced for sure. I really think this team is going to struggle on defense as well. Yes, Tristan Thompson has the athleticism to be a great defender, but in the Summer League he didn’t show a whole lot of improvement in his footwork and discipline from last season. Zeller looks to struggle with foul trouble, Kyrie was a liability last season (hopefully he’s going to begin to show improvement there this season), Waiters has a lot of work to do on defense. Obviously Varejao is an elite defender when healthy, and Gee is a pretty solid defender. Gibson has been pretty good on defense the last couple years. Beyond that, though, there are a lot of questions and issues on defense.
On offense, we know Byron Scott wants his team to run. In their last year under Mike Brown, the Cavaliers were 24th in Pace (94.1 possessions per 48 minutes). In Coach Scott’s first season the Cavaliers jumped to 11th in the NBA in pace (93.0) and last year they were 14th in the league (91.3). Pace Factor doesn’t tell the whole story, but obviously the focus on playing faster is there.
The one thing the team lacked last season, though, was an offensive identity. If Kyrie wasn’t creating on offense, nobody ever seemed to know what to do. Their spacing was atrocious as was their shot selection, which lead to them finishing 29th in eFG% and 24th in offensive rating (points per 100 possessions). The team still sorely lacks outside shooters who can help spread the floor. That’s going to be a very serious problem.
I expect to see a young athletic team that tries to run and attack the rim as much as possible. I expect to see vast amounts of pick and roll, with Kyrie and Waiters trading off ball handling responsibilities. Both Andy and Zeller are excellent at operating the pick and roll, and Kyrie and Waiters are both capable of making plays happen out of those sets. It gives the Cavaliers a lot of versatility and the ability to quickly reverse plays to try to create and take advantage of mismatches.
– What should we expect/want for this season? Playoffs? I think we need to hold off on playoff thoughts. Unless Dion Waiters really is Dwyane Wade1, the Cavaliers having glaring problems. Where is the shooting on this team? How will they handle perimeter defense, especially against larger backcourts? Rookies tend to struggle and take time to acclimate to the professional game. Dion Waiters showed us in Summer League he has a lot of work to do to be an impact NBA player. These things take time.
I don’t think the Cavaliers are going to be a very good team. If Anderson Varejao stays healthy all year, the Cavaliers might make some noise and beat some teams. But he’s always an injury liability and could be traded at any point. No, I don’t think playoffs will be a factor yet. In fact, if Kyrie and Andy miss extended time again this season, I expect the Cavaliers to be right near the top of the lottery again. And you know what? That’s ok. Until the Cavaliers are ready to make a bold move up the ranks, I’m content to keep collecting high draft picks. At some point the team has to start showing improvement. I’m just not sure it will be this season.
- I hate this comparison so much….so unfair to Waiters [↩]
94 Comments
Andrew, I agree with most of your “Random Thoughts”… however, I think your assessment of TT was a bit unfair. We know now that he had a ankle injury which severely impacted game 1 and 2… but against MN he looked like the best player on the court at both ends of the floor. I’m not saying there isn’t still LOTS of room for improvement… but I believe he looked like a more disciplined, smarter player from what I saw last year.
I think TT is pretty decent at help defense. His threat of shot blocking can really affedct smaller players’ shots. But he still really struggles when a strong post player really goes at him one on one. I think there’s plenty of time for TT to improve and I’m not totally worried about him yet. I was just hoping to see a little bit more out of him in Summer League, that’s all.
I don’t understand the signing of Harangody…if the Cavs don’t keep Jones because of Harangody I’ll pull my hair out
Yes the best looking player on court can’t hit a 10 footer and has no offensive game whatsoever. This means that Minnesota was playing the worst players ever in the history of summer league against us. Coby Karl and Derrick Williams looked just as good as TT in that game. Your right about 1 thing there is a lot of room for improvement.
The Dion Waiters pick will make or break the Kyrie Irving era. No more Dajuan Wagners.
I hate the Waiters-Wade comparisons, too. Saying they’re similar just because Waiters’ strength is driving to the basket is like saying Ramon Sessions or Rodney Stuckey is similar to Wade.
Their roster stinks other than Kyrie. If you take Kyrie off the team we are the worst in the league by a large amount. Name one pick other than Kyrie in Gilbert’s era that has been correct. The only way Grant has kept his job for this long is he allows Gilbert a lot of influence over these decisions. Then Gilbert makes these decisions thinking he knows something about basketball when he is clueless. The cavs would of been much better off to have had another owner other than Gilbert and we would of probably kept Lebron and won a championship. The decisions that Gilbert has made are so comical and ridiculous that it’s amazing how he hasn’t figured out to hire people that actually know what they are doing.
Gonna be another looooooooooooooooooong grueling season I wish there were just 66 games again!
I know that list isn’t necessarily ordered, but it looks hilarious to see Luke Walton ahead of Kyrie on any type of list.
Again, not really fair. TT was at times last year an excellent one-on-one post defender. However, he was inconsistent as most rookies are. His biggest problem was giving up too much ground in the post when backed down by an opposing big man. So for you to say “really struggles” is just not accurate from what I have seen. Oh, and no one please bring up what Morris did in the game against us in LV. He made at least shots that he just threw up threre and prayed would go in. And they did! But TT played good D on all of them…
How long is long enought to wait for him to improve? Not meant in a sarcastic manner I’m being serious. I say this because this question is like a broken record in this town regardless of the sport. I know one thing Thompson better show alot more during the season then he did in the summer league because he wasn’t that impressive. He needs to hit the gym and lift some weights not to mention develop some sort of consistent offensive game. I don’t know what kind of game but anything. I watched him in summer league games and it seemed like he was always in a hurry and just rushing everything. Despite the atheticism I don’t see much basketball savvy. Hopefully we see something this upcoming season.
I don’t know for sure. But my guess is that it is more than 1 shortened NBA season without training camp + a few summer league games.
All this TT talk is really all moot if the Jonas V. hype is true…
Sorry I meant how much longer, in addition to 66 games, will people wait. I agree it hasn’t been long enough but when you are the #4 overall pick by game #66 of year two I think Thompson better have shown abilities. No?
Yeah – I think that’s fair. JJ Hickson was definitely given a pass for too long. I think, b/c of that, TT will probably have to become productive more quickly.
That’s why Thompson reminds me of Hickson. Hickson was more offensive while Thompson is defensive but the rawness, to me, is strikingly similar.
I think 2 years is a good measuring stick. Not to say players peak after 2 years, but I think by then you more or less have agood grasp of who they are and how they play.
Haha, it actually is ordered. By salary from highest to lowest. How sad is that?
It’s only going to be a long grueling season because we’re going to have to see floydrubino post the exact same comment over and over again.
he did switch from Brandon Knight to Klay Thompson as his 2011 #4 drum-beat near the end of last season. then, he sprinkled in some Kawhi Leonard in the post-season to “mix things up”
floydrubino, what would you have done that would have produced better results than Chris Grant and Dan Gilbert when it comes to owning a sports organization, and building a basketball team? Provide examples please.
You say that Dan Gilbert would be better off with a better GM than Chris Grant? Ok then, who? Provide names please.
You also say that Dan Gilbert influences Chris Grant’s moves. Do you have any evidence to back up your claim? What are your sources?
Enlighten me Mr. sports organization know-it-all. What would you do?
I have to keep reminding myself Thompson has only had 66 games and while I’m not expecting the kid to be an All-Star I’d like to see more basketball plays as opposed to pure athletic prowess.
I wonder if the comparison should be between Jonas V. and Tyler Zeller now, assuming both will play center next season.
I’m not getting sucked into anything I already have enough of my own “fans” around here. Floyd and I have tangled I can appreciate his passion even if he comes from a different direction then my own. I can certainly understand his frustrations with the Cavaliers.
Funny you mention that because I remember thinking where did Klay Thompson come from…it took me almost half a fantasy season to even know the kid. As far as Leonard goes he and Green benefited greatly from playing alongside those veteran Spurs not sure what they’d have done say on the Cavaliers.
any truth to the Delfino to Cavs rumors?
Haha, look, I genuinely appreciate anyone who reads what I write and takes the time to comment on them. And yes, that includes floyd. I just wish he’d get some new material, that’s all. My comment was meant all in fun, not to start anything.
I just wonder if he will ever make a rational statement about something without adding accusations or insults to it?
while Kawhi definitely benefited as such, he does have quite a bit of his own talent as well. I think he’d be a step-up at the SF slot from what we have.
it’ll certainly be easier to compare when they face off against each other
Alonzo Gee will change your mind just wait, book it!
The jury is still out for me on Tristan. I left last season interested to see what a full offseason would do for him (Remember the NBA was on strike.) My instinct tells me he will end up mostly like a Serge Ibaka (OKC) type player. Defensive beast, offensive raw, good for a teams rotation and can contribute well enough.
I hope so.
Not gonna happen… that’s one interesting dude. Convinced everything he believes is right, doesn’t back down on anything, changes the subject when he is wrong so that he’s arguing about something else. I wonder if he’s a lawyer or at the very least, the captain of his high school debate team?
And JuJuan Johnson morphed into JJ Hickson when he started performing well for the Blazers.
I agree with you… I actually thought he looked pretty good in summer league and I noticed some new components to his game that were working well. But I already made my argument to Andrew on Twitter, so I won’t rehash it here. At any rate, I appreciate a thoughtful article about the Cavs right now.
completely different type of rawness. Hickson was a liability because of his rawness on both ends of the court, even in his 3rd year, always getting in foul trouble and rushing shots. TT never really forced things too much, even though he may have been out of place, which is understandable as a rookie with no offseason.
hopefully a full training camp with the coaches and players will be good for him and we’ll see some improvement in his all-round game, he certainly doesn’t lack in the work ethic department which it seemed JJ did at times.
Just wanted to share a link to my blog explaining this comment. Please forgive me if this is not allowed. Kind of new to this site.
http://thebryanadkins.blogspot.com/
Ya mean the guy who is being completely underwhelming in the Olympics right now? The guy who got benched cuz Scola was torching him? That guy? Yeah, I’m not to worried…
Dude, he looks uncannily like Wade when goin to the basket. You’d have to be willfully ignorant to claim otherwise! I would suggest lightening up and enjoy his rookie season…
“interesting” is NOT a word I would equate with floydrubino. The opposite is actually far more accurate.
The last couple of years or the whole era. Do you want me to start with the ridiculousness of signing eric snow or more recent signing of shaq for 20 million and then him signing for boston for a million the next year. How about how dumb each draft pick has been except for Kyrie. Thank gosh Derrick Williams had a weak outside shot or they would of taken him instead of kyrie. What about getting a coach that lebron liked instead of Mike Brown who stunk. Gilbert didn’t even talk to lebron for the last 6 months because he was using him so much making money off him and banking on him not leaving his “home town”. What about not missing on every single draft pick. How about picking Leonard or Klay Thompson or almost anyone last year and not taking TT. How about not passing on T-Rob this year at #4. What about not trading our 33 and 34 and taking Draymond Green and Jae Crowder. How about trading Varejao to Houston for their pick at #18 and taking Zeller or Sullinger and keeping the #24 and getting Perry Jones 3. What about going after Steve Novak, Micheal Beasley, Luis Scola, or Elton Brand in free agency instead of Jon Leuer or resigning Harangody. If you want to look up every move Gilbert and Grant and Ferry has made I have no problem pointing out what I would of done differently but it’s a waste of time because if you can’t see that for the most part most of these moves are made by people who have gotten it right 1 time out of 10. Look at our roster and you see what picking 1 out of 10 gets you. They are the type of front office(Gilbert mostly) that think they know about basketball when they don’t which makes it even worse.
Another long season of you reposting the same story and throwing softballs to owners again. Why don’t you be as critical of these owners as you are to me. Do you get free tickets and your scared or do you have a novice insight on what sports are really like.
So if I have never been wrong why would I change the subject. That’s a loaded response. Tell me specific examples where I changed the discussion not argument like you say instead of making generalizations to prove your point and stereotyping me.
The beginning of last season was super fun, a decent number of upset victories before the injuries. As long as they are competitive and show signs of future potential I’ll be happy.
Oh it’s so fun to stink at sports and not hold owners accountable for their communities teams. Your idea of fun and my idea of fun is different. ANd what new material is there to get. These dumb decisions stare you in the face whenever you watch them.
Name them.
Your wrong. I said I would of taken anybody. Brandon Knight is who I liked but I said I would of never taken the 20th pick at #4. I said there was about 15 players I would of taken ahead of TT.
No what I said was they traded JJ Hickson and got nothing out of it because TT and Hickson are parallel players basically performance wise. Casspi is awful and was just a waste of time. So they spent energy trading Hickson and wasting a #4 pick on TT and getting the same results you would get out of Hickson. You don’t see the logic of how they just wasted away that pick on TT if he is never better than Hickson.
So you never heard of Mychal Thompson’s son until half way through the season. Got it.