The Cavaliers just completed their West Coast trip going an impressive 3-1. After their beatdown versus the Lakers, the Cavaliers beat Portland, Golden State, and Utah. While Golden State has a 13-31 record, Portland is 25-17, and Utah is 25-19. The Cavs stepped up in each of these wins, and they really fought hard. While I won't spend time going through each individual game, I will just write some observations from what I have seen from this West Coast trip.
-The Cavs need another bigman. The Lakers really exposed us, as they used Bynum and Gasol to pound us down low. Even with Z, we need another long body (Camby) to rebound and defend. We were outrebounded by 3, this might not seem like a lot, but the Cavs have a +3 rebound differential for the season thus far. Bynum, Gasol, and Odom combined for 44 points, and 28 rebounds. Compare that with Ben Wallace, AV, and Hickson (24 points, 22 rebounds), the Cavs need some interior help. We need someone with height, at least 6'10, to match up with these guys. When you have 2 guys who are near 7'0, with legitimate post skills, your going to have problems. LeBron also seemed to have trouble going and finishing at the basket. This is because when you have two 7'0 not backing down from you in the post, its going to be hard to score.
-Sasha played solidly on this trip. I thought this day would never come, but I can say that Sasha did have some good/ok games. I admit, I did lose the bet when I said he would score less than 10 points versus the Lakers, he had 12. Since he has been in the starting lineup, he is averaging 11.6 ppg, 4.4 rebounds, and 3 assists. During this road trip, he averaged 9.7 ppg, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. He played solid defense on Brandon Roy, and Kobe Bryant (in the first half). He did not got overly torched by either of these guys as they scored 20 and 23 points respectively. I am not sure what has happened to Sasha, he seems to have his head in the game, he is playing good defense, he isn't forcing his shot, and he is playing under control. He is putting up numbers very similar to Delonte West (Delonte was scoring 12.3 ppg, and dishing out 3.5 assists a game), and if he continues his production, the Cavs will continue to play well, and his trade value will increase. For those of you who don't now, Sasha's contract is basically an expiring one, in that his contract next year is only guaranteed for $1,000,000. I don't see him getting traded, unless we get a shooting guard in return.
-LeBron James continues his great play. He was one assist short of a triple double tonight, and he has carried this team throughout this trip. He has averaged 30.5 ppg, 8.7 assists, and 8.7 rebounds. Thats Oscar Robertson-esque. He hit the buzzer beater versus Golden State, he had amazing dunks versus Utah, and he moved the ball well in Portland, collecting 14 assists. He played pretty solid defense, as he had 9 steals on the trip. If he is not the MVP this year, I don't know who is....
-JJ Hickson is slowly developing. He had a very good game tonight versus Utah as he had 8 points and 4 rebounds in 22 min. He pump faked Paul Milsap badly for an and-one. For the trip he has 8.5 ppg, 3.7 rebounds in an average of 16.5 minutes a game. For being 20 years old, he has shown improvement. His footwork has improved, and he seems to be hustling more. Also, he is paying more attention on the defensive end, as 3 blocks on the trip. He is only going to get better.
-Mo Williams is the man. This guy has been such a great addition to this squad. He averaged 22 ppg, and 4.5 assists during the trip. He hit a huge 3 pointer versus Golden State, he had a 33 point explosion versus Portland, and he played a great game tonight versus Utah, scoring 25 points and 4 assists. His shooting has been great, as he is able to hit open shots anywhere on the floor. This is what the Cavs really missed last year. Also, Mo is able to initiate the offense when LeBron is off the floor, and he can finish at the hoop. He has been one of the main keys to our success, and he is developing into 2nd option LeBron has sorely missed for years. To think that we got this guy for Damon Jones and Joe Smith is just great.....
Well this just about does it for my observations from this trip. It really was great to get 3 road victories on the West coast, especially on back to back nights (Golden State and Utah). With Zydrunas coming back this Tuesday versus Sacramento, the Cavs should be getting the much needed boost downlow. Having a big body like him back will do wonders for our rebounding and midrange shooting. I know I have been writing a lot about the Cavs, there hasn't been a lot going on with the Indians, and the Browns are in limbo with their GM. Until next time, thanks and go Cleveland!
-Raz
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Ouch, That Hurt!
That was a rough game to watch. The Cavs fell to the Los Angeles Lakers tonight by a score of 105-88. The Cavs really missed Z's size downlow as Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and Trevor Ariza combined to score 54 of the 108 points. Bynum and Gasol seemed unchallenged downlow, and they seemed to score at ease. Its not that they played more physical that the Cavs, its that their used their length to their advantage and they were able to get shots over us really easily. This is also relates to my point that the Cavs need another bigman/swingman to be able to add length to this squad. We need someone who can pick up points downlow, but at the same time match up with taller post players.
-Sasha for some crazy reason decided to play good this game as he chimed in with 12 points and 3 assists. I don't know how he did this, but he was hitting his shots, and he played solid defense on Kobe (Kobe only scored 20 points but he did have a dislocated finger).
-Mo Williams did ok with 16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, but he had 5 turnovers. The Cavs need to keep the ball in his hands to initiate the offense, and not hand the ball off to Lebron every time. We need to run our offense through him, this allows LeBron to run off screens, and post up.
-While JJ Hickson couldn't stop Gasol or Bynum, he did add 11 points (5-5 FT) , 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks. He will continue to have a lot of bumps in the road, but he will slowly grow into a solid player.
-LeBron just struggled to find rhythm in this game, and this is because Gasol and Bynum were waiting for him downlow every time he drove. There were a couple non-calls, but that is no excuse for his performance. He needs to constantly drive to the hoop and not settle for jumpers. He has an awkward shooting form in my opinion, and his shot selection can be very questionable at times. He isn't 6-8 270 lbs. for no reason....
Well the Cavs really could've used Delonte's solid shooting, and defense on Sasha Vujacic (he scored 14 points on 4-5 3pt shooting). I still think even when this team is completely healthy, they still cannot beat this Lakers team in a 7 game series. They have shooting in Derek Fischer, Vladamir Radmonovic, Vujacic, and Kobe. They have low post players with Bynum, Mihm, and Gasol. They have good swingmen with size in Ariza, Radmonovic, and Odom. They have a great slasher and scorer in Kobe, and they have a good backup PG in Jordan Farmar. This team is is 9 players deep, and they will be hard to beat. This game shouldn't be a barometer for the Cavs due to the injuries of 2 of their starters, but they should know that they need length and presence in the post if they want any chance to win the NBA title (You cannot depend on JJ Hickson in the post come playoff time). Even if its not the Lakers, the Magic have length in Hedo Turkgolu, Rashard Lewis, and Dwight Howard, Boston has Garnett, and Perkins, San Antonio has Tim Duncan, New Orleans has David West and Tyson Chandler, Houston has Yao, Carl Landry, and Luis Scola, Phoenix has Shaq and Amare. The Lakers have everything needed to win a title, and they do boast the tallest starting lineup in the NBA. Remember when the Cavs made the NBA Finals in 2007? They had the tallest starting lineup in the NBA at that time......
-Raz
-Sasha for some crazy reason decided to play good this game as he chimed in with 12 points and 3 assists. I don't know how he did this, but he was hitting his shots, and he played solid defense on Kobe (Kobe only scored 20 points but he did have a dislocated finger).
-Mo Williams did ok with 16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, but he had 5 turnovers. The Cavs need to keep the ball in his hands to initiate the offense, and not hand the ball off to Lebron every time. We need to run our offense through him, this allows LeBron to run off screens, and post up.
-While JJ Hickson couldn't stop Gasol or Bynum, he did add 11 points (5-5 FT) , 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks. He will continue to have a lot of bumps in the road, but he will slowly grow into a solid player.
-LeBron just struggled to find rhythm in this game, and this is because Gasol and Bynum were waiting for him downlow every time he drove. There were a couple non-calls, but that is no excuse for his performance. He needs to constantly drive to the hoop and not settle for jumpers. He has an awkward shooting form in my opinion, and his shot selection can be very questionable at times. He isn't 6-8 270 lbs. for no reason....
Well the Cavs really could've used Delonte's solid shooting, and defense on Sasha Vujacic (he scored 14 points on 4-5 3pt shooting). I still think even when this team is completely healthy, they still cannot beat this Lakers team in a 7 game series. They have shooting in Derek Fischer, Vladamir Radmonovic, Vujacic, and Kobe. They have low post players with Bynum, Mihm, and Gasol. They have good swingmen with size in Ariza, Radmonovic, and Odom. They have a great slasher and scorer in Kobe, and they have a good backup PG in Jordan Farmar. This team is is 9 players deep, and they will be hard to beat. This game shouldn't be a barometer for the Cavs due to the injuries of 2 of their starters, but they should know that they need length and presence in the post if they want any chance to win the NBA title (You cannot depend on JJ Hickson in the post come playoff time). Even if its not the Lakers, the Magic have length in Hedo Turkgolu, Rashard Lewis, and Dwight Howard, Boston has Garnett, and Perkins, San Antonio has Tim Duncan, New Orleans has David West and Tyson Chandler, Houston has Yao, Carl Landry, and Luis Scola, Phoenix has Shaq and Amare. The Lakers have everything needed to win a title, and they do boast the tallest starting lineup in the NBA. Remember when the Cavs made the NBA Finals in 2007? They had the tallest starting lineup in the NBA at that time......
-Raz
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Brother Red
As most of you know by now, Delonte West is out for about 6 weeks with a fractured wrist. Don't be suprised if he comes back within 4 weeks. He suffered this injury during Thursdays game versus the Chicago Bulls. This is a big blow to the Cavs, especially after their big defeat of the Celtics last week. This injury really couldn't happen at any worse time, because the Cavs are about to go on their West Coast trip on Monday. They begin on Monday against the Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors, and the Utah Jazz. They come home for one game versus the Sacramento Kings, then go to the Orlando Magic to play what can be a pivotal game. The Cavs are really going to miss Delonte's shooting, and scrappy defense. He is a guy who plays very hard every game, and he is a great team player. After he hurt himself, he came out during half time and said that he was going to play in the West Coast trip, which is absurd, yet hilarious. He has a lot of heart, and he is a real asset to this team.
The Cavs played a good game last night versus the New Orleans Hornets. I really thought we were going to lose because we just came off an exhausting overtime loss the night before, and because we were playing a very good New Orleans team. LeBron took over in the 4th quarter (he scored 14 points I believe in the 4th), and he played much better in this game than he did versus Chicago. With Ben Wallace back, and Z probably coming back in a week, things are starting to clear up just a little bit for the Cavs (aside from the Delonte injury!).
Now that his injury has happened, what do the Cavs do from here? They are going to start Sasha Pavlovic in his place. As I have stated before, I really believe Sasha is not a good player at all. He never seems to have his head in the game, and he always slows the offense down. Next time you watch him play, watch him get a pass. Once he receives the pass, he will stop, hold the ball for 2 seconds, fake a shot, or just pass it away. He never seems to know what he is doing, and if he could keep his head on straight, he could become a solid reserve. Last night against the New Orleans Hornets, he scored 19 points on 7-10 shooting from the field, and 4-4 from 3 point land (he does this 2-3 times a year, I will bet any of you that he will score less than 10 points versus the Lakers). Sasha did what he is good at doing (there aren't too many good things he can do though), playing under control, shooting when he is open, and playing defense. If he can do these things, you will see a much better player. Sasha is more athletic than people believe, and he did play some solid defense as he had 2 steals, and I remember him blocking the ball against the backboard when one of the Hornets players drove to the hoop. He is no Delonte West, but you have to go with what you have, and Sasha can do some of the things Delonte did.
With Delonte's injury also comes the slew of trade talk. Everyone seems to be freaking out about his injury. I don't think the Cavs will make an immediate knee jerk reaction trade. He isn't going to make a move within the next week or two. The Cavs know that they are in need of a guard, especially with the number one seed in the East up for grabs. Teams know this too, thus they can hike up the price of a player during a trade (supply/demand). Ferry is known for being very patient in his moves, and he looks at all of his options before making a deal. I do believe though that the Cavaliers will probably start to make some calls. Remember last year when Lakers Center Andrew Bynum was lost for the season with his knee injury? That occurred in January 13th, on February 1st, the Lakers acquired Pau Gasol. I could definitely see the Cavs doing a move like that. The Cavs will probably wait two weeks, and see what comes about....
Recently I spoke about possible trades that the Cavs could make, and I really don't think much has changed. I think the four names the Cavs could get are: Kings Center Brad Miller, Clippers Center Marcus Camby, Kings Forward John Salmons, and Bobcats Guard/Forward Gerald Wallace. If I had to rank the chances of these guys coming here I would do it this way:
1. Brad Miller: The Kings really have no use for him. They drafted F/C Jason Thompson this past year, and he seems to be developing into a good player. Thompson is averaging 9.5 points per game, and 6.7 rebounds per game. Also, the team received rookie F Donte Green in the Ron Artest deal, and he is also a promising youngster (Averaging 4.5 points in just 14 minutes a game). They have their center of the future in Spencer Hawes, he is a legitimate 7 footer, he averages 11 points per game, and 7 rebounds a game. Also, the Kings have the best player no one knows about in the league in guard Kevin Martin. He averaged 24 points per game, and is truly a great player. Other youngsters on this squad include guards Bobby Brown, Beno Udrih, Quincy Douby, Francisco Garcia and center Shelden Williams. The average age of all these guys is a shade over 23. The Kings have a 10-31 record, which is good for 3rd worst in the West. The team isn't going anywhere in the short term, they might as well acquire an expiring contract for future cap space, and a draft pick for future young talent. Miller as I stated earlier, fits our needs in that he is 7'0, a solid offensive player, a good rebounder, and a contract that ends in 2010. Watch out for his name....
2. Marcus Camby: The reason why I don't put him as number one is because Chris Kaman is hurt now, and they need another bigman to go with Zach Randolph. But, two reasons why he would come here. One, the Clippers got him for nothing (they traded a 2nd round pick for him), and the Clippers would rather stay under the salary cap threshold and save money, then keep/acquire good talent. Their owner Donald Sterling is notorious for being cheap, the Clippers have the second lowest payroll in the NBA. If Sterling has the opportunity to acquire an $14 million expiring contract (Wally), along with a draft pick and send away a longer contract (Camby), then he might consider it. The second reason is because Camby's contract ends in 2010, a definite plus. His name will be thrown a lot during the trade deadline.
3. John Salmons- Recently, I read reports from Hoopshype.com that stated that Salmons was unhappy in Sacramento, and that he could ask for a trade. The reason I have Salmons this low is because his contract runs past 2010, and the Kings really have a great value in Salmons. He is making $5.1 million this year, and he is putting up good numbers (I posted these numbers in an earlier blog). The combination of the Cavs wanting to save money for 2010 (plus Anderson Varaejo's pending free agency this offseason, and he has played well this season for the Cavs to consider re-signing him), and the Kings having great value in Salmons, probably makes Salmons a harder get.
4. Gerald Wallace- He is a great player, and I still think the Cavs will try to get him, but his long contract makes me put him at the bottom. Also, Wally and a pick won't get it done, and we would have to take on additional salaries to get him. This hurts us in 2010, and the Cavs really want to keep space open for a big free agent that year. His name will also be thrown around come February.
Well folks, this just about does it. With the trade deadline coming up soon, I will probably continue to write blogs about the names I am hearing. If I sound contradictory at all, I apologize. I am sure that I was repetitive, but I just wanted to get all my points across. I hope my insight has helped, and I wish you all the best! Go Cleveland!
-Raz
The Cavs played a good game last night versus the New Orleans Hornets. I really thought we were going to lose because we just came off an exhausting overtime loss the night before, and because we were playing a very good New Orleans team. LeBron took over in the 4th quarter (he scored 14 points I believe in the 4th), and he played much better in this game than he did versus Chicago. With Ben Wallace back, and Z probably coming back in a week, things are starting to clear up just a little bit for the Cavs (aside from the Delonte injury!).
Now that his injury has happened, what do the Cavs do from here? They are going to start Sasha Pavlovic in his place. As I have stated before, I really believe Sasha is not a good player at all. He never seems to have his head in the game, and he always slows the offense down. Next time you watch him play, watch him get a pass. Once he receives the pass, he will stop, hold the ball for 2 seconds, fake a shot, or just pass it away. He never seems to know what he is doing, and if he could keep his head on straight, he could become a solid reserve. Last night against the New Orleans Hornets, he scored 19 points on 7-10 shooting from the field, and 4-4 from 3 point land (he does this 2-3 times a year, I will bet any of you that he will score less than 10 points versus the Lakers). Sasha did what he is good at doing (there aren't too many good things he can do though), playing under control, shooting when he is open, and playing defense. If he can do these things, you will see a much better player. Sasha is more athletic than people believe, and he did play some solid defense as he had 2 steals, and I remember him blocking the ball against the backboard when one of the Hornets players drove to the hoop. He is no Delonte West, but you have to go with what you have, and Sasha can do some of the things Delonte did.
With Delonte's injury also comes the slew of trade talk. Everyone seems to be freaking out about his injury. I don't think the Cavs will make an immediate knee jerk reaction trade. He isn't going to make a move within the next week or two. The Cavs know that they are in need of a guard, especially with the number one seed in the East up for grabs. Teams know this too, thus they can hike up the price of a player during a trade (supply/demand). Ferry is known for being very patient in his moves, and he looks at all of his options before making a deal. I do believe though that the Cavaliers will probably start to make some calls. Remember last year when Lakers Center Andrew Bynum was lost for the season with his knee injury? That occurred in January 13th, on February 1st, the Lakers acquired Pau Gasol. I could definitely see the Cavs doing a move like that. The Cavs will probably wait two weeks, and see what comes about....
Recently I spoke about possible trades that the Cavs could make, and I really don't think much has changed. I think the four names the Cavs could get are: Kings Center Brad Miller, Clippers Center Marcus Camby, Kings Forward John Salmons, and Bobcats Guard/Forward Gerald Wallace. If I had to rank the chances of these guys coming here I would do it this way:
1. Brad Miller: The Kings really have no use for him. They drafted F/C Jason Thompson this past year, and he seems to be developing into a good player. Thompson is averaging 9.5 points per game, and 6.7 rebounds per game. Also, the team received rookie F Donte Green in the Ron Artest deal, and he is also a promising youngster (Averaging 4.5 points in just 14 minutes a game). They have their center of the future in Spencer Hawes, he is a legitimate 7 footer, he averages 11 points per game, and 7 rebounds a game. Also, the Kings have the best player no one knows about in the league in guard Kevin Martin. He averaged 24 points per game, and is truly a great player. Other youngsters on this squad include guards Bobby Brown, Beno Udrih, Quincy Douby, Francisco Garcia and center Shelden Williams. The average age of all these guys is a shade over 23. The Kings have a 10-31 record, which is good for 3rd worst in the West. The team isn't going anywhere in the short term, they might as well acquire an expiring contract for future cap space, and a draft pick for future young talent. Miller as I stated earlier, fits our needs in that he is 7'0, a solid offensive player, a good rebounder, and a contract that ends in 2010. Watch out for his name....
2. Marcus Camby: The reason why I don't put him as number one is because Chris Kaman is hurt now, and they need another bigman to go with Zach Randolph. But, two reasons why he would come here. One, the Clippers got him for nothing (they traded a 2nd round pick for him), and the Clippers would rather stay under the salary cap threshold and save money, then keep/acquire good talent. Their owner Donald Sterling is notorious for being cheap, the Clippers have the second lowest payroll in the NBA. If Sterling has the opportunity to acquire an $14 million expiring contract (Wally), along with a draft pick and send away a longer contract (Camby), then he might consider it. The second reason is because Camby's contract ends in 2010, a definite plus. His name will be thrown a lot during the trade deadline.
3. John Salmons- Recently, I read reports from Hoopshype.com that stated that Salmons was unhappy in Sacramento, and that he could ask for a trade. The reason I have Salmons this low is because his contract runs past 2010, and the Kings really have a great value in Salmons. He is making $5.1 million this year, and he is putting up good numbers (I posted these numbers in an earlier blog). The combination of the Cavs wanting to save money for 2010 (plus Anderson Varaejo's pending free agency this offseason, and he has played well this season for the Cavs to consider re-signing him), and the Kings having great value in Salmons, probably makes Salmons a harder get.
4. Gerald Wallace- He is a great player, and I still think the Cavs will try to get him, but his long contract makes me put him at the bottom. Also, Wally and a pick won't get it done, and we would have to take on additional salaries to get him. This hurts us in 2010, and the Cavs really want to keep space open for a big free agent that year. His name will also be thrown around come February.
Well folks, this just about does it. With the trade deadline coming up soon, I will probably continue to write blogs about the names I am hearing. If I sound contradictory at all, I apologize. I am sure that I was repetitive, but I just wanted to get all my points across. I hope my insight has helped, and I wish you all the best! Go Cleveland!
-Raz
Saturday, January 10, 2009
LeBrowned
The Cleveland Cavaliers played a hell of a game yesterday against the Boston Celtics. They came away winners 98-83. This came with the Cavs not having Z playing. We came out with much energy, and kept it up for most of the game. The game had a playoff like feel to it, and the crowd really got into the game. The fans began to chant "M-V-P"for LeBron, and "Boston Sucks!" near the end of the game. We improved to 19-0 at home, and the Q is a place that is very hard to play for opposing teams. The Cavs now have the #1 seed in the East, and having this #1 seed is so important. One, it allows us to have home court advantage through the playoffs, and we saw how important that was for last year. Our 19-0 home record should also be an indication of how important it is as well. Also, the #1 seed will probably not have to play the Orlando Magic, who are also playing great basketball, and they are currently the #2 seed. Orlando plays a style of basketball that is hard for the Cavs to defend because they have length with Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkogolu, an improving PG in Jameer Nelson, a young talent in Courtney Lee, and they have a great big man downlow in Dwight Howard. They are a great three point shooting team, and they would be a very hard match up in the playoffs. The Cavs need to continue their high energy play, along with defense, and crisp ball movement on offense. If the Cavs continue to play like they did Friday night, the #1 seed is not out of the question.
LeBron James proved why he should be this years MVP. He had 38 points, 9-9 from the free throw line, he shot 13-25, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals, and 3 blocks. Now that is a hell of a stat line. He tormented Paul Pierce all night, and he did not allow him to get good shots off or penetrate to the hoop. He had just 11 points. Lebron had two great blocks on Ray Allen and Kendrick Perkins. Ben Wallace had 9 points, and he played great defense downlow. He continues to impress me with his energy, shot blocking, defense, and rebounding. Anderson played pretty well as he had 14 points and 9 rebounds in place of Z. He continued to get under the skin of KG. In the first quarter KG was called for a technical while him and Anderson were tangled up. Delonte had a solid game offensively, and played great D on Ray Allen, holding up to just 12 points. Mo continued to shoot well, and he played good D on Rajon Rondo. The Cavs are one of the few teams that have figured out what to do with Rondo, and its pretty simple: Let him shoot. Rondo cannot shoot at all, and he showed it last night going 1-8 from the field, and 3-6 from the free throw line. For a period of the game Rondo was slashing to the hoop easily and passing the ball well (he did have 12 assists). The Cavs then decided to give him some space up top, and have a man show for Rondo if he did get to the hoop, this hindered his ability to create. Also, the Cavs team defense was set up so Rondo was isolated. The defense shifted the floor to the side in which Rondo was on, so that Rondo was forced to take a bad shot, or pass the ball off to another teammate who was standing around. This was key because while Rondo has improved this year, the Celtics really need him to help create. If he is not creating/slashing and instead trying to force his own offense, the Celtics are screwed. JJ Hickson came off the bench and had only 3 points and 2 rebounds. He seemed to struggle a little bit but he played with good energy. He will continue to get better. Daniel Gibson seems to be getting comfortable with his role off the bench, and he shot well. Since his return from his ankle injury, Daniel is averaging 8 points per game, and he has averaged almost 10 points per game this month alone. He added 10 points, played solid defense, and he helped stretch the floor with his 3 point shooting. Gibson is really key to our success because if he is knocking down shots, it allows LeBron to cut to the hoop at ease because defenses will begin to respect Daniel's shot. Wally played only 15 minutes and scored just 3 points. He is someone who plays with a lot of heart, and he really loves being here in Cleveland. He is great for our chemistry, but it wouldn't make me sad if he got traded because of his defensive liabilities and his somewhat inconsistencies in shooting the ball.
Now switching gears a little bit, the Boston Celtics are a team that seems to be a little low on gas right now. They have played 38 games thus far and they seem to lack the energy they had earlier this year. Their Big 3 of Pierce, Garnett, and Allen seem to be a little fatigued. In the future, here are five problems that the Celtics have in my mind.
1. Age: Ray Allen is 33, Kevin Garnett is 32, Paul Pierce is 31, Eddie House is 30. Allen and Garnett especially need some rest throughout the season to trudge through the playoffs. The thing is the Celtics cannot afford this. Last year, they blew threw the regular season, and they could rest their starters because they really did not have any competition for the number one seed. This year is different though because of the improved Cavs and Magic teams. I feel that some of these guys will be tired by May, and I am not sure if they could last in a 7 game series with the Cavs or Magic.
2. Depth: The Celtics have no depth. Past Leon Powe, they really don't have any consistent bench players. Also, they have no good back up PG, who can help run the offense when Rondo is on the bench. Glen Davis, and Eddie House have struggled to regain the form they had last year. The team is really hurting without the length of James Posey and PJ Brown. They hit key shots all last year, played solid defense, and rebounded. They have gotten so desperate for bench help that they would consider signing Stephon Marbury. Now as Rick James once said "That is absurd". Brian Scalabrine, Gabe Pruitt, and Patrick O'Bryant are not good players.
3. No trade pieces: The Celtics have no valuable expiring contracts to package in a deal, they traded their first round picks for this year and in 2011 in the Garnett deal, and they packaged away the good young talent they had in that trade as well. You aren't going to trade your reserves for other reserves, it just wouldn't be a big upgrade. The Big Three aren't going anywhere, Kendrick Perkins is needed to rebound and have a presence downlow, and Rondo is their only true point guard.
4. Trash Talking/Target on their back: Everyone knows the Celtics talk a lot of smack on the floor. They are able to because they are the champions, but when Kevin Garnett is trying to mess with Jose Calderon and Luke Ridnour, he should consider picking on someone his own size. The Celtics like hitting teams hard with their defense, physical play, and trash talking, but look what happens when teams do it right back to them. Portland Trail Blazers F Travis Outlaw said after their recent victory over the Celtics that they "Don't like to get hit", and that when teams play physical with them, they seem to falter. Look at the Cavs, you see Ben Wallace and Anderson Varaejo harassing Kevin Garnett all game, and LeBron James is all over Paul Pierce. Look at the Cavs when they played great defense against the Celtics, they ussually won those games. In my opinion, the Celtics really weren't challenged much last year because they were the best team in the NBA. They didn't seem to have many problems until they played a team that rebounded well and played great defense, which the Cavs did in their playoff series last year.
5. LeBron James: For his career, LeBron James is averaging over 30 points per game against the Celtics. Only one player has scored more points per game against the Celtics in his career, and his name is Michael Jordan. Remember last year people proclaimed the Celtics as the "Greatest defensive team ever". Well LeBron really doesn't seem to have a problem with that. Not only has LeBron improved his offensive arsenal (cutting down on the 3 point shots, improved jump shot and free throw shooting), but he has greatly improved his defense. He is giving great help defense, he is guarding his man well, he is blocking shots, and he seems to be much more attentive on the defensive end. The last two years in the playoffs, LeBron averaged 30 points per game in the last five games versus the Celtics, in comparison to 15.5 points per game in the first two games of that series. Versus the Pistons in 2007, LeBron averaged 31 points per game in the last four games, and only 14.5 points per game in the first two games of that series. My point is, teams have a hard time guarding LeBron for 48 minutes in a 7 game series. He gets better as the series goes along because he elevates his game when his team needs him most (Game 5 vs Pistons, Wizards playoff series', Game 6 and 7 vs. Boston), and because teams get tired trying to guard him. With the Celtics all being a year older, with less depth, LeBron getting help from Mo Williams, and an improved squad with more depth, the Cavs should have a great chance at beating the Celtics.
It seems as if the Celtics are in real big trouble, especially since they have lost 5 of their last 6 games, but they are still one of the best teams in the NBA. I feel that after the All Star Break that they will continue their great play, because they will have had some rest. Every team goes through tough points of their season, and this seems to be their time. Don't let this one game be an all telling sign. There is still a lot of basketball to be played, and a lot can change. They should still be considered the favorites for the Eastern Conference because they are the NBA Champs. The Celtics are the hunted, and the Cavs have to act as if they are the hunters.
Now turning back to the Cavs, a name that has come up recently is Brad Miller. I didn't write about him in my last blog, but now I will take a little bit of time to write about him. I feel that he would be a very good piece to add to Cleveland, especially if we can trade him for just Wally's contract and a first round pick. The reason why I think he is a good piece is because he is a good shooter, good passer, and he can score downlow. The Cavs need someone who can score downlow, and he would give us more size because he is 7'0 tall. He can also rebound, as he is averaging 8 rebounds per game this year, and he has averaged 8 rebounds per game for his career. He is also averaging 13 points per game this year. He would go well with Anderson Varaejo off the bench because he would add great length, a low post scorer, and a good rebounder. Anderson could continue his attention on rebounding, hustling, and defense. Another reason why he is favorable is because his contract ends in 2010. This gives us a lot of cap space to operate for another star free agent 2010. Do I think this trade could happen? Maybe. I said earlier that the Kings are rebuilding, and Miller is 32 years old. They could use a draft pick and some cap space to acquire some star and young talent. If the Kings demand Andy/JJ/Delonte/Daniel, I would just hang up the phone. Wally and draft picks is the most I would give up for Miller. This would definitely be a good deal for us because we would have 4 solid big men (Z, Ben, Miller, Anderson), and we wouldn't have to rely on JJ or Darnell Jackson come playoff time. Depth is going to be important come playoff time, and this would really help us. February is really going to be an interesting month for NBA trades......
Thank you for reading, and go Cleveland!
-Raz
LeBron James proved why he should be this years MVP. He had 38 points, 9-9 from the free throw line, he shot 13-25, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals, and 3 blocks. Now that is a hell of a stat line. He tormented Paul Pierce all night, and he did not allow him to get good shots off or penetrate to the hoop. He had just 11 points. Lebron had two great blocks on Ray Allen and Kendrick Perkins. Ben Wallace had 9 points, and he played great defense downlow. He continues to impress me with his energy, shot blocking, defense, and rebounding. Anderson played pretty well as he had 14 points and 9 rebounds in place of Z. He continued to get under the skin of KG. In the first quarter KG was called for a technical while him and Anderson were tangled up. Delonte had a solid game offensively, and played great D on Ray Allen, holding up to just 12 points. Mo continued to shoot well, and he played good D on Rajon Rondo. The Cavs are one of the few teams that have figured out what to do with Rondo, and its pretty simple: Let him shoot. Rondo cannot shoot at all, and he showed it last night going 1-8 from the field, and 3-6 from the free throw line. For a period of the game Rondo was slashing to the hoop easily and passing the ball well (he did have 12 assists). The Cavs then decided to give him some space up top, and have a man show for Rondo if he did get to the hoop, this hindered his ability to create. Also, the Cavs team defense was set up so Rondo was isolated. The defense shifted the floor to the side in which Rondo was on, so that Rondo was forced to take a bad shot, or pass the ball off to another teammate who was standing around. This was key because while Rondo has improved this year, the Celtics really need him to help create. If he is not creating/slashing and instead trying to force his own offense, the Celtics are screwed. JJ Hickson came off the bench and had only 3 points and 2 rebounds. He seemed to struggle a little bit but he played with good energy. He will continue to get better. Daniel Gibson seems to be getting comfortable with his role off the bench, and he shot well. Since his return from his ankle injury, Daniel is averaging 8 points per game, and he has averaged almost 10 points per game this month alone. He added 10 points, played solid defense, and he helped stretch the floor with his 3 point shooting. Gibson is really key to our success because if he is knocking down shots, it allows LeBron to cut to the hoop at ease because defenses will begin to respect Daniel's shot. Wally played only 15 minutes and scored just 3 points. He is someone who plays with a lot of heart, and he really loves being here in Cleveland. He is great for our chemistry, but it wouldn't make me sad if he got traded because of his defensive liabilities and his somewhat inconsistencies in shooting the ball.
Now switching gears a little bit, the Boston Celtics are a team that seems to be a little low on gas right now. They have played 38 games thus far and they seem to lack the energy they had earlier this year. Their Big 3 of Pierce, Garnett, and Allen seem to be a little fatigued. In the future, here are five problems that the Celtics have in my mind.
1. Age: Ray Allen is 33, Kevin Garnett is 32, Paul Pierce is 31, Eddie House is 30. Allen and Garnett especially need some rest throughout the season to trudge through the playoffs. The thing is the Celtics cannot afford this. Last year, they blew threw the regular season, and they could rest their starters because they really did not have any competition for the number one seed. This year is different though because of the improved Cavs and Magic teams. I feel that some of these guys will be tired by May, and I am not sure if they could last in a 7 game series with the Cavs or Magic.
2. Depth: The Celtics have no depth. Past Leon Powe, they really don't have any consistent bench players. Also, they have no good back up PG, who can help run the offense when Rondo is on the bench. Glen Davis, and Eddie House have struggled to regain the form they had last year. The team is really hurting without the length of James Posey and PJ Brown. They hit key shots all last year, played solid defense, and rebounded. They have gotten so desperate for bench help that they would consider signing Stephon Marbury. Now as Rick James once said "That is absurd". Brian Scalabrine, Gabe Pruitt, and Patrick O'Bryant are not good players.
3. No trade pieces: The Celtics have no valuable expiring contracts to package in a deal, they traded their first round picks for this year and in 2011 in the Garnett deal, and they packaged away the good young talent they had in that trade as well. You aren't going to trade your reserves for other reserves, it just wouldn't be a big upgrade. The Big Three aren't going anywhere, Kendrick Perkins is needed to rebound and have a presence downlow, and Rondo is their only true point guard.
4. Trash Talking/Target on their back: Everyone knows the Celtics talk a lot of smack on the floor. They are able to because they are the champions, but when Kevin Garnett is trying to mess with Jose Calderon and Luke Ridnour, he should consider picking on someone his own size. The Celtics like hitting teams hard with their defense, physical play, and trash talking, but look what happens when teams do it right back to them. Portland Trail Blazers F Travis Outlaw said after their recent victory over the Celtics that they "Don't like to get hit", and that when teams play physical with them, they seem to falter. Look at the Cavs, you see Ben Wallace and Anderson Varaejo harassing Kevin Garnett all game, and LeBron James is all over Paul Pierce. Look at the Cavs when they played great defense against the Celtics, they ussually won those games. In my opinion, the Celtics really weren't challenged much last year because they were the best team in the NBA. They didn't seem to have many problems until they played a team that rebounded well and played great defense, which the Cavs did in their playoff series last year.
5. LeBron James: For his career, LeBron James is averaging over 30 points per game against the Celtics. Only one player has scored more points per game against the Celtics in his career, and his name is Michael Jordan. Remember last year people proclaimed the Celtics as the "Greatest defensive team ever". Well LeBron really doesn't seem to have a problem with that. Not only has LeBron improved his offensive arsenal (cutting down on the 3 point shots, improved jump shot and free throw shooting), but he has greatly improved his defense. He is giving great help defense, he is guarding his man well, he is blocking shots, and he seems to be much more attentive on the defensive end. The last two years in the playoffs, LeBron averaged 30 points per game in the last five games versus the Celtics, in comparison to 15.5 points per game in the first two games of that series. Versus the Pistons in 2007, LeBron averaged 31 points per game in the last four games, and only 14.5 points per game in the first two games of that series. My point is, teams have a hard time guarding LeBron for 48 minutes in a 7 game series. He gets better as the series goes along because he elevates his game when his team needs him most (Game 5 vs Pistons, Wizards playoff series', Game 6 and 7 vs. Boston), and because teams get tired trying to guard him. With the Celtics all being a year older, with less depth, LeBron getting help from Mo Williams, and an improved squad with more depth, the Cavs should have a great chance at beating the Celtics.
It seems as if the Celtics are in real big trouble, especially since they have lost 5 of their last 6 games, but they are still one of the best teams in the NBA. I feel that after the All Star Break that they will continue their great play, because they will have had some rest. Every team goes through tough points of their season, and this seems to be their time. Don't let this one game be an all telling sign. There is still a lot of basketball to be played, and a lot can change. They should still be considered the favorites for the Eastern Conference because they are the NBA Champs. The Celtics are the hunted, and the Cavs have to act as if they are the hunters.
Now turning back to the Cavs, a name that has come up recently is Brad Miller. I didn't write about him in my last blog, but now I will take a little bit of time to write about him. I feel that he would be a very good piece to add to Cleveland, especially if we can trade him for just Wally's contract and a first round pick. The reason why I think he is a good piece is because he is a good shooter, good passer, and he can score downlow. The Cavs need someone who can score downlow, and he would give us more size because he is 7'0 tall. He can also rebound, as he is averaging 8 rebounds per game this year, and he has averaged 8 rebounds per game for his career. He is also averaging 13 points per game this year. He would go well with Anderson Varaejo off the bench because he would add great length, a low post scorer, and a good rebounder. Anderson could continue his attention on rebounding, hustling, and defense. Another reason why he is favorable is because his contract ends in 2010. This gives us a lot of cap space to operate for another star free agent 2010. Do I think this trade could happen? Maybe. I said earlier that the Kings are rebuilding, and Miller is 32 years old. They could use a draft pick and some cap space to acquire some star and young talent. If the Kings demand Andy/JJ/Delonte/Daniel, I would just hang up the phone. Wally and draft picks is the most I would give up for Miller. This would definitely be a good deal for us because we would have 4 solid big men (Z, Ben, Miller, Anderson), and we wouldn't have to rely on JJ or Darnell Jackson come playoff time. Depth is going to be important come playoff time, and this would really help us. February is really going to be an interesting month for NBA trades......
Thank you for reading, and go Cleveland!
-Raz
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
In Mangini We Trust.....
Hello everyone! The Cleveland Browns today agreed to a 4 year deal with former New York Jets head coach Eric Mangini. I wrote in one of my previous blogs that I liked Mangini, and if you want to see how I feel about him you can read it. This is a good hire considering that there were really no other good candidates out there. McDaniels, and Spagnuolo were both candidates, but they were both coordinators with no head coaching experience. The Browns needed someone to restore order and discipline, and Mangini can do that. In his three years with the Jets, he lead them to a 23-25 record, and I was happy to see some of his players stick up for him after he got fired. He has the Bill Belichick look in his eye, and he doesn't look dumbfounded when he is out there. I hope his second chance at a head coaching gig proves to be a successful one.
In terms of a GM search, it seems that Scott Pioli won't be coming here. He wants to have complete control of the teams front office, and Randy Lerner doesn't seem to keen on that idea. I agree because we saw what happened with Phil Savage. He didn't have any experience in a front office setting, and running an organization. This is why I don't like the Browns going after a guy like George Kokinis. Kokinis works in the player personnel department for the Baltimore Ravens, and he smells much like Phil Savage. Savage for those of you don't know worked as a player personnel guy with the Ravens before the Browns gig. If Lerner does decide to bring in Kokinis, he should bring him in a capacity where he would be in line with the coach, and just bringing in players. He should not have any more authority, and the Browns should look into hiring a Vice-President for the team, a-la Carmen Policy and John Collins. Funny thing about Collins, he looks like he was right back in 2005 when he decided to fire Savage for trying to ask for too much power in the organization. Lerner stepped in and decided to fire Collins over Savage. Collins told Lerner that Savage would not be able to handle the increased power, and I guess he was right. The Browns are also looking into Philadelphia Eagles GM Tom Heckert. This seems like a good idea because the Browns need a GM with experience. He has built a good organization in Philadelphia, and he has kept the Eagles competitive for years. They also need someone who isn't going to crave power and have the final say in an organization. We need a GM who will work in line with the coach. Also, the team philosophy that the owner speaks, should be spoken by the GM, and the coach. This can be seen in the Cavaliers organization in that owner Dan Gilbert, GM Danny Ferry, and coach Mike Brown in that they are all on the same wavelength. The Browns should follow this blueprint, it will foster an identity and culture with our team, which is something we have lacked for too many years.
Well this is it folks, I hope you enjoyed this one! Thanks for reading and go Cleveland!
-Raz
In terms of a GM search, it seems that Scott Pioli won't be coming here. He wants to have complete control of the teams front office, and Randy Lerner doesn't seem to keen on that idea. I agree because we saw what happened with Phil Savage. He didn't have any experience in a front office setting, and running an organization. This is why I don't like the Browns going after a guy like George Kokinis. Kokinis works in the player personnel department for the Baltimore Ravens, and he smells much like Phil Savage. Savage for those of you don't know worked as a player personnel guy with the Ravens before the Browns gig. If Lerner does decide to bring in Kokinis, he should bring him in a capacity where he would be in line with the coach, and just bringing in players. He should not have any more authority, and the Browns should look into hiring a Vice-President for the team, a-la Carmen Policy and John Collins. Funny thing about Collins, he looks like he was right back in 2005 when he decided to fire Savage for trying to ask for too much power in the organization. Lerner stepped in and decided to fire Collins over Savage. Collins told Lerner that Savage would not be able to handle the increased power, and I guess he was right. The Browns are also looking into Philadelphia Eagles GM Tom Heckert. This seems like a good idea because the Browns need a GM with experience. He has built a good organization in Philadelphia, and he has kept the Eagles competitive for years. They also need someone who isn't going to crave power and have the final say in an organization. We need a GM who will work in line with the coach. Also, the team philosophy that the owner speaks, should be spoken by the GM, and the coach. This can be seen in the Cavaliers organization in that owner Dan Gilbert, GM Danny Ferry, and coach Mike Brown in that they are all on the same wavelength. The Browns should follow this blueprint, it will foster an identity and culture with our team, which is something we have lacked for too many years.
Well this is it folks, I hope you enjoyed this one! Thanks for reading and go Cleveland!
-Raz
Monday, January 5, 2009
Lets make a deal....
Hello again. After the struggles the Cavs have faced in the recent days (Losses to Miami and Washington) I said in the beginning of the year that the Cavs are in need of another swingman/post player. With the trade deadline 45 days away, the rumor mill will continue to get warm as we go along. I am dedicating this blog to trade ideas that I think the Cavaliers should consider. Us fans really only know what our news networks report to us (ESPN, The Plain Dealer, The News Herald, Yahoo Sports, Realcavsfans.com, Realgm.com, Hoopshype.com, Hoopsworld.com, among others). So considering how some NBA teams are doing, I am going to list players that are on losing teams, that could become available. As I explained before, the Cavaliers have an expiring contract worth $14 million to use (Wally Z), 2 cheap rookie contracts, first round draft picks, and Anderson Varaejo to trade. The Cavs are going to keep Eric Snow on the roster and after the 40th game, the insurance claim will go through, and the Cavs will save about $11 million. These are strictly recommendations, and ideas of mine. By no means do I have insider information, and I am just trying to be logical. These trades are just ideas, they could be worked out in numerous ways. I am trying to make a trade that would make sense for both the Cavaliers and the other team. Also, if the Cavaliers do make a trade, they are going to go for a "homerun" a Pau Gasol type of player. Another notion to consider as well is the Cavaliers do not want to acquire a player with a large contract that goes past 2010. The Cavaliers want to be able to sign a superstar in 2010 along with LeBron. If we keep the team as is, we will be able to do this. Some names include Chris Bosh, and Amare Stoudemire. So it is important to look at players who have short contracts, and if they do have a longer contract, that it is for not a lot of money. I am sure around deadline time there will be a few "homeruns" out there.....
Player #1: Gerald Wallace, F, Charlotte Bobcats
Why would the Bobcats trade him? Well for one, the team is going nowhere. New coach Larry Brown is going to overhaul this roster and he already started with the Jason Richardson trade. He is going to want to trade for draft picks, and cap space. He has a contract that goes for 4 more years, he is 26, and the team won't be contending for at least 2-3 years. Why pay a guy lots of money when you know your going no where, especially when you know you can get some young talent and draft picks for him? The only drawback I see from Wallace is that his contract goes past 2010 but it is for only $9 million at 2010. It will be tough, but doable for the Cavs to make cap room for another max contract in 2010. Carroll's contract is at about $5 million, and it could probably be moved. Also, Wallace has had a history of injuries as he has missed an average of 17 games the last 4 seasons. I feel that he would be a second option for the Cavs if he did indeed become available. If the Cavs do acquire him, we would immediatley become title contenders because he can come off the bench and guard either Ray Allen or Paul Pierce, Kobe Bryant or Lamar Odom. He could even play some PF as well. He strengthens our second squad, defense, and he adds more scoring punch. He is the ideal swingman the Cavs could use. Here is a deal that could be plausible, and it does indeed workout (I checked all these trades on ESPN Trade Machine)
Cavs acquire:
F Gerald Wallace (4 years left)
F Matt Carroll (5 years left)
Bobcats acquire:
Wally Z (1 year left)
Darnell Jackson (3 years but cheap contract at $500K)
1st round pick in 2011
As I stated earlier, the Bobcats will acquire a first round pick, young talent (Jackson), and cap space ($14 million). The Bobcats get rid of the long contract of Carroll. The Cavs will pick this contract up, and it is relatively cheap at $5 million. The positive of this trade is we lose virtually no front court depth (Hickson, AV both stay), we acquire a lights out shooter in Carroll (Career 40% 3 Point shooter), and the swingman and size (6'7) needed to defend and score. Again the only drawback of this trade is that it makes cap space tough in 2010 to sign another max contract next to LeBron. I would definitely love to see this trade happen because we add depth, and we give up virtually nothing on our current roster. Also, we aren't shattering the "team chemistry" we have built. We are trading away 2 bench players, thats it. I would love to see Gerald Wallace in a Cavs uniform because he is young, and he can improve this team greatly. This isn't going to be a repeat of last years trade where we trade half our roster.
Odds of Wallace coming? 40%
Player #2: John Salmons, F, Sacramento Kings
Why would the Kings trade Salmons? The Kings would trade Salmons because he is 29 years old, the team is re-building around guys like Kevin Martin, Spencer Hawes, and Jason Thompson. They have no reason to keep him around, and they are better off trading him for an expiring deal and a draft pick. Salmons is a guy who can do a little bit of everything. He is 6'6, can score, can shoot, and can defend. He is averaging 19 ppg, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists a game. He would be another guy who could add depth to the team, at virtually no cost to the Cavaliers depth. My only problem with this trade is, again his deal goes 3 years. Salmons' contract will only be worth around $5 million in 2010, and Thomas' contract will expire in 2010. So the contract situation is a little easier here, as the Cavs could probably find a way to shed that money. Again, this makes free agent signings in 2010 tough, but it can be done. Heres a scenario that works out:
Cavs acquire:
John Salmons, F (3 years)
Kenny Thomas, F (2 years)
Kings acquire:
Wally Z (1 year)
1st round pick in 2009
Again, the Cavs give up just one draft pick, but they have to swallow the long contract of Kenny Thomas, who is worthless. Again, this deal can increase the chances of the Cavs winning a championship. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing this deal occur but I'd rather have Wallace.
Odds of Salmons coming to Cleveland? 50%
Player #3: Chris Bosh, F, Toronto Raptors
Why in the world would the Raptors trade Bosh? Well for one, Toronto sucks. Their record is 14-20, and they are not favored to make the playoffs. Toronto also knows that Bosh is probably going to leave in 2010. I know he can make more money in Toronto, but he wants to win. He is not going to stay in a losing situation in Toront. Aside from Jose Calderon, what good, promising young talent does Toronto have? Andrea Bargnani? No. Joey Graham? No. Nathan Jawai? No. Theres not enough young talent on this team to develop and build around Bosh to contend by 2010. Since the Raptors probably know this, don't you think they should trade him and get something for him while they can? If the Cavs added Bosh, we would be title contenders for the next two years. He can shoot the jumper, he is a great rebounder, defender, dunker, with amazing post skills. He has the ability to carry a team on his back. Add him with LeBron James, and its over. Also, this would increase the chances of LeBron resigning because the Cavs will have acquired one of the best players in the league. Both Bosh and LeBron are eligible to resign extensions in 2010, and they can sign them together. Why would Bosh leave here if he has LeBron to play with, especially since he can sign a max extension here. Also, LeBron will make more money and have an extra year here in Cleveland! Here is the trade scenario I worked out:
Cavs acquire:
Chris Bosh, F (2 years left)
Kris Humphries F or Andrea Bargnani F, (which ever Toronto will give us, 2 years left)
Jason Kapono, F (3 years left)
Toronto acquires:
Anderson Varaejo, F (2 years left, with an opt out clause)
Wally Z (1 year left)
JJ Hickson (2 years left, with a team option)
Darnell Jackson (3 years but cheap contract at $500K)
2 First round picks (2009 and 2011)
Toronto acquires Varaejo, and they could probably re-sign him because they will have $14 million cleared off their cap, and they will have additional money for free agents. Also, they will have much cap room to work with as well. He is a promising young player, and he has potential on offense. Teams have already seen him go nuts on the boards, defend, and play with endless energy. Toronto also acquires a very young big man in Hickson, who has shown great promise, but is still raw. If he develops into the player he could be, the Raptors will have themselves a great big man. Jackson is a solid youngster who can develop into a good rotation player. He seems to have good basketball IQ and he is a good defender. Also, Toronto will acquire 2 first round picks that can be used as either trade pieces, or to bring in young talent.
This would be an absolutely dream scenario for the Cavs. All three of the players they would be acquiring would have contracts ending the summer of 2010. The only problem I see with this trade is that Toronto won't put him on the block. I really see a 10% chance that Toronto takes calls for Bosh. If they do, think about contending teams that can offer young talent, draft picks, and an expiring deal? Boston? They have 5 expiring deals (one of them being Rondo) totaling about $6.5 million. Wally's contract itself is worth $14 million. They traded their draft picks in the Garnett deal, and they have no young talent that is worth of pulling Bosh away. Detroit? They have two expiring deals of AI and Rasheed and draft picks, but they have no young talent they can trade away that is comparable to our package of AV, Hickson, Jackson. Orlando? They have no need for him because of Dwight Howard. Again, they have no real young talent to trade away, Rashard Lewis has a huge contract and is 28, and their expiring contracts are worth about $8 million combined. Atlanta? Now this is a team that might be able to pull off a deal because they have Mike Bibby's expiring deal worth $14 million, they have draft picks to use, and they have young talent to trade (Al Horford, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams). This Atlanta team has developed chemistry over the last year, after nearly beating the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. I doubt that their GM Rick Sund will want to part with one of those young players, along with Bibby. So in conclusion, I feel that the Cavaliers can make a serious offer to the Raptors that will maybe make them think about trading Bosh. Do I think this trade will happen? No. Do I want it to happen? Yes. Could it happen? Never say never......
Odds of Bosh comming to Cleveland? 10%.
Now I only listed three guys, and I went into a lot of detail. There are other guys that people will hear about, but I don't think the Cavs will trade for them. These names include:
Vince Carter, G, Nets: He is 31, large contract (4 more years), he is a ball hog, and hes not a good defender.
Michael Redd, G, Bucks: He is 29, his contract goes for another 3 years (max deal), and all he can really do is shoot. His 3 point percentage this year is low for his career numbers at 34%, and he is an oft injured player.
Richard Jefferson, F, Bucks: He is 28, his contract goes for another 3 years, and he doesn't seem to be a player who plays to his potential. I feel that the Cavaliers can get a much better player than him, and someone who can defender better than him.
Elton Brand, PF, 76'ers: His contract his long, and it is for a lot of money too (max deal). Currently he is out for a month with a shoulder injury, and he missed all last year with an injury. He is 29 years old, and he would hamstring us come 2010 because his contract is worth so much money in 2010, unlike Salmons and Wallace.
Luol Deng, F, Bulls: I would love to see Deng in a Cavs uniform, but I don't see it. He has not played well with Derek Rose as he is posting career lows. This comes after he signed a 6 year extension this offseason. Again, his contract hamstrings us come 2010, and it would take more than an expiring deal and draft picks to get him.
Andre Iguodala, G, 76'ers: I don't see him getting traded because he is the centerpiece of that team. He did sign an extension this summer for 6 years for a lot of money. He is struggling this year, and he would not fit in with the slower pace of offense that the Cavaliers play. He is more of an up-tempo player. Again, he hurts us come 2010 because of his long and expensive deal.
Caron Butler and Antwan Jamison, F, Wizards: I don't think these guys will get traded because it won't make sense for the Wizards. Even if we do trade for one of them, they won't have immediate cap relief for next year. This is because Gilbert Arenas' max contract increases, along with Andray Blache, Mike James, and numerous other players on the Wizards. Jamison would be a great fit, but I would be scared he signed a big contract for 4 years $50 million, and he is 32. Butler would be nice, but again, he would hamstring us come 2010 because he will be paid $10 million that summer, and there will be no immediate cap relief for the Wizards if they deal him.
Stephen Jackson, G, Golden State: He is a great player who defends, scores, and has played with Mike Brown before. The problem I see with him is he just signed a 5 year extension. He is 30 years old, and he probably will play at the level he is at for another 2-3 years. His contract would be hard to move before 2010.
Chris Kaman, C, Clippers: Heres a guy who I am kind of undecided about. He puts up good numbers, hustles, and he plays well. I am not sure giving up Wally's contract, with a draft pick is worth him though. I don't think he would be the missing piece to a championship for us. I don't see him making as big of an impact as other guys who we could get. Also, his contract runs past 2010, so cross him off the list....
Marcus Camby, C, Clippers: Out of all the guys I list here, I believe he has the best chance of being traded to the Cavs. He is a great defender, rebounder, and shot blocker. He is almost Ben Wallace version 2.0, with some offense. Another reason he could be traded is because he is on a losing team, with a big contract. His contract runs for only 2 more years, and it expires in the summer of 2010. Like Kaman, I am not sure if Camby would make us a championship contender because of his offensive liabilities. I am not sure if he is worth Wally and a 1st rounder for him and a longer contract either, especially if Wallace or Salmons become available at that price. I wouldn't mind having him, but there will be better options out there.
Mike Miller, G, Timberwolves: I don't really like Miller that much because he is mostly a shooter. He is good at it, but thats all he can really do. He has ok handles, and is an above average athlete. Occasionally he will drive to the hoop, but he is mostly a shooter. He is shooting 37% from 3 point land this year, and he is only averaging 10 points a game. His contract does end in 2010, but he isn't worth Wally and a first rounder. He would basically duplicate what Wally does, just a little younger (he is 28). Also, shooting guard isn't a need for us, as he can't guard small forwards or power forwards.
As you have noticed, the guys on this list are all on teams that have losing records and they probably won't make the playoffs.
Well thats about it folks. I know I threw a lot at you. If you have any comments or names you want to add please let me know. I would love to hear what you all have to say. Thanks again, and go Cleveland!
-Raz
Player #1: Gerald Wallace, F, Charlotte Bobcats
Why would the Bobcats trade him? Well for one, the team is going nowhere. New coach Larry Brown is going to overhaul this roster and he already started with the Jason Richardson trade. He is going to want to trade for draft picks, and cap space. He has a contract that goes for 4 more years, he is 26, and the team won't be contending for at least 2-3 years. Why pay a guy lots of money when you know your going no where, especially when you know you can get some young talent and draft picks for him? The only drawback I see from Wallace is that his contract goes past 2010 but it is for only $9 million at 2010. It will be tough, but doable for the Cavs to make cap room for another max contract in 2010. Carroll's contract is at about $5 million, and it could probably be moved. Also, Wallace has had a history of injuries as he has missed an average of 17 games the last 4 seasons. I feel that he would be a second option for the Cavs if he did indeed become available. If the Cavs do acquire him, we would immediatley become title contenders because he can come off the bench and guard either Ray Allen or Paul Pierce, Kobe Bryant or Lamar Odom. He could even play some PF as well. He strengthens our second squad, defense, and he adds more scoring punch. He is the ideal swingman the Cavs could use. Here is a deal that could be plausible, and it does indeed workout (I checked all these trades on ESPN Trade Machine)
Cavs acquire:
F Gerald Wallace (4 years left)
F Matt Carroll (5 years left)
Bobcats acquire:
Wally Z (1 year left)
Darnell Jackson (3 years but cheap contract at $500K)
1st round pick in 2011
As I stated earlier, the Bobcats will acquire a first round pick, young talent (Jackson), and cap space ($14 million). The Bobcats get rid of the long contract of Carroll. The Cavs will pick this contract up, and it is relatively cheap at $5 million. The positive of this trade is we lose virtually no front court depth (Hickson, AV both stay), we acquire a lights out shooter in Carroll (Career 40% 3 Point shooter), and the swingman and size (6'7) needed to defend and score. Again the only drawback of this trade is that it makes cap space tough in 2010 to sign another max contract next to LeBron. I would definitely love to see this trade happen because we add depth, and we give up virtually nothing on our current roster. Also, we aren't shattering the "team chemistry" we have built. We are trading away 2 bench players, thats it. I would love to see Gerald Wallace in a Cavs uniform because he is young, and he can improve this team greatly. This isn't going to be a repeat of last years trade where we trade half our roster.
Odds of Wallace coming? 40%
Player #2: John Salmons, F, Sacramento Kings
Why would the Kings trade Salmons? The Kings would trade Salmons because he is 29 years old, the team is re-building around guys like Kevin Martin, Spencer Hawes, and Jason Thompson. They have no reason to keep him around, and they are better off trading him for an expiring deal and a draft pick. Salmons is a guy who can do a little bit of everything. He is 6'6, can score, can shoot, and can defend. He is averaging 19 ppg, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists a game. He would be another guy who could add depth to the team, at virtually no cost to the Cavaliers depth. My only problem with this trade is, again his deal goes 3 years. Salmons' contract will only be worth around $5 million in 2010, and Thomas' contract will expire in 2010. So the contract situation is a little easier here, as the Cavs could probably find a way to shed that money. Again, this makes free agent signings in 2010 tough, but it can be done. Heres a scenario that works out:
Cavs acquire:
John Salmons, F (3 years)
Kenny Thomas, F (2 years)
Kings acquire:
Wally Z (1 year)
1st round pick in 2009
Again, the Cavs give up just one draft pick, but they have to swallow the long contract of Kenny Thomas, who is worthless. Again, this deal can increase the chances of the Cavs winning a championship. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing this deal occur but I'd rather have Wallace.
Odds of Salmons coming to Cleveland? 50%
Player #3: Chris Bosh, F, Toronto Raptors
Why in the world would the Raptors trade Bosh? Well for one, Toronto sucks. Their record is 14-20, and they are not favored to make the playoffs. Toronto also knows that Bosh is probably going to leave in 2010. I know he can make more money in Toronto, but he wants to win. He is not going to stay in a losing situation in Toront. Aside from Jose Calderon, what good, promising young talent does Toronto have? Andrea Bargnani? No. Joey Graham? No. Nathan Jawai? No. Theres not enough young talent on this team to develop and build around Bosh to contend by 2010. Since the Raptors probably know this, don't you think they should trade him and get something for him while they can? If the Cavs added Bosh, we would be title contenders for the next two years. He can shoot the jumper, he is a great rebounder, defender, dunker, with amazing post skills. He has the ability to carry a team on his back. Add him with LeBron James, and its over. Also, this would increase the chances of LeBron resigning because the Cavs will have acquired one of the best players in the league. Both Bosh and LeBron are eligible to resign extensions in 2010, and they can sign them together. Why would Bosh leave here if he has LeBron to play with, especially since he can sign a max extension here. Also, LeBron will make more money and have an extra year here in Cleveland! Here is the trade scenario I worked out:
Cavs acquire:
Chris Bosh, F (2 years left)
Kris Humphries F or Andrea Bargnani F, (which ever Toronto will give us, 2 years left)
Jason Kapono, F (3 years left)
Toronto acquires:
Anderson Varaejo, F (2 years left, with an opt out clause)
Wally Z (1 year left)
JJ Hickson (2 years left, with a team option)
Darnell Jackson (3 years but cheap contract at $500K)
2 First round picks (2009 and 2011)
Toronto acquires Varaejo, and they could probably re-sign him because they will have $14 million cleared off their cap, and they will have additional money for free agents. Also, they will have much cap room to work with as well. He is a promising young player, and he has potential on offense. Teams have already seen him go nuts on the boards, defend, and play with endless energy. Toronto also acquires a very young big man in Hickson, who has shown great promise, but is still raw. If he develops into the player he could be, the Raptors will have themselves a great big man. Jackson is a solid youngster who can develop into a good rotation player. He seems to have good basketball IQ and he is a good defender. Also, Toronto will acquire 2 first round picks that can be used as either trade pieces, or to bring in young talent.
This would be an absolutely dream scenario for the Cavs. All three of the players they would be acquiring would have contracts ending the summer of 2010. The only problem I see with this trade is that Toronto won't put him on the block. I really see a 10% chance that Toronto takes calls for Bosh. If they do, think about contending teams that can offer young talent, draft picks, and an expiring deal? Boston? They have 5 expiring deals (one of them being Rondo) totaling about $6.5 million. Wally's contract itself is worth $14 million. They traded their draft picks in the Garnett deal, and they have no young talent that is worth of pulling Bosh away. Detroit? They have two expiring deals of AI and Rasheed and draft picks, but they have no young talent they can trade away that is comparable to our package of AV, Hickson, Jackson. Orlando? They have no need for him because of Dwight Howard. Again, they have no real young talent to trade away, Rashard Lewis has a huge contract and is 28, and their expiring contracts are worth about $8 million combined. Atlanta? Now this is a team that might be able to pull off a deal because they have Mike Bibby's expiring deal worth $14 million, they have draft picks to use, and they have young talent to trade (Al Horford, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams). This Atlanta team has developed chemistry over the last year, after nearly beating the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. I doubt that their GM Rick Sund will want to part with one of those young players, along with Bibby. So in conclusion, I feel that the Cavaliers can make a serious offer to the Raptors that will maybe make them think about trading Bosh. Do I think this trade will happen? No. Do I want it to happen? Yes. Could it happen? Never say never......
Odds of Bosh comming to Cleveland? 10%.
Now I only listed three guys, and I went into a lot of detail. There are other guys that people will hear about, but I don't think the Cavs will trade for them. These names include:
Vince Carter, G, Nets: He is 31, large contract (4 more years), he is a ball hog, and hes not a good defender.
Michael Redd, G, Bucks: He is 29, his contract goes for another 3 years (max deal), and all he can really do is shoot. His 3 point percentage this year is low for his career numbers at 34%, and he is an oft injured player.
Richard Jefferson, F, Bucks: He is 28, his contract goes for another 3 years, and he doesn't seem to be a player who plays to his potential. I feel that the Cavaliers can get a much better player than him, and someone who can defender better than him.
Elton Brand, PF, 76'ers: His contract his long, and it is for a lot of money too (max deal). Currently he is out for a month with a shoulder injury, and he missed all last year with an injury. He is 29 years old, and he would hamstring us come 2010 because his contract is worth so much money in 2010, unlike Salmons and Wallace.
Luol Deng, F, Bulls: I would love to see Deng in a Cavs uniform, but I don't see it. He has not played well with Derek Rose as he is posting career lows. This comes after he signed a 6 year extension this offseason. Again, his contract hamstrings us come 2010, and it would take more than an expiring deal and draft picks to get him.
Andre Iguodala, G, 76'ers: I don't see him getting traded because he is the centerpiece of that team. He did sign an extension this summer for 6 years for a lot of money. He is struggling this year, and he would not fit in with the slower pace of offense that the Cavaliers play. He is more of an up-tempo player. Again, he hurts us come 2010 because of his long and expensive deal.
Caron Butler and Antwan Jamison, F, Wizards: I don't think these guys will get traded because it won't make sense for the Wizards. Even if we do trade for one of them, they won't have immediate cap relief for next year. This is because Gilbert Arenas' max contract increases, along with Andray Blache, Mike James, and numerous other players on the Wizards. Jamison would be a great fit, but I would be scared he signed a big contract for 4 years $50 million, and he is 32. Butler would be nice, but again, he would hamstring us come 2010 because he will be paid $10 million that summer, and there will be no immediate cap relief for the Wizards if they deal him.
Stephen Jackson, G, Golden State: He is a great player who defends, scores, and has played with Mike Brown before. The problem I see with him is he just signed a 5 year extension. He is 30 years old, and he probably will play at the level he is at for another 2-3 years. His contract would be hard to move before 2010.
Chris Kaman, C, Clippers: Heres a guy who I am kind of undecided about. He puts up good numbers, hustles, and he plays well. I am not sure giving up Wally's contract, with a draft pick is worth him though. I don't think he would be the missing piece to a championship for us. I don't see him making as big of an impact as other guys who we could get. Also, his contract runs past 2010, so cross him off the list....
Marcus Camby, C, Clippers: Out of all the guys I list here, I believe he has the best chance of being traded to the Cavs. He is a great defender, rebounder, and shot blocker. He is almost Ben Wallace version 2.0, with some offense. Another reason he could be traded is because he is on a losing team, with a big contract. His contract runs for only 2 more years, and it expires in the summer of 2010. Like Kaman, I am not sure if Camby would make us a championship contender because of his offensive liabilities. I am not sure if he is worth Wally and a 1st rounder for him and a longer contract either, especially if Wallace or Salmons become available at that price. I wouldn't mind having him, but there will be better options out there.
Mike Miller, G, Timberwolves: I don't really like Miller that much because he is mostly a shooter. He is good at it, but thats all he can really do. He has ok handles, and is an above average athlete. Occasionally he will drive to the hoop, but he is mostly a shooter. He is shooting 37% from 3 point land this year, and he is only averaging 10 points a game. His contract does end in 2010, but he isn't worth Wally and a first rounder. He would basically duplicate what Wally does, just a little younger (he is 28). Also, shooting guard isn't a need for us, as he can't guard small forwards or power forwards.
As you have noticed, the guys on this list are all on teams that have losing records and they probably won't make the playoffs.
Well thats about it folks. I know I threw a lot at you. If you have any comments or names you want to add please let me know. I would love to hear what you all have to say. Thanks again, and go Cleveland!
-Raz
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Lots of work....
Hello everybody! There has been a lot going on in the world of Cleveland sports, and lets get crackin!
The Browns are still a mess
As most of you know, Browns owner Randy Lerner fired GM Phil Savage and Head Coach Romeo Crennell. This is not a surprise to any Browns fan, as they had a 24-40 record together. Savage did a good job of getting some talent on this team (Cribbs, Rogers, Thomas, Braylon, DA) but at the same time, he overspent on free agents such as Stallworth and Shafer. I feel that there was a disconnect between Romeo and Savage, and that Romeo wanted to play his guys, and Savage tried to force his hand by playing the guys he drafted and brought in. This brings me to the list of GM's and coaches who the Browns are looking at, and what I think of them.
Eric Mangini: I think Mangini would be an ok choice. He doesn't show much expression either, but he is someone who makes sure his players are disciplined, and it never looks as if his players are out of line, or doing stupid things. He seems to have a better knowledge of the game, thus his nickname "Mangenius". Although the Jets struggled last year, and missed the playoffs this year, some of his players recently said that it wasn't Mangini's fault that they missed the playoffs. The Jets spent a lot of money to bring in players, and they ran out of gas at the end of the year. The hesitation I have about him, is that he came from the Bill Belichick coaching tree. We have seen Charlie Weis, and Romeo struggle, and it shows you how much of a genius Belichick truly is. Mangini might do better his second time around coaching, but I believe there is one better option than him. To me, Mangini would be my second choice
Josh McDaniels: My prodigal son has returned. For those of you who do not know, I attend John Carroll University, and McDaniels is an alumnus of the school. He played wide receiver for the football. He is currently the offensive coordinator of the Patriots, and again he is coming from the unproven Belichick tree. Also, he is a very young coordinator (32 years old), and he has no head coaching experience. The Browns need a coach who will discipline the players, and a coach who the players respect greatly. This could be hard for a young guy with no head coaching experience. Personally, I wouldn't want him either, because of those reasons. One positive I can think of is that he was the coordinator last year when the Patriots had the greatest offensive of all time. Also, he took Matt Cassell (who hadn't taken a snap since high school), Benjarvus Green-Ellis, Kevin Faulk, and Lamont Jordan, and he led the Patriots to an 11-5 record. I don't think he really has a shot of being our coach, but it will be interesting to see what happens.
Steve Spagnuolo: Spagnuolo is the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants. He is a sleeper candidate and he has a better chance than any coordinator the Browns are interviewing. This is because he is more visible on the sidelines, he is a disciplinarian, and he coached perhaps one of the best defensive lines of our time (Strahan, Umenyiora, Tuck, Colfield, Robbins, and Kiwanuka). His defensive schemes helped the Giants beat the greatest offense in the world last year in the Super Bowl. He knows what he is doing out there, and he is someone who will command a little more respect than the average coordinator because he has won, and he has coached numerous high profile players with the Giants. He has continued his success this year as the Giants are the number one seed in the NFC, even though they lost Strahan and Umenyiora (there two best linemen). I like Spagnuolo, and he is third on my list, behind Mangini.
Mike Shanahan: This guy would be my number one choice, but under one condition, and that is he is strictly the head coach, and not a GM. This is the guy who signed Gerrard Warren and Courtney Brown, no thanks. Shananhan is an X's and O's guy and he knows what he doing out there. He won 2 Super Bowls, and his Broncos teams are ussually in the playoff mix, year in and year out. He has a 146-95 record as a head coach as well. Players will respect him just because he is one of the longest tenured coaches in the league, and his teams are ussually competitive. He is also a gutsy guy. Earlier this year he went for two to win a game after his team scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter. I like guys who are not scared to take risks like that, and the Browns need a flair like him on our team. The chances of him coming are pretty dim though. He informed the Browns that he was taking a two week vacation, and numerous insiders have said that he will take a year off and probably coach next year.
Scott Pioli: Pioli is the Vice President of the Patriots, and he helped put together three Super Bowl teams in New England. He is great at finding unknown talent, and bringing in players who fit the system in New England. He does not try to bring in high profile guys, and fit a square in a circle. My concern with him though is that Bellichick has the final say in New England, and Pioli just makes recommendations to him. I am sure Pioli has made some great picks, but it makes me skeptical that it is just Bellichick making the calls. Also, he has never served as an actual "GM". We do not want another Phil Savage here. Savage was a guy who was constantly on the road scouting, and he never seemed to be a good public presence. We cannot have gaffes with players and fans as Savage did. We need a GM with some experience, and is visible to the fans. I am unsure with the visibility part with Pioli, but I have some confidence in his ability to bring in the right players. The chances of him coming here are pretty good, as Lerner has made an offer to him, and Pioli seems to be interested in the job.
Floyd Reese: Reese is the former GM of the Tennessee Titans. To me, Reese is a very good choice. From 1999 - 2006, Reese was 3rd in the league in draft choices that are still in the NFL and 7th in the NFL in draft picks still on the Titans' roster. Since 1997, he has brought the Titans to one Super Bowl, two AFC Championships, 2 divisional championships, 4 playoff appearances, and a 5-4 playoff record. He also had two 13-3 seasons and four 11+ win seasons. Reese had a league-high 56 wins from 1999-2003. He has drafted very good players throughout his career. They include Eddie George, Steve McNair, Vince Young, Jevon Kearse, Jon Runyon, Samari Rolle, Keith Bulluck, Albert Haynesworth, Justin Hartwig, Tank Williams, Pacman Jones, Lendale White, Cortland Finnegan, Michael Roos, and Roydell Williams. That is a pretty impressive list. He has been out of the league since 2006, and it will probably take a fat check, and a lot of freedom in the front office. To me, Reese is my number one choice because he has the experience of GM, and he consistently had good teams in Tennessee.
The Indians trade for a 2B
Not a bad deal by Shapiro. Previously, I listed Brian Roberts and JJ Hardy, but Mark DeRosa isn't a bad consolation prize. I am glad to see Shapiro give away some pitching prospects as well. DeRosa is very versatile in that he can play 6 different positions, and 2B being his prime position. He batted .285 last year with 21 HR and 87 RBI's. Only three times in his career has he hit more than 10 homeruns, so this might be DeRosa peaking right now, but the Indians are trying to win with this move. He is a much better option than Jamey Carroll and Josh Barfield. I am glad to see the middle of our infield being solidified. He will probably bat second, and the Indians to me could use a valuable lead off man, to bring Sizemore to third in the lineup. We are wasting Sizemore at the top of our lineup because he is a good power hitter. Kenny Lofton sounds so nice right now.... The Indians just need to get big numbers from Hafner, Martinez, Beatancourt, Fausto, and Garko. If that happens, watch out, this team will surprise some people.....
The Cavaliers are coming down to earth
The Cavaliers continue to win, but they are no longer murdering teams as they were before. They played tough games versus Miami, Washington, and Oklahoma City. In these games, the Cavaliers defense was somewhat lazy, and players weren't sharing the ball a lot on offense. Last night versus Chicago, with Z out, the Cavs went back to their old ways and they played tough D, with great ball movement. Lebron notched a triple double, AV scored 26 points, Hickson was active downlow, Delonte shot well, and Gibson slowly seems to be getting back into it. This team continues to bond, as they cheer for each other during the game. As I said earlier, the Cavs still need one more player, preferably a swingman or big man. I have already written a lot, so next time I post a blog, I will dedicate a good amount of it to players who might become available, the odds of them coming, what it will take to get them, and how they would fit with the Cavs.
Well folks this wraps it up. Thanks for reading, and I hope to write again soon! Good luck and go Cleveland!
-Raz
The Browns are still a mess
As most of you know, Browns owner Randy Lerner fired GM Phil Savage and Head Coach Romeo Crennell. This is not a surprise to any Browns fan, as they had a 24-40 record together. Savage did a good job of getting some talent on this team (Cribbs, Rogers, Thomas, Braylon, DA) but at the same time, he overspent on free agents such as Stallworth and Shafer. I feel that there was a disconnect between Romeo and Savage, and that Romeo wanted to play his guys, and Savage tried to force his hand by playing the guys he drafted and brought in. This brings me to the list of GM's and coaches who the Browns are looking at, and what I think of them.
Eric Mangini: I think Mangini would be an ok choice. He doesn't show much expression either, but he is someone who makes sure his players are disciplined, and it never looks as if his players are out of line, or doing stupid things. He seems to have a better knowledge of the game, thus his nickname "Mangenius". Although the Jets struggled last year, and missed the playoffs this year, some of his players recently said that it wasn't Mangini's fault that they missed the playoffs. The Jets spent a lot of money to bring in players, and they ran out of gas at the end of the year. The hesitation I have about him, is that he came from the Bill Belichick coaching tree. We have seen Charlie Weis, and Romeo struggle, and it shows you how much of a genius Belichick truly is. Mangini might do better his second time around coaching, but I believe there is one better option than him. To me, Mangini would be my second choice
Josh McDaniels: My prodigal son has returned. For those of you who do not know, I attend John Carroll University, and McDaniels is an alumnus of the school. He played wide receiver for the football. He is currently the offensive coordinator of the Patriots, and again he is coming from the unproven Belichick tree. Also, he is a very young coordinator (32 years old), and he has no head coaching experience. The Browns need a coach who will discipline the players, and a coach who the players respect greatly. This could be hard for a young guy with no head coaching experience. Personally, I wouldn't want him either, because of those reasons. One positive I can think of is that he was the coordinator last year when the Patriots had the greatest offensive of all time. Also, he took Matt Cassell (who hadn't taken a snap since high school), Benjarvus Green-Ellis, Kevin Faulk, and Lamont Jordan, and he led the Patriots to an 11-5 record. I don't think he really has a shot of being our coach, but it will be interesting to see what happens.
Steve Spagnuolo: Spagnuolo is the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants. He is a sleeper candidate and he has a better chance than any coordinator the Browns are interviewing. This is because he is more visible on the sidelines, he is a disciplinarian, and he coached perhaps one of the best defensive lines of our time (Strahan, Umenyiora, Tuck, Colfield, Robbins, and Kiwanuka). His defensive schemes helped the Giants beat the greatest offense in the world last year in the Super Bowl. He knows what he is doing out there, and he is someone who will command a little more respect than the average coordinator because he has won, and he has coached numerous high profile players with the Giants. He has continued his success this year as the Giants are the number one seed in the NFC, even though they lost Strahan and Umenyiora (there two best linemen). I like Spagnuolo, and he is third on my list, behind Mangini.
Mike Shanahan: This guy would be my number one choice, but under one condition, and that is he is strictly the head coach, and not a GM. This is the guy who signed Gerrard Warren and Courtney Brown, no thanks. Shananhan is an X's and O's guy and he knows what he doing out there. He won 2 Super Bowls, and his Broncos teams are ussually in the playoff mix, year in and year out. He has a 146-95 record as a head coach as well. Players will respect him just because he is one of the longest tenured coaches in the league, and his teams are ussually competitive. He is also a gutsy guy. Earlier this year he went for two to win a game after his team scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter. I like guys who are not scared to take risks like that, and the Browns need a flair like him on our team. The chances of him coming are pretty dim though. He informed the Browns that he was taking a two week vacation, and numerous insiders have said that he will take a year off and probably coach next year.
Scott Pioli: Pioli is the Vice President of the Patriots, and he helped put together three Super Bowl teams in New England. He is great at finding unknown talent, and bringing in players who fit the system in New England. He does not try to bring in high profile guys, and fit a square in a circle. My concern with him though is that Bellichick has the final say in New England, and Pioli just makes recommendations to him. I am sure Pioli has made some great picks, but it makes me skeptical that it is just Bellichick making the calls. Also, he has never served as an actual "GM". We do not want another Phil Savage here. Savage was a guy who was constantly on the road scouting, and he never seemed to be a good public presence. We cannot have gaffes with players and fans as Savage did. We need a GM with some experience, and is visible to the fans. I am unsure with the visibility part with Pioli, but I have some confidence in his ability to bring in the right players. The chances of him coming here are pretty good, as Lerner has made an offer to him, and Pioli seems to be interested in the job.
Floyd Reese: Reese is the former GM of the Tennessee Titans. To me, Reese is a very good choice. From 1999 - 2006, Reese was 3rd in the league in draft choices that are still in the NFL and 7th in the NFL in draft picks still on the Titans' roster. Since 1997, he has brought the Titans to one Super Bowl, two AFC Championships, 2 divisional championships, 4 playoff appearances, and a 5-4 playoff record. He also had two 13-3 seasons and four 11+ win seasons. Reese had a league-high 56 wins from 1999-2003. He has drafted very good players throughout his career. They include Eddie George, Steve McNair, Vince Young, Jevon Kearse, Jon Runyon, Samari Rolle, Keith Bulluck, Albert Haynesworth, Justin Hartwig, Tank Williams, Pacman Jones, Lendale White, Cortland Finnegan, Michael Roos, and Roydell Williams. That is a pretty impressive list. He has been out of the league since 2006, and it will probably take a fat check, and a lot of freedom in the front office. To me, Reese is my number one choice because he has the experience of GM, and he consistently had good teams in Tennessee.
The Indians trade for a 2B
Not a bad deal by Shapiro. Previously, I listed Brian Roberts and JJ Hardy, but Mark DeRosa isn't a bad consolation prize. I am glad to see Shapiro give away some pitching prospects as well. DeRosa is very versatile in that he can play 6 different positions, and 2B being his prime position. He batted .285 last year with 21 HR and 87 RBI's. Only three times in his career has he hit more than 10 homeruns, so this might be DeRosa peaking right now, but the Indians are trying to win with this move. He is a much better option than Jamey Carroll and Josh Barfield. I am glad to see the middle of our infield being solidified. He will probably bat second, and the Indians to me could use a valuable lead off man, to bring Sizemore to third in the lineup. We are wasting Sizemore at the top of our lineup because he is a good power hitter. Kenny Lofton sounds so nice right now.... The Indians just need to get big numbers from Hafner, Martinez, Beatancourt, Fausto, and Garko. If that happens, watch out, this team will surprise some people.....
The Cavaliers are coming down to earth
The Cavaliers continue to win, but they are no longer murdering teams as they were before. They played tough games versus Miami, Washington, and Oklahoma City. In these games, the Cavaliers defense was somewhat lazy, and players weren't sharing the ball a lot on offense. Last night versus Chicago, with Z out, the Cavs went back to their old ways and they played tough D, with great ball movement. Lebron notched a triple double, AV scored 26 points, Hickson was active downlow, Delonte shot well, and Gibson slowly seems to be getting back into it. This team continues to bond, as they cheer for each other during the game. As I said earlier, the Cavs still need one more player, preferably a swingman or big man. I have already written a lot, so next time I post a blog, I will dedicate a good amount of it to players who might become available, the odds of them coming, what it will take to get them, and how they would fit with the Cavs.
Well folks this wraps it up. Thanks for reading, and I hope to write again soon! Good luck and go Cleveland!
-Raz
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