Tuesday, June 22, 2010

A Draft Ahead

Its been awhile since I have written and the whole Tom Izzo situation has now passed. I didnt write a lot about him because I was waiting for the situation to play out. I didn't really know how I felt about Izzo being that he was a college coach and unproven at the NBA level. At the same time he did a great job with teams with marginal talent. The success rate of college coaches transitioning to the NBA has been very low. Because of this I really wasn't excited by the Izzo offer, and I think Gilbert was trying to swing for the fences.

The Cavs are now looking for a new coach and it seems to be down to a few names, Byron Scott and Brian Shaw. Scott is someone who I don't really get excited about. He seems like a solid coach but he is not known as someone who is a great gameplanner and runs an offense at a slow pace. Sounds like a coach you've heard before? Shaw to me would be an interesting candidate because LeBron is interested in a coach who has had NBA playing experience. Shaw has been a Lakers assistant for the past 7 years and has worked with Phil Jackson. He has experience running the triangle offense and the Lakers have won the past 2 NBA Championships. Personally, I prefer Shaw because he seems like a coach who has a solid background, played in the NBA, and has seen what it takes to win a NBA title. The problem with Shaw is that he has not had any head coaching experience, and if Phil Jackson decides to leave LA, Shaw could be his replace.

Going away from our coaching search, the NBA Draft is 2 days away. The Cavs currently hold no draft picks as they traded these picks in the Shaq and Jamison deals. Brian Windhorst is reporting that the Cavs have increased their efforts to acquire a late first or second round pick. I have always been an advocate for acquiring draft picks because it is imperative to continue to surround LeBron with young talent and to build your team through the draft. This years draft class is one that had one of two players with great potential (John Wall, Even Turner) and the rest of the draft is filled with either solid players or raw, unproven, high ceiling guys.

The biggest need the Cavs have to address going forward is PG and C. Mo Williams is likely to be dealt this offseason and Yahoo Sports had a report today that linked him to the Portland Trailblazers. I think the Cavs should draft a player they could maybe plug at the end of their rotation, and a developmental guy as well. This would require that the Cavs buy or trade for 2 draft picks. Here are some NBA Draft names the Cavs could consider:

Craig Brackins, PF, Iowa State- He is a 6'10 inside/outside forward. He has very good offensive skills who has a solid motor. He is athletic but is older for his class (22), can be inconsistent at times, and isn't a solid defender. I feel that Brackins would be a good fit here because he would add another big body downlow to our team and he could contribute immediately. He should be available near picks 20-35.

Solomon Alabi, C, Florida State- Here is a legit 7 footer with an amazing wingspan, high motor, and great athletic skills. He is a great shot blocker (2.3 per game) and has a developing post game. Some concerns I have with him are that he had average rebounding numbers for a 7-1 player (6.2 per game), and his offensive game has a ways to go. He would be a good C to groom and plug in the lineup in a couple years. He should be around during picks 20-35.

Kevin Seraphin, PF, France- I know, I know everyone is screaming to not draft a foriegn guy, but Seraphin is a guy who has a lot of value. He has an NBA body at 6'10, atheltic, and can finish downlow. He doesn't have much of a perimeter game, and needs to gain more experience playing. He seems like a guy you could draft and put in the D-League, a la Serge Ibaka. He had some injury issues at the NBA Combine so his stock has been slipping, so I expect him to be taken around 22-35.

Jerome Jordan, C, Tulsa- Jordan is another 7 foot prospect who can run the floor and rebound the ball. He is athletic but has struggled devolping an offensive game and his motor runs hot and cold. He is a developmental prospect who should be around in round 2.

Eric Bledsoe, PG, Memphis- John Wall's backup has been up and down draft boards. He would fill a need for the Cavs as a PG who is tough, can defend the perimeter, and the pass the ball well. He still needs to develop a jumpshot and cut down on his turnovers. He has solid size for a PG at 6'2 and is lightning quick. He should be around from 14-20.

Larry Sanders, PF, VCU- Here is another wiry forward with solid length and size (6-11 with a 7-6 wingspan). He is a high energy rebounder and defender who has slowly been developing his offensive game. The only concern on him is continuing to develop his offensive game. With the correct coaching, I think Sanders could become a really good low post player. He should be available from picks 23-30.

The odds are the Cavs won't end up drafting any of these guys. There have been reports today that the Cavs have ramped up their efforts to get a late first-second round pick for Thursday. We have already seen a flurry activity with the trades of Corey Maggette, Chris Douglas Roberts, and Daequan Cook. Expect there to be more moves on Draft Day.

I know want to take some time to talk about our offseason. I know I haven't written much but its been pretty quiet. I think the Cavs are really working hard behind the scenes to make a big splash. According to a source on RealCavsFans, the Cavs "...have big trade options on the burner that could answer many of his concerns (LeBron's concerns)" I don't know what to make of this but I assume the Cavs are working on a deal to get some draft picks or a big name player. Who are some guys you might hear linked here? Lets dig in:

Chris Paul, PG, New Orleans Hornets- I will start with this one because I think its the most unlikely. The Hornets have no reason to trade Paul, he is their franchise player and is getting paid only $15 million a year. I think the Hornets would prefer to trade Darren Collison instead of him because Paul attracts so much more attention, is a better player, and can sell tickets. The reason why his name is catching steam is for a few reasons. One, World Wide Wes has been telling teams if they acquire Paul, along with some cap space it will greatly enhance their chance to sign LeBron James. Two, Paul came out today and said if the Hornets weren't committed to winning, he would be open to a trade. He did reiterate that he was still happy with the Hornets and that it was his first choice. Three, their has been a delay in the sale of the Hornets from George Shinn to Gary Chouest due to financial reasons. Shinn's only source of income is the Hornets and he must pay the luxury tax straight out of his pocket. Many people believe he cannot afford Paul and that he should just trade him.

I'm sorry I hate to sound pessimistic, but I just don't see this happening. The Hornets would have to be crazy to trade one of the best PG's in the NBA and a top 10 NBA player. Second, I have read that teams have offered players such as OJ Mayo, Devin Harris, Vince Carter, and Jameer Nelson for Paul. The Cavs don't have a player of that caliber to trade to the Hornets, the only players to me that hold talent value to other teams is Andy, Mo, and JJ Hickson. Grant it, I would trade those guys any day for Paul, but I think the Hornets if they decided to trade Paul could find a much better deal.

Chris Bosh, F, Toronto Raptors- I will say this, the Cavs have a better chance of landing Bosh than they do Paul. With that said, I still don't think he will come here. It is Bosh who will decide where he lands and while we don't have any cap room for him, we could acquire him in a sign and trade. Sign and trades are complicated to pull off but they can be done. The 2 reasons I think the Cavs have a chance for Bosh is one, he is close friends with LeBron. If Bosh decides that he wants to go where LeBron will and LeBron commits to Cleveland, Bosh can tell the Raptors to sign and trade him to Cleveland. The Raptors, knowing that Bosh will leave will not want to let him walk for free, so they will try to negotiate a trade with the Cavs. The Cavs would probably offer a combination of cash, young players, and expiring contracts. A hypothetical trade could be Delonte West, Eyenga, Andy, and Hickson plus cash. The second reason I think the Cavs could make a move is because I think the Cavs could actually put together one of the better offers the Raptors could see. The Raptors were apparently one of the teams who were looking into drafting Eyenga last year. According to Brian Windhorst the Raptors have always liked Andy. Reports came out last week that the Cavs did call the Raptors about their asking price for Bosh. I still think its unlikely, but it should be a fun story to watch.

Al Jefferson, C, Minnesota Timberwolves- Jefferson has apparently been on the block due to his knee injury last year and inability to adjust with Kevin Love downlow. I would love to get Jefferson because he has great size at 6'11 who has some of the best footwork in the post. He would solve our issues at C for the next 5 years and he has a very affordable contract at $12 million a year. He is still young at the age of 25. The only risk I see with acquiring Jefferson is that he blew his knee out 2 years ago, but he should play much better this coming year as he continues to recover. He put up 17 and 9 this year and I would love to see him in a Cavs uniform. What would it take to get him? Well for one you would have to part with Andy and JJ, throw in West or Parker and you might get a competitive offer. I think the Wolves could get better offers for Jefferson, so I don't think he is coming here.

JJ Redick, SG, Orlando Magic- Redick improved by leaps and bounds this year in Orlando. He shot 40% from 3 and averaged nearly 10 points per game. He is an excellent shooter and someone who tries on defense. Coming off the bench, I think Redick could be very effective with so many open looks that LeBron could create. He is a free agent this year and we could offer some or most of the Mid Level Exception the Cavs have. If the Cavs end up trading Anthony Parker they could use a guy like Redick on the team.

These are all the names I can think of now. As I said earlier I think everyone on the team should be made available. To me Hickson (improving big man, still young), Andy (bigman entering his prime who is a good defender), West (super expiring), and Mo (solid PG who can shoot the ball well but doesn't defend) hold the most value on the Cavs. I wouldn't trade Mo unless we were able to get a PG who was of equal talent level back. I am fine with trading Andy or Hickson if it will net us a high draft pick or big name player. West should be added to a deal to help sweeten the pot for a team trying to save luxury tax money.

The next couple days should be very exciting. There will be a lot of activity and I think the Cavs will make a move because they HAVE to make a move. We have no coach, our roster is exactly the same as it was last year, and some guy named LeBron is a free agent. Brian Windhorst a couple weeks ago noted that Dan Gilbert wants to make blockbuster moves left and right and wants to turn the roster over. I am interested in seeing what the Cavs come up with after Thursday. Check back for any updates or breaking news that may occur. Thank you for reading and go Cleveland!

-Raz

Friday, June 4, 2010

The Ferry Has Sailed

About an hour ago Brian Windhorst reported that Cavs GM Danny Ferry has resigned from his position. His contract was due up at the end of this month. The move was seen as one that was mutual. Cavs assistant GM Chris Grant has been moved up to GM now. Grant has been with Ferry since 2005 and two years ago Grant rejected a GM job offer from the Atlanta Hawks. Here are some thoughts of mine.

-Danny Ferry was a great GM. He learned from his mistakes in 2005 and he drafted Daniel Gibson, JJ Hickson, Shannon Brown, and Danny Green. He traded for Mo, Antawn, and Shaq. He never got ripped off in a trade and always maximized value. We go Mo, Jamison, and Shaq for nothing.

-One of my friends made a great point that while Ferry always maximized value, he sometimes was better off getting the BEST player available. Getting Jamison and Mo for nothing was great, but their contracts are going to weigh on our cap for a couple more years.

-I think this move indicated that Gilbert is indeed putting his foot on the pedal to get a big name coach. This includes Phil Jackson, Coach K, Tom Izzo, John Calipari, and Larry Brown. These coaches are going to want to have a say in personnel matters. Former Lakers GM Jerry West left LA because Jackson wanted more power within the organization. Ferry did not want to give up the power he had over all personnel and draft moves.

-I think Ferry wanted to go after a more conservative assistant coach (Kelvin Sampson) and Gilbert wanted to swing for the fences. Ferry would not be comfortable with a coach he did not hire.

-I am not sure if this is a smart move. We had back to back 60 win seasons but we failed twice in the playoffs. Gilbert is a successful businessman and I put a lot of trust in him. The organization needs stability. I know he has a plan going forward. He would not let Ferry go without knowing what he would do in the coming weeks.

-GM Chris Grant was Ferry's right hand man. He ran the Cavs draft and he was a part of many of the free agent signings and trades. I am sure he has learned a lot from Ferry and that we will see a similar strategy employed by Grant. The difference is I don't think Grant will want as much power as Ferry did, or Gilbert would have got rid of him as well.

-Charlotte Bobcats coach Larry Brown was asked today about his coaching situation and he said "I don't have anything to say. Dan Gilbert fervently pursued Brown in 2005 to become out team president....

I think that just about does it. Again these next 5-6 weeks will be pretty intense, especially with the uncertainty of LeBron, along with a new coach and GM coming on board. Thanks for reading and go Cleveland!

-Raz