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The Week that Was for the Wine & Gold – 2-25-08
The Cavaliers have been at the forefront of the public eye during the last seven days
I stand – well, sit and type - corrected. Danny Ferry proved he had the brass and the brilliance to pull off a trade that seems to surge the Cavs to the top of the Eastern Conference.
A week ago, Cleveland appeared primed to make their run in the postseason with the same team fans watched shock the world throughout the playoffs last spring. Not the ideal situation for the majority - most notably LeBron James - but the right pieces were not there to pull off an exchange. The likes of Jason Kidd, Mike Bibby, Pau Gasol, and Shaquille O’Neal swapped jerseys, and the Cavs, James and Cleveland fans hung their heads as playoff hopefuls zoomed into challengers to the NBA crown.
That was until Ferry made possibly the most impressive, yet risky, blockbuster deal in Cavalier history, bringing in newcomers Wally Szczerbiak, Ben Wallace, Delonte West, and Joe Smith. What was given up was the detached and oft-injured Larry Hughes, the inconsistent Drew Gooden and a handful of players that really only played because they were able (use the term loosely) bodies.
Everyone has heard about the trade, and most agree that it was a smart move. Hopefully it will translate into a better team.
When the deal is broken down, the two components that were lost – Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden – don’t stack up to what was obtained in return. Szczerbiak will bring a more dependable three-point shot than what Hughes had to offer and West is more of a true point guard. Face it, Hughes just wasn’t happy in Cleveland and never got acclimated to his teammates, the game plan and most importantly, playing alongside LeBron. Gooden is terribly inconsistent, and Varejao, when healthy, was playing in his place late in games. Big Ben is a force inside and will keep Big Z fresh by taking some of the burden off of him. Smith averages as many points per game as Gooden in ten less minutes per contest.
The biggest constant with these players, is they compliment LeBron well and should keep him happy. West will distribute to him, Wally will hit the open shot when opponents’ defenses focuses on James, Smith will rebound and hit mid-range jumpers, and Wallace is the low post presence that intimidates players from driving to the hole.
Probably the most impressive moment from the past week, included the Cavs’ win against the Wizards Friday night. Six of the regulars, including Dwayne Jones (a stretch to consider “everyday”) and two Developmental League players battled through and won 90-89. The team was reenergized with the promise that a retooled team awaited.
What followed Sunday was a 109-89 beat down against Memphis in the newcomers’ debut. Despite the fact Memphis has only 14 wins, this was without a doubt a great win for this team. The team came out of the gate hot and never looked back, playing as a cohesive unit.
Hopefully, they build on Sunday’s win. Last week’s team could win with its current makeup, but with a drastic upgrade, they look to have an even better knack for earning a W.
What was the most eventful week the Wine & Gold have had during this up-and-down campaign could prove to be one of the most significant in team history.
The Cavaliers’ Second Half Outlook – 2-18-08
The All Star Game is over and it’s all down hill from here
Mike Bibby is in Atlanta. Jason Kidd is reportedly heading back to Dallas. Merely ten days ago Cavs Chatter addressed the ongoing speculation that one of those two would wind up manning the point for Cleveland. It didn’t happen – and rightfully so.
Cavs fans, skeptics and the King himself have come out pleading for more help. “If we can get better, you want to be in that position. This is nothing to do with any of my teammates I have in my locker room. They know I’d never disrespect their games. But as a competitor, if we can get better before Thursday (the trade deadline), hopefully we can.”
In a perfect world, some sucker out there would take a few of our inflated contracts for a quality point guard and some help down low. If this was going to happen, it would have, and more than likely, there will be no deal altogether.
This may be a blessing in disguise. What teams have been asking for – Daniel Gibson and Drew Gooden – aren’t the pieces the Cavs are, and shouldn’t be, willing to part with - Gibson especially. His MVP performance in the Rookie-Sophomore game, scoring 33 points on 11 three-pointers, proves his value.
The Cavs are currently the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference that isn’t entirely much better than it was last season. The Celtics are better, but the Heat and Bulls have completely fallen off. And the Pistons are on a tear, but Cleveland proved they can bang with them last spring.
Their fourth seed status is really attributed to how much this team has grown and improved. At 29-23, have they played a single game with their entire core of players? If this team can get healthy again at the right time, this is a roster that can formulate a tested and hungry rotation.
The starting five will stay the same with James, Gooden, Ira Newble, Zydrunas Ilgauskus, and Larry Hughes. Hughes is key with the starters. He is playing his best ball since joining the club and will win over many disgruntled fans if he continues to play quality ball.
Gibson is the three-point shooter of the bench that Donyell Marshall was supposed to be. Marshall can give 15 quality minutes of the bench to rest the big men. Damon Jones and Devin Brown have been two consistent forces off the bench. Dwayne Jones and Cedric Simmons have emerged as options that hopefully won’t need to be tapped too much longer with Anderson Varejao nursing an ankle sprain. Eric Snow brings experience, moxie and quality defense, and it would be nice to see him in the mix. By playoff time, Sasha Pavlovic will be a bonus.
That totals 13 guys who have been in the mix when others have been hurt, out of the equation or holding out. Not to mention, this is the same group that made the run to the NBA finals. On the basketball court, continuity and chemistry is what works best – look at the San Antonio Spurs. Jason Kidd would fit right in, but would sacrificing three or four players already in the core shake everything up too much?
It doesn’t really matter because both Bibby and Kidd are off the market, leaving the Cavs strapped in with the group they have – love em’ or hate em’. Hopefully the break rested some players and Varejao will come back with the energy that boosted them when he returned in the fall. Cleveland needs everyone healthy, happy and filling their role for the stretch run, because frankly, LeBron can’t do it alone.
Cavaliers Trade Talks – 2-7-08
Should the Cavs make a move for the likes of Mike Bibby or Jason Kidd?
The Cavaliers need to take a long look at the shocking deal that was made this week in the NBA. For those living under a rock, the Phoenix Suns – the best team in the league - traded Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to the lowly Miami Heat for, believe it, Shaquille O’Neal. The Suns have been close to getting over the hump in recent years. They are notorious for running up and down the court and playing at a rapid pace.
Shaq doesn’t seem to fit into the Suns’ scheme. Slowed by a hip injury the last two weeks, Shaq has not been the dominant big man that he once was.
With that said, he does bring experience and another force down low that could help the Suns win that elusive championship.
But on the flip side, the Suns had to part with one of the most versatile and best all-around players in the league in Marion. In one season, he was in the top 20 in the NBA in points, rebounds, steals, blocks, field goal percentage, and minutes. That’s impressive.
Getting to the point, the Cavs should be very wary of making a trade in an attempt for that run this year much like Phoenix. Shaq is certainly on the downside of his career and may not have much left. They gave up a fabulous player to get him, and it may come back to haunt them in the future.
The same could happen to Cleveland. Every trade scenario surfacing seems to include Daniel Gibson, Drew Gooden or both. Jason Kidd and Mike Bibby would fill the void for a true point guard and would make the Cavs immediate favorites in the East. But to give up an emerging perimeter player and a solid post player for a player with a huge contract that may be also experiencing the downside of their career, my not be the best option. Don’t confuse the statement – Kidd or Biddy should be welcomed into Cleveland with open arms if the right situation presents itself. But giving up too much for the future should not be an option. Unfortunately, Larry Hughes, Eric Snow and Donyell Marshall have not graced the trade wire.
Remember, Cleveland made their run with Hughes and Sasha Pavlovic playing terrific ball from the backcourt. Gibson has improved his play, and Ira Newble and Damon Jones have provided productive minutes of late. This team, when healthy, can still make some noise.
The bottom line: There are already a lot of inflated contracts on this squad and to add another by loosing promising talent is not the long-term answer. The question is: What is the organization willing to give up for the future for a better chance at a championship now?
We’ll know the answer to this question in a few weeks.