The Point Four-ward: Got Them Benchwarmin’ Blues

Four points I’m thinking about the Cleveland Cavaliers…

1.) The Cavs didn’t just re-sign a cult hero when they inked guard Matthew Dellavedova to a  one-year $1.2 million deal, they created the type of depth and flexibility in their backcourt that the team never really had last season.

When the Cavs decided to trade Dion Waiters for key pickups Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith last January, they found themselves down one reliable ball handler. Then, when they decided to sign aging big man Kendrick Perkins rather than a third point guard they doubled down on the fact that they’d be okay with just two point guards on the roster — Dellavedova backing up starter Kyrie Irving — because their primary ball handler was and would continue to be LeBron James.

So, when Irving was hobbled in (and later out of) the playoffs, the Cavs just didn’t have enough facilitators to take pressure off of James. Dellavedova showed that he could play championship caliber defense, but the increased pressure to be a factor on offense finally took its toll on the Aussie point man.

Assuming the team is able to come to terms with Smith, Dellavedova will be rejoining a much deeper and more flexible backcourt unit than the one he was part of in Game 6 of the Finals. Recent additions Mo Williams and Richard Jefferson will combine with James, Irving, Shumpert, Smith and Dellavedova to give head coach David Blatt a good mix of veterans and youth, scorers and defenders, facilitators and catch-and-shoot specialists that should help see the Cavaliers through a season full of bumps and bruises, of slumps and two-week Miami vacations.

2.) Over the weekend, the Cavs re-upped with another member of their postseason rotation, signing James Jones to a one-year veteran minimum deal for $1.45 million. The Freaking One became the Cavs back-up stretch four last season and saw his minutes increase to 15.6 a game after Kevin Love was injured in the Cavs first round playoff series against the Boston Celtics. Known for his long distance shooting and steadying locker room presence, Jones got the call from Blatt after fellow former floor-stretcher Mike Miller proved ineffective.

While Jones likely won’t be relied on as regularly this coming season as he was last year, his signing could prove to be important down the line. Unlike Perkins, Miller and Shawn Marion, who all occupied the bench’s final spots last season, having Jones near the end of your bench is a real asset. He’s a player who has already gained the trust of both the coaching staff and of James. He has also proven time and again throughout his career that he is capable of stepping in cold and nailing shots.

Jones shot 36% from three point range last season. His deal reportedly includes a no trade clause.

3.) There is a growing sense around the league that the Cavs might be ready to finally bring over 2008 second round pick Sasha Kaun.

While the team is in no hurry to make a decision, Kaun, a 6-10 center who has played professionally for Euroleague power CSKA Moscow for the past six seasons, has emerged as a real option for the Cavs for either the minimum or a part of their remaining tax payer exception.

It’s not that Kaun’s development has suddenly shot forward — he’s been a solid center for Moscow, averaging 9.9 points and 4.5 rebounds and around one block — but the Cavs wouldn’t be looking for the former Kansas Jayhawk to come in and make waves. He’d be slotted in as the Cavs fifth big behind Love, Timofey Mozgov, Tristan Thompson and Anderson Varejao.

The real winners of importing Kaun, though, might be the fine folks at The Brew Garden who would then have their choice of Cavs Russian centers for future TV spots.

Watching highlights of Kaun’s play in Russia, you see a player who is effective playing the pick and roll. But you also see a guy who gets a lot of his highlight makes on dump-offs where there isn’t a defender to be seen. Kaun does seem mobile, though, and seems to play hard. If you’re looking at Kaun’s glass as half full, then maybe he’s a late-blooming NBA back-up big man. At age 30, he should be at or around his peak, so it doesn’t hurt the Cavs to see what they might have in him, assuming they believe he’s an upgrade over the crop of domestic bigs they could get for a similarly low price.

Kaun played for Blatt as a member of the 2012 Russian National Team that won the bronze medal.

4.) The Cavs current roster (including the probably re-signings of both Thompson and Smith) sits at 13: James, Irving, Shumpert, Love, Mozogov, Williams, Smith, Jefferson, Thompson, Varejao, Dellavedova, Jones and Joe Harris. If the Cavs really want to keep their payroll down, they could stand pat. They don’t have to carry the league-maximum 15 players on their roster.

They could also choose to sign their second round pick Sir’Dominic Pointer, Kaun and/or cheap veteran cast-offs from their or another team’s training camp.

If Pointer is one of the final cuts of camp, the Cavs have the option of transferring his rights directly to their D-League affiliate, the Canton Charge. This way, the team can help guide Pointer’s development without his deal adding to an already expensive big league payroll.

The most likely scenario has Kaun coming stateside, while the Cavs use their final roster spot, a.k.a. the Ray Allen memorial open roster spot, to give them as much flexibility as possible heading into the season.