June 19, 2013

The Cleveland Cavaliers should plan well for 2014 but not just for LeBron James

June 6, 2013 by 57 Comments

Dan Gilbert, Mike Brown, Chris GrantThe Cavaliers’ owner and son made a vow that the team didn’t want to be in the lottery again this upcoming off-season. With Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson entering their third seasons and with Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller entering their second seasons, it’s time to see what this car can do on the freeway. The growing pains aren’t necessarily over, but the lows need to stop being so low and the highs need to get a little bit higher. Obviously the Cavaliers can’t just plan on systematic organic growth of this roster. In order to do that, the Cavs will have to also make a jump on their roster this season by adding a real player or two.  Whether that’s via free agency or trade is anyone’s guess, but they will need to add someone of significance that isn’t a rookie in order to ensure they’re not lottery bound again. They also need to retain flexibility for 2014 and beyond, but not merely because LeBron James might opt out of his contract in Miami.

Let’s get this out there right now. Any team that is even remotely capable of having the financial flexibility to entertain LeBron James on their roster in 2014 should do everything they can do to make it possible. Even with it being one of the largest pills for some Cavs fans to swallow, at the end of the day, you just can’t stare down the greatest player in the league – maybe of this generation – and decide not to have him on your favorite basketball team. It is the absolute definition of cutting off your nose to spite your face. [Read more...]

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Imagine a world where they banned “taking charges”

April 10, 2013 by 22 Comments

Anderson VarejaoDuring the NCAA championship game, an idea came to me and it took over my thoughts about basketball over the ensuing couple of days. With all the talk of zone defense in the college game, I was left thinking about just how silly it is to reward defensive players for “taking” charges.

I know it’s sometimes hard to remove yourself from the reality of the world where taking charges created half of Shane Battier’s career. 1 Just for a second try to step outside yourself and everything you’ve come to know about the game and consider this. The game of basketball found a way to reward any player for impeding the progress of what could be an athletic move toward the hoop. The game has decided to reward that player whether they’re athletic or not. The game rewards that player not for making a superior play to steal the ball or block a shot, but merely by anticipating a move and becoming a non-moving impediment. [Read more...]

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  1. You do realize that Battier’s foundation is called “Take Charge” right? This is ludicrous. [back]

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The Diff: Byron Scott, blown leads and the second-half Cavs

April 3, 2013 by 28 Comments

Last week in The Diff, I brought you inside the numbers of the Sweet 16. With no more March and no more college basketball for Ohio sports fans, it’s time to move back to the pros. Although the current excitement surrounds the Tribe’s Opening Day win, I’m back for Cavs talk today.

The Diff

During the Cleveland Cavaliers’ ongoing season-high eight-game losing streak, much of the media talk has been directed toward head coach Byron Scott’s future with the organization. I covered the beginning of the talk about 10 days ago. Anonymous players then shared their frustrations with the Akron Beacon Journal’s Jason Lloyd over the weekend. And our very own Scott threw his hat into the ring on Monday. But looming large in these murmurs is this largely unreported fact: The 2012-13 Cavaliers are currently the worst third-quarter and second-half team in the National Basketball Association. By far. [Read more...]

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Building Cleveland’s Eleven

March 27, 2013 by 36 Comments

Clevelands11The great heist. You’ve seen the movies. An all-star cast gets together to pull off one big job. Along the way there are hi-jinx and laughs. Plot twists force our gang to change plans or everyone gets caught. It’s a great concept.

So I was thinking what if we made a team with Cleveland athletes?

I proposed the question twitter and took in some responses. [Read more...]

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NBA News: Anderson Varejao thankful for health; happy in Cleveland

February 11, 2013 by 4 Comments

Cleveland Cavalier Anderson Varejao has had a laundry list of injuries in his NBA career, but never anything that threatened his life until he developed blood clots following his most recent surgery.

Now rehabbing, Varejao opened up to Yahoo’s Marc Spears about his experience-

“Then you start to think about it and realize that this is more serious than I thought. A week after the surgery I was at home thinking about how I could be gone right now.”

Additionally, Varejao offered his thoughts on playing with Kyrie Irving-

“He’s a special player and he deserves everything that is going on in his life right now,” Varejao said. “I’m happy to be part of his career and play with him.”

Finally, Spears asked Varejao about the constant trade rumors that are always attached to his name-

“If they trade me, they trade me,” he said. “I’m happy here. I don’t want to be traded.”

Well worth the read.

[Related: On this LeBron 2014 nonsense]

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WFNY Stats & Info: Cavs’ efficiency up despite Anderson Varejao being out

January 24, 2013 by 1 Comment

The Cleveland Cavaliers may have had a rough stretch of games out west, and while it may not exactly be leading to a significant difference in the win column, the Wine and Gold have been playing markedly better when on the floor. Let’s take a look…

Cavs’ efficiency in first 28 games (record: 5-23): 99.1-105.9 (-6.8)
Cavs’ efficiency in last 15 games (record: 6-9): 102.9-106.4 (-3.5)

Would-be All-Star center Anderson Varejao has been out for all of these last 15 games…

The team is doing slightly worse defensively (still among the bottom five in NBA, either way), but notably better on the offensive efficiency side. An offensive efficiency mark of 99.1 also is in the bottom five of the NBA on that side of the ball, but 102.9 is pretty mediocre with league average being 102.4 so far this season.

This is pretty intriguing to me, so I tried to figure out why.

The Cavs are notably rebounding awfully during this stretch. That’s especially true on the offensive end.

Rebounding margin: +1.1 margin in first 28 games; -5.1 in last 15 games
Offensive rebound rate: 30.6%  orb% in first 28 games, 27.1% in last 15 games

But the biggest positive differences? Fewer turnovers, better two-point shooting percentage and better free-throw shooting percentage.

Turnovers: 14.8 pg in first 28 games, 12.5 pg in last 15 games
2-point shooting: 43.7% in first 28 games, 45.5% in last 15 games
Free throw shooting: 72.4% in first 28 games, 79.6% in last 15 games

Given that the Cavaliers are among the league leaders in pace of play, this improved efficiency — coupled with fewer turnovers and improved conversion rates at the charity stripe — have proven to be huge despite the absence of a player who was averaging 14 points and 14 rebounds while providing heart, soul, energy and a career-best PER.

[Related: The Diff: Franchise comparisons for the Cavaliers]

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Anderson Varejao hospitalized; out for season

January 21, 2013 by 28 Comments

The Cleveland Cavaliers announced today that C Anderson Varejao was hospitalized for a blood clot that developed after his knee surgery-

“Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao recently developed a blood clot (small right lower lung pulmonary embolism) and was admitted to the Cleveland Clinic last Thursday (January 17th). He is being treated with blood thinners (anticoagulants) and is expected to stay at the Clinic for several days, while undergoing treatment and observation. He will need to remain on blood thinning medication for approximately three months. While Varejao is expected to fully recover, he will miss the remainder of the current Cavaliers season.

Quote from Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant: “Clearly our players’ health is our top concern and we are disappointed for Anderson, and his family. We know what a competitor he is and how much he wants to be on the court helping his teammates. In the meantime, he has our full support and we look forward to welcoming him back as he recovers.”

Unbelievable. Certainly first and foremost we here at WFNY wish Andy the best as he recovers from this latest set-back.

What an amazing string of unfortunate injuries and bad breaks.

[Related: Halfway home, Cavaliers' stats and trends]

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Halfway Home: Cavaliers’ Stats And Trends

January 20, 2013 by 5 Comments

The 10-32 Cleveland Cavaliers are one game past halfway through their second season of the Kyrie Irving era, and not a whole heck of a lot has gone right on the court in terms of generating wins and sustaining success. Let’s dig into some of the advanced metrics that might give us a clue as to what ails the Cavaliers. As I further researched the finer statistics, it became clear to me that the problems for the Cavs right now are both simple and correctable.

Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters

  • How much do the Cavaliers miss Anderson Varejao? Well, just wrap your minds around this statistic. Varejao leads the team in PER (22.0) with a slight edge over Kyrie Irving (21.9). However, those two are the only ones that make it over the generally accepted “league average” mark of 15.0 right now. Tristan Thompson’s PER is rapidly increasing and he is up to 14.9, while Dion Waiters and Omri Casspi come in at 12.6. Some shockingly low PERs include Alonzo Gee’s (11.0), Tyler Zeller’s (10.6), and Luke Walton 1 (8.1). [Read more...]

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  1. Why is Byron playing him so much again? [back]

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NBA Rumors: Anderson Varejao’s injury may cost him $1 million All-Star bonus

January 16, 2013 by 15 Comments

While Anderson Varejao would have had to rely on the head coaches within the Eastern Conference, his recent injury (and subsequent surgery) may have cost him $1 million in a bonus he would have received for making the All-Star team, reported first by ESPN’s Marc Stein.

Though the Cavaliers presently sit at a woeful 9-31, Varejao was averaging over 14 points and 14 rebounds per game, had a PER of 22.0 and was already worth 3.3 wins. Following his huge start to the 2012-13 season, Varejao received several votes of praise from Cavaliers head coach Byron Scott who dubbed Andy his “All-Star guy.”

Varejao’s accolades were not specific to Cleveland as Boston’s Doc Rivers and Milwaukee’s former head coach Scott Skiles both felt that Varejao deserved the nod.

Varejao injured his right knee on December 19 against the Toronto Raptors and would later be diagnosed with a split muscle in his leg which required surgery. He missed a substantial portion of the 2011-12 season with a fractured right hand as well as the majority of the 2010-11 season with an torn tendon in his ankle.

[Related: Barkley: Varejao has been the best non-alien forward in Eastern Conference]

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Silver lining on the Varejao injury, the rebuild moves forward

January 10, 2013 by 22 Comments

Anderson VarejaoIt’s hard not to feel some pain for Anderson Varejao after hearing the news that his knee contusion was in fact a torn muscle in his leg. Memories of Andy winning the game with a buzzer beating 3-pointer against Atlanta, and giving Ray Allen the business during a national televised game against the Celtics are two of my favorite moments I’ve enjoyed at the Q. I’ve really never enjoyed watching basketball more than watching Andy and LeBron fly around the court together.

That being said, Andy’s injury increases the Cavs’ chances of completing a successful rebuild.

The longer Andy is off the court, the worse this team is.

The worse this team is, the more ping pong balls they have in the lottery. 1

The more ping pong balls in the lottery, the better chance of landing a superstar.

[Read more...]

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  1. The lottery is won with a winning four ball combination. For simplicity’s sake let’s use ping pong balls as the example instead of how many four ball combinations a team has. [back]

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NBA Rumor: Cavaliers had discussions with Clippers about Varejao and Jordan

January 10, 2013 by 14 Comments

Peter Vecsey tweeted last night that the Cavaliers had discussions with the Los Angeles Clippers about Anderson Varejao.

Vecsey tweet

Now, please note what the “report” says- the Cavaliers DISCUSSED a trade with the Clippers. DeAndre Jordan and Varejao were the principals. Even with Bledsoe in the mix, (which the report says nothing about the Clips willingness to include him), there is no guarantee the deal gets done.

Lots of things get discussed in the NBA.

[Related: Cavaliers major in damage control in win over Hawks]

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Cavaliers major in damage control in win over Hawks

January 10, 2013 by 16 Comments

Irving winnerComing off perhaps their worst performance of the season in Chicago, and with the news of Andy Varejao’s surgery hitting yesterday it was time for the Cavaliers to do some damage control.

It started with ticket giveaways. I know three people on twitter that got an email or phone call and received free tickets to last night’s game. Myself included. In my section, ticket representatives made frequent visits to those who also got tickets.

Dan Gilbert made an appearance on the television broadcast. He continued to preach the message of patience and letting the young players learn and grow together.

“Our record is just dismal. Frankly it’s embarrassing. I have no problem saying that, but there are spots where you start to see it… Next year I’m hoping we have a significant turn around and then we take it from there.”

The best damage control however, was done by the players themselves. [Read more...]

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NBA News: Varejao will undergo surgery; out 6 to 8 weeks

January 9, 2013 by 35 Comments

The Cavaliers announced today that center Anderson Varejao will have surgery Thursday to repair his injured knee. From the team:

“Cavaliers Center Anderson Varejao was injured during the Cavaliers game against the Toronto Raptors on December 18th at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Diagnosis was a right knee contusion, specifically to the vastus medialis which connects to the medial (inner) border of the patella. As Varejao’s treatment and recovery process continued, an MRI revealed the contused area included a small longitudinal split in the vastus medialis. Despite continued, gradual recovery of the contusion, symptoms also continued in the specific area of the split. Another MRI revealed an increase in the split and symptoms persisted. Dynamic ultrasound imaging also revealed tissue from underneath the split was herniating and pinching with knee flexion.

A second opinion was recently obtained with Dr. J. Richard Steadman of The Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado, which confirmed Cavaliers Head Team Physician Dr. Richard Parker of the Cleveland Clinic’s recommendation for surgical intervention. Varejao will undergo surgery this Thursday (January 10th) at the Cleveland Clinic and is expected to be out for six to eight weeks.”

The NBA trade deadline is February 21st. For those wondering, that is exactly six weeks from Thursday.

[Related: On the Cavaliers and the prospect of a failed rebuilding attempt]

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Anderson Varejao remains out; will not play Wednesday

January 8, 2013 by 8 Comments

Cleveland Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao remains listed as ”out” and will not play in Wednesday night’s contest against the Atlanta Hawks.

Originally slated to miss one or two games with what was being called a bruised knee — he listed as a game-time decision on December 19 — Varejao will now miss what is his 11th straight contest with a knee contusion.

The 30-year old is averaging 14.1 points and 14.4 rebounds per game and has been the subject of recent trade rumors. He participated in non-contact drills during the team’s practice on December 31, but was not on the practice court for the team’s work on Tuesday afternoon. Tyler Zeller will continue to start in his place.

“I’m still optimistic that he will be able to play this year,” Byron Scott said following Tuesday’s practice.

[Related: On the Cavaliers and the Prospects of a Failed Rebuilding Process]

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NBA Trade Rumor: Cavaliers, T-Wolves Talking Trade Involving Varejao

January 6, 2013 by 38 Comments

It’s being reported by Legion Sports (@MySportsLegion) that the Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves are discussing a trade involving Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao as well as Minnesota forward Derrick Williams and center Nikola Pekovic.

Varejao, 30, is in his ninth year with the Cavaliers and is averaging 14.1 points and 14.4 rebounds and a 22.08 PER this season in 25 games. He is under contract for up to two more seasons after this one. Andy has missed the team’s last nine games due to a bruised right knee. This is far from the first time that Varejao’s name has been mentioned in trade rumors this season.

Williams was the second pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, being selected immediately after Kyrie Irving. He is averaging 8.5 points and 4.2 rebounds with a 15.64 PER in 26 games (9 starts) and 17.4 minutes per contest. He is a 6’8″, 21-year-old power forward out of Arizona that had similar numbers in more playing time last season. He would be under team control for at least three more seasons, same as Kyrie.

Pekovic, 27, is a 6’11″, 290 lb. center from Montenegro in his third NBA season. Nikola is averaging 15.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and a 19.35 PER in 28 games (all starts) and 31.5 minutes per night. He is a free agent at season’s end.

Related: Trading Varejao Still Doesn’t Make Sense

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NBA Rumor: Thunder Continue to be Linked to Varejao

December 29, 2012 by 19 Comments

Chuck Myron at HoopsRumors.com discussed the Thunder being linked yet again to Cavaliers forward/center Anderson Varejao in trade talks. It’s the usual suspects in trade pieces with rookies Jeremy Lamb and Perry Jones III as well as Toronto’s top-three protected first-round pick in the upcoming draft being mentioned.

“The Thunder have been frequently mentioned as a potential partner in a Varejao deal. Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal reported that the teams have discussed a proposal that would send Perry Jones III, Jeremy Lamb and the Raptors’ 2013 first-rounder that Oklahoma City owns to Cleveland for Varejao. The Thunder would have to give up more to make the salaries match for that deal, though. They could accomplish that by throwing in Hasheem Thabeet, Eric Maynor and DeAndre Liggins, but a five-for-one trade would seriously compromise the Thunder’s depth if anyone got hurt, and I don’t think such a package would be intriguing enough for Cleveland to bite. Lloyd wrote earlier in the month that the Cavs could have their eyes on Serge Ibaka, and Marc Stein of ESPN.com said two weeks ago that rival executives are skeptical Varejao will be dealt because Cleveland’s price for Varejao keeps going up.”

It’s great to hear that the Cavaliers are keeping the asking price high for the hopeful All-Star big, who is leading the league in rebounding with 14.4 boards per game. He will miss his sixth straight game tonight due to a right knee bruise.

This article also points out that Varejao has a slight 5% trade kicker in his salary. It also has a good collection of the prevailing thoughts around the league about whether Varejao will ultimately stay put or not.

Related: 2012 Sucked; Four Reasons Why 2013 Might Be Better

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NBA News: Anderson Varejao ruled out for weekend

December 28, 2012 by 3 Comments

Tristan Thompson has a solid chance to obtain a fifth- and sixth-straight double-double as the Cavaliers have ruled Anderson Varejao out for the remainder of the weekend with a bruised knee.

The Cavaliers will host the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night before traveling to Brooklyn to face the new-look Nets on Saturday. They have won two-straight games for the first time this season and continue to hold their All-Star hopeful out as a precaution. Varejao injured his knee in the team’s December 18 loss to the Toronto Raptors.

“I don’t think the injury is more serious [than initially believed," said head coach Byron Scott during Friday morning's shootaround. "The spot where he got hit is such a tender area that it is just taking more time to heal than we thought."

In Varejao's absence, the team has been starting rookie center Tyler Zeller alongside the 6-foot-9-inch Thompson who has averaged 10.5 points, 12.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots. Samardo Samuels, a player who has subbed in both center and power forward positions, has been assigned to the NBDL's Canton Charge.

[Related: The two faces of Tyler Zeller]

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While We’re Waiting…Kevin Love and the Cavs, and Nick Swisher is a character (literally)

December 24, 2012 by 11 Comments

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.


“Braxton Miller’s 2012 was more than nice as he led the Buckeyes to a perfect 12-0 season on the way to capturing the Big Ten’s Offensive Player of the Year award and the Chicago Tribune’s Silver Football as the league’s MVP.

But the franchise isn’t resting on his laurels. Via Twitter comes news that he’s currently working with renowned quarterback guru George Whitfield Jr. in San Diego.

The Massillon native, through his training programWhitfield Football, has worked with some of the best quarterbacks in the game today, a list that includes Andrew Luck, Cam Newton, Johnny Manziel, Ben Roethlisberger, Landry Jones, and Tajh Boyd.” [Priestas/Eleven Warriors] [Read more...]

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Cavs’ Varejao listed as game-time decision for weekend

December 21, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Suffering a slight knee injury two games ago, Cleveland Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao is officially deemed a “game-time decision” for the team’s upcoming back-to-back set against the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks.

At Friday morning’s shootaround, Cavs head coach Byron Scott stated that Varejao was improving, but that the team could err on the cautionary side.

“Honestly, I’m thinking about keeping him out no matter what,” said Scott. “That’s my feeling. Even the game where he hurt the knee, he came back and played. But I know that he wants to play, but I told Andy that even if they clear him, it’s going to be my decision, so we’ll see how he feels tonight.”

The team is very much aware of Varejao’s injury history and wants to make sure that they even limit the bumps and bruises where possible. Rookie center Tyler Zeller will likely start in Varejao’s place in the event he remains inactive. Zeller, now playing without a protective mask, finished with 20 points and three rebounds in his first taste of starting in the NBA.

“I thought [Tyler] played well,” said Scott. “He played a physical brand of basketball and was aggressive on both ends of the floor. I thought he did some of the things that we had talked about prior to the game — he took those words to heart.”

The Cavaliers also called up power forward Jon Leuer from the NBDL in order to provide additional depth.

[Related: Cavaliers Film Room: Tristan Thompson’s Offense]

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The two faces of Tyler Zeller

December 20, 2012 by 1 Comment

He lost the mask. He joined the starting five. He put up a career-best 20 points, providing a flurry mid-range jump shots, right-handed hooks, and the occasional slash to the rim. Tyler Zeller, at least for one night, looked like an NBA-caliber center in what was just his 23rd professional contest — his first as a starter.

Most importantly:  He was comfortable.

[Read more...]

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