Another day closer to the beginning of Baron Davis’ time in Cleveland. I figure this is as good a time as any to talk about the Cavs’ rebuilding plan.
Some quick draft thoughts, which should absolutely be taken with a grain of salt since I don’t really watch college basketball:
- I figure that if the Cavs have a chance to draft Irving, they should do it. He projects as an above-average NBA point guard, and everyone else in the top five is a massive question mark. “Intriguing” forwards will break your heart with stunning regularity, and a power forward’s first job is to be a defensive lynchpin. Sullinger is probably the guy the Cavs will go with if Irving is off the board, and I’m fine with that, although I wonder if he can show on pick-and-rolls hard enough or hit enough jumpers to succeed at the NBA level.
- With the second lottery pick, I like Barnes. He’s inconsistent, but he has more talent than anybody else in that range, and he’ll give the Cavs a much-needed scoring punch. Also, the Cavs currently have a starting SF controversy, and Alonzo Gee is involved.
- This is how I’ve talked myself into the Baron trade: I would take Jimmer Fredette over Mo Williams tomorrow. Mo has proven that his only elite NBA skill is spot-up three-point shooting and his only other passable NBA skill is playmaking. Jimmer will likely go several picks after the Cavs’ pick. As for the money, it’s not my money, and no top free agents are coming to Cleveland anyways.
That’s all I really have on that. Onto the grander rebuilding plan. I think there are three general team-building plans with current NBA models. Here they are:
Model #1: The Miami/New York model
The idea here is to use cap space and the allure of a big market and/or a great climate to lure superstar free agents and become an instant contender. This will not happen in Cleveland unless the Cavs turn their trade exception into downtown Hong Kong.
Model #2: The Oklahoma City Model
Draft a transcendent scorer, keep him from being too good in his first two years, use high draft picks to draft another great offensive player and a solid supporting player, activate transcendent scorer in his third year and unleash his fury upon the league. Fill the rest of the team with solid role players and character guys. Be successful as both a great defensive team with decent offense and a great offensive team with decent defense in consecutive years for no apparent reason. A good model, but it’s tough to bank on hitting two absolute home runs in the span of a couple years.
Model #3: The Chicago Model
My favorite one. Derrick Rose is a great player, but let’s be honest, he’s no LeBron or Dwight Howard. You can’t plug him into any lineup in the league and guarantee at least 50 wins. Chicago’s success is all about the defensive system.
Get a player who can create shots and run an offense, get a guy with a real defensive vision, and find players who are going to fit into that defensive system. Chicago doesn’t need top-level talents to put around their superstar, just guys like Ronnie Brewer and Taj Gibson. Compare the amount of talent the Bulls have needed to become contenders to the amount of talent the Suns needed to become contenders. Kinda crazy, huh? There is no way the Cavs are going to become relevant again unless they are more than the sum of their parts. One unit, one system, focused on defense, with every player having a part in that system. If that happens, this team won’t need to wait for the next LeBron or Durant/Westbrook to become competitive again.
I disagree a bit on the Rose thing that he couldn’t be plugged into a team and win 50 games. He is practically doing that with the Bulls this year and they didnt have their main cogs for most of the season. Stick him on the Knicks they would be unstoppable, ditto for Magic, Celtics and even the Heat. I think it was Lebron’s 2nd or 3rd yr the Cavs won just over 40 games then blew up to 50 wins and beyond. I think Rose is going in the same direction. Especially with Thibodeau running the show and bringing that D to Chicago, the Bulls will be contenders for quite awhile unless Rose pulls the dick move to join another team hahaha
Rose is a great player, but I think he is incredibly overrated rate now. He has improved his biggest weakness, his shooting, but he still turns the ball over too much, doesn’t really set up his teammates like other point guards and isn’t a real defensive stopper. His play is more similar to early DWade right now than DWill. Or course, I am judging by Superstar standards and MVP consideration. I don’t think he really falls under either of them yet. There was a reason that Westbrook got way more burn for Team USA and it isn’t because he and Durant or pals.
As far as the Cavs are concerned, yes, option number 3 is the most likely, and unfortunately the least likely to produce an actual champion opposed to just a decent playoff team. Either way, having a decent playoff team would be lovely to have right now and in retrospect, all we had with LeBron. The key here is the defensive minded coach which makes me want to punch myself in the face yet again when I think about how Mike Brown is no longer our guy. Maybe Byron can get a young wiz defensive assistant, but I really just don’t see us a being a truly smart defensive team with Scott in charge. I hope I am wrong, and to his credit, he has had very good defensive squads in the past.
I am all for Sullinger. He is a really solid player, has a 7’4″ wingspan, has an improving outside shot and his rebounding will translate to the NBA. He will be anywhere between a good quality starter to making a couple All-Star games. We would have to be content with that. This is where I will sound like the OSU grad that I am, but I also would really like to pry Oden from the Blazers as I still have hope that he can overcome his injuries. Despite what it may seem like because of his missed time, he has actually been a top center in the NBA when he has played. Having him, Sullinger, and Andy on our frontline would make me defensively happy. Obviously, I wouldn’t want to offer a stupid amount of money, but we might be able to get him for less (or more) than he will ultimately be worth.
As Hick doesn’t seem to be able to play with a real center, and Sessions can’t defend, I don’t think either of them, despite their talent in certain areas, are good enough to be starters on a really good team. (obvious caveat being Hickson started last year, but the situation was, um,, yes, slightly different) Love Ramon as a 20 minute a game backup and firestarter, but that is about it. We can use Hick when we go small, or trade him to a team that would use him as a center and get something decent in return. I just fear that if you have Hickson playing his best ball, which is clearly around the hoop, that indicates that you are undersized and ultimately not a great team. Schade.
Quick note: Thibodeau is clearly the coach of the year, but maybe it would be better for his ultimate fate if he didn’t win it..ha.
Not super high on Jimmer. Saw the last few minutes of SDSU game and it was turnovers or terrible shots. This wasn’t garbage time as they were trying to push SDSU out of the game. His game seems to be all attacking offense and the Cavs already have a few of those. Hopefully that small snapshot I saw of him was the anomaly.
Maybe Sullinger can be similar to a Kevin Love in the NBA.
Option 3 takes time and the Bulls aren’t done with it yet. Well unless the new CBA makes teambuilding near impossible. This is the only option available to Cleveland right now. But I don’t believe all the press that small cities can’t compete. If you put a good product out there, players will go to the best situation available. Only a few top names cause big stirs like Lebron and Melo. Those guys are the exception.
HEY YOU FUCKIN CAVS FAN, YALL HAVENT WON A GAME IN ABOUT A MONTH. IM FAT AND HORNY.JOHN KROLIK IM SO HORNY FOR YOU!!!!!!!
MIAMI HEATERS SMASHED YOUR CLEVELAND ASSES!!!! HAHAHHAHAHA IM SO FAT
John- You’re right on with the Chicago model. It’s a bit like what Gilbert mentioned when he uses the Pistons example. They won a title (and barely missed a 2nd) with a team approach – a small group of very good players and a strong set of role players. No MVP or superstar, but 3 at all-star level.
As for draft, the issue I have with Sullinger is that he’s not particularly explosive. I think he’ll become a good shooter – his form is excellent. I don’t like how he finishes at the rim – he might have trouble with NBA athletes there. I see him as an Al Horford, Bogut or Kevin Love….really good but not dominant.
You know the season has gone downhill because I’m looking up european players.
Jonas Valanciunas looks like a european sullinger. I’m intrigued. He’s apparently an American style, european big man. He’s 6’10″, 230 lbs and turns 19 in May.
In 21 minutes per game (17 games) in the Lithuanian league he averaged 12.3 ppg and 8.2 rpg on 65% fg and 85% ft. That’s pretty solid.
Even better is that his team is the second best team in the Lithuanian league, so they also play in Euroleague. This should represent solid competition. In 15 minutes per game (16 games) of Euroleague play, he’s average 7.7 ppg and 5.8 rpg on 71% fg and 89% ft.
Those are pretty solid per minute averages and pretty efficient scoring for an 18 year old that plays in Europe’s top league.
ESPN has him rated as the 8th rated player in the draft right now. If the Cavs don’t draft Sullinger with their pick and ended up with Valanciunas with the Clippers pick, that probably isn’t a bad scenario with the 7th or 8th pick,