Dion Waiters Will Save You, Cleveland 2012-08-14 Off By Colin McGowan Sort of. There’s a profile of him in Dime Magazine. Click on over to check that out. Cavs sign Michael Eric? Link to the Present: August 16
Garnett was pretty weak in the first half of the abbreviated season, but he was a monster in the second half and the playoffs. He’s also the leader of that team and brings intensity every game. (not that Andy doesn’t or isn’t).
Garnett’s efficiency rating was less than 2 points higher Andy’s last season, and at 36, he simply has to be on the decline now, right? Of course, that doesn’t change how well he’s maintained his level of play, especially in the playoffs. I’m basically betting that next season will be the beginning of the end for Garnett. I could be wrong, he could still be elite another year, but he has to fall off at some point. Simply because of his relative youth, I think Varejao is a safer bet next season, even though Garnett was better last season. As… Read more »
After reading this feel good story, it’s obvious that DW is the real deal. Almost as obvious is how Byron Scott’s comparison of Michael Eric to Ibaka diminishes the importance of discussing Varejao’s value. Don’t get me wrong, I think the Cavs are going in the right direction. After reading an article at hoopsworld about the Western Conference I am despondent over the realization of just how many WC teams are way better than what the Cavs currently are. There might be two or three teams that will not make the playoffs that could be five or six seeds in… Read more »
You had me until you said you’d take him over Bosh and Garnett. Garnett was the 2nd best center in the league last year, and an absolute beast in the playoffs.
I don’t think I emphasized this as much as I meant to, so i’ll make it clear now…there are several big men better than or as good as Andy, but surprisingly few of them will be on teams competing for playoff spots in the east.
Varejao was 4th in the NBA in rebounds last year, 1st in offensive rebounds, and is of course an elite defensive player. 51% from the field and 11 ppg aren’t great numbers, but if he were an offensive beast too he would be the best center in the league. Furthermore, I don’t particularly like the idea of having a big man as a main offensive option. In particular, if i had to choose between efficiency and volume, i’d choose efficiency all the way here. I don’t think anyone would disagree that having a strong defensive center and a gifted offensive… Read more »
Andy is best “hedging” big man in the league. Agree, Hoopsdogg! Totally joneseing for some hoops too…
Yes the sample sizes are very small for both of us. As for Intimidating post D, it’s really not nearly as important as it used to be, as there’s just not that many true post up centers any more. I’d wager that most coaches would much rather have a Varajao than “pure post defender,” of which only Bogut and Kendrik Perkins come to mind. Varajao is a swiss army knife on defense. He can help and recover, he can trap, he can switch, he can guard the high post and the low post, block a shot or two, slide over… Read more »
Hoops Dog, I was looking at Bogut’s career moreso than the 12 games he played last year. Career wise his stats are better and he’s known as a very good defender who has the size/strength to match up with true centers, where as andy has the footwork to show better on screens. Same could be said for Chandler and to some extent Hibbert (being able to anchor down low, not being a consistently great defender). Intimidating post D in my opinion is more important than perimeter defense, as Miami is the last team in 13+ years without a legitimately intimidating… Read more »
Anyway, I’m basing these on last years numbers, when Andy was playing the best ball of his career before he got hurt.
Yeah. I do watch the games. Hibbert is great when he tries, but he sleepwalks a lot of his games, and his numbers prove it. Also, he’s not nearly the rebounder he should be. Chandler is a very good defensive player, and is a better vertical finisher, but Andy is better off the short drive, a better passer, a better rebounder, better at getting steals, and I’d wager a better mid range shooter. As for Gasol, I didn’t say Andy was better, I said that they were on the same level. Look at the numbers: PER almost identical. Andy is… Read more »
Seriosuly – Hibbert and Chandler a wash and Gasol not as good as Andy? Do we all watch the same games? I love Andy, but I want to drink some of the kool-aid all these “homers” are drinking.
*blocks cavstheblog comments for 5 days so as not to suffer a brain aneurysm*
Matt: ANDREW BOGUT? And his 14.92 PER to Andy’s 18.93 last year? Also, Tiago Splitter had a better regular season PER, but was AWFUL in the playoffs, and a big reason SA lost to OKC. I’d take Andy over Splitter any day, and I’m betting Pop would too. Demarcus Cousins is a wash, because what you get with Cousins on offense, you lose on defense. Hibbert’s also a wash. For 7’2″, he’s not the rebounder Andy is. Marc Gasol’s very good, but his numbers aren’t any better than Andy’s. I like Gortat a lot, but he’s probably on par with… Read more »
Chandler is a whole lot less versatile than Andy on offense, and after seeing the olympics, i’m not convinced he’s any better than Andy on defense either. Bogut, again, is much more limited than Andy on offense and is no better defensively. Gasol is a PF, not a center. Cousins is much better than Andy offensively, but much worse defensively. He also plays for the Kings. He’s one of the players in the “he’ll be better than Andy in a few years” category for me. You got me with Gortat…he’s probably better than Andy overall, but he plays for a… Read more »
Matt took the words right out of my mouth. Except for the part about Daniel Gibson being a difference-maker. If he ends up being that way, great, but I’d be fine with 40% from 3-pt and 8 ppg. He’s been injured too frequently and has no size to speak of. I would rather have 1 solid SF rather than 5 below-average guys. Let’s face it, Gee, Azibuke, Miles, etc are not going to be starters for at least 80% of the teams out there. That says something. There is a reason Gee may be stuck with the tender offer and… Read more »
Matt, if Boobie is playing next to Irving and Dion, may god help us, as Dion would have to gaurd 3’s, and Kyrie 2’s in that scenario, not good. Haha but I know what you mean, he should put up better shooting numbers next year now that he’ll hopefully be ball handling less, but its not like we didn’t play ramon a lot while we had him last year and boobie still wasn’t blowing anyone away then either. He is what he is, a good pg defender who can hit open jump shots and 3s and is bad at most… Read more »
With all due respect Matt…the stand-in-corner-jack-up-open-threes version of Daniel Gibson really hasn’t been seen since his rookie year- even with Lebron on his team. That’s because teams figured out how to play him- get in his face and dare him to drive, because he can’t finish at the hoop.
What you’re left with is an undersized SG who can’t create his own shot. His value is quite limited.
Nathan, Chandler is not even close to a maybe, and Love is as much a center as andy, and certainly better. Then there are guys like Roy Hibbert, Pau Gasol, Demarcus Cousins, Marcin Gortat, Andrew Bogut and Tiago Splitter who all have very good cases to be made to be better players than Andy this year. Andy does have a lot of hustle and intangibles, but a lot of the guys listed above have intangibles too, and a lot of them just put up a whole lot better tangible stuff as well. I like Andy, and think he’s clearly an… Read more »
I find it hard to believe that nobody is mentioning a dude named Daniel Gibson, who’s shooting numbers will flourish playing next to two above average ball handlers (Kyrie, Dion). He can finally go back to that stand-in-corner-and-jack-up-open-threes guy we saw a few years back when a certain gold medallist was a part of the team.
Who are all these centers you consider superior to Andy? I see Howard and Bynum, and after them, who? Chandler maybe? I would honestly take Andy over any center in the league outside of Howard and Bynum (although there are some young guys who will probably be better than Andy in a few years). Zeller has low upside, as we’ve all been told repeatedly, but he should be able to come in and produce as well as any other backup center right away. If Tristan and Leuer both have good (significant improvement) second years, I think the Cavs will be… Read more »
Nathan must be the most positive Cavs fan out there. I thought I was pretty positive, but if half of his predictions are correct, that would be wonderful. Andy and Zeller being among the best center rotations is a stretch unless Zeller gets very good very quickly, considering I don’t think many would count Andy as a top-5 or even top-10 center in the NBA, realistically. Andy would be a great PF for a team with a bunch of shooters at the 1-3. I don’t know how many other teams would consider Andy a center – he always played PF… Read more »
I should of said “best young starting backcourt” … wasn’t thinking about Harden because he’s been coming off the bench, but yeah he’ll be much better than Waiters next year by any reasonable expectation. My 5th player was Jon Leuer, who had a 15.3 PER in 12 minutes per game last season (he admittedly might not break the 20 minute per game barrier I set next year). My point really was that no team outside of Oklahoma has ever experienced a youth movement comparable to this. And on top of that, we have Andy manning the middle. On the topic… Read more »
Nathan, with Dion waiters never playing a game in the NBA, it is way way too soon. I think OKC might, just might have us beat with Westbrook and Harden at this point, and washington and a few others might also have a case to make. TT, Kyrie, Zeller, and Dion are 4 players in 1st and second year with the potential to have 15+ PERs, who is the 5th? None that will get 20+ minutes.
I also doubt all 4 of those guys will post 15+ per (here’s looking at your 13.3 Thompson!)
Dion from sp the cave cool
Good article. Kyrie and Dion both need to get (and stay) healthy, and next season should be a lot of fun.
I’m rooting for this kid. I wish dopes like Terry Pluto et al wouldn’t have already soured the fans on the kid…
Is it too soon to say the Cavs have the best young backcourt in the NBA?
The Cavs could have 5 first and second year players getting 20+ minutes per game and all with above-average PER’s. Has that ever happened before?