Alright, now that I have written about the Cavs' rash of moves, lets move onto the Indians. While most Indians fans have been blasting owner Larry Dolan for these trades, I don't put as much blame on him as others do. The real problem is the system of baseball and the salary structures. There is no salary cap like there is in the NFL and NBA. The Indians started the year with an $81 million payroll, good for 15th in the league. Thats pretty good considering how cheap the Dolan's have been since rebuilding began in 2001. When the team started losing, people stopped going to the games, thus revenues decrease and payroll must be cut. When you are losing money, you have to start cutting salary. Like any business, when the business is in the red, you have to start making cuts, and thats what the Indians did. Cliff Lee, Victor Martinez, and Mark DeRosa are all very solid players with good contracts, thats why they were so attractive at the deadline. If the MLB had a salary cap, all teams would be able to spend the same amount of money. This would increase parity in the league, and you wouldn't see the same teams in the playoffs every year, teams wouldn't have to rebuild every 2 years, and in the case of the NBA, if a team wanted to go over the salary cap, the teams would have to pay a tax for it. With the MLB, there are no limits, and this is the problem.
Now looking at these trades, many people believe we got ripped off in these deals, but I think the DeRosa, and Victor trades are going to look the best in the end. So far, we traded Mark DeRosa, Ryan Garko, Rafael Betancourt, Victor Martinez, Cliff Lee, Ben Francisco, and Carl Pavano for a total of 10 minor leaguers. In the DeRosa trade we got reliever Chris Perez, who has been solid this month (2.57 ERA) and minor leaguer Jess Todd. Perez seems to be finding a groove in the back end of the bullpen, and Todd is ranked as the 4th best prospect in the Cardinals organization this past year by Baseball America. The reason I believe this trade will go down as one of the better ones is the Indians got a good young reliever in Perez (only 24), and a solid pitching prospect in Todd.
In the Victor trade, it was very sad to see him go. He seemed like he truly wanted to be here and he even cried in his final interview as an Indian. The Tribe recieved pitchers Justin Masterson, Nick Hagadone, and Bryan Price. Notice the theme here again? Masterson is a young pitcher (24 years old), who can be a solid #3 guy in a rotation. Hagadone is ranked as the Red Sox 3rd best prospect, and Price is still in single A. The Indians got themselves young pitchers again. The other trades the Indians made were Garko being dealt for minor league pitcher Scott Barnes. Garko never impressed me that much here in Cleveland, he just never seemed to be consistent. Barnes is ranked as the 9th best prospect in the Giants organization. Carl Pavano was dealt to the Twins for a player to be named later, and Betancourt was traded to the Rockies for minor league pitcher Conor Graham, who is projected to be a back of the bullpen reliever. Betancourt was not going to be around next year because he has a $5 million team option and the Indians weren't going to pick it up.
Finally, the Cliff Lee trade. I think this trade will either be a complete steal, or a complete disaster. Lee and Francisco was traded for Triple-A right-hander Carlos Carrasco, Class A righty Jason Knapp, catcher Lou Marson, and shortstop Jason Donald. Knapp is the key to this deal. He is an 18 year old starter who throws 98 mph. All four of these guys are top 10 prospects in the Phillies organization. Everyone is making a big deal out of us not getting pitchers JA Happ or Kyle Drabek, but the truth of the matter is if we wanted one of those guys, the Phillies could've just traded one of them for Roy Halladay. The Blue Jays wanted both, but the Phillies wanted to keep one of them. Halladay can be seen as leverage for the Phillies because he was seen as the superior pitcher to Lee. Take Halladay off the market, and Lee is the only great starter in the market and his price will increase because he will be the lone pitcher in demand. In terms of the rest of the deal, Carrasco is struggling in AAA now, but there is some hope he can be a solid starter in the big leagues. Trading for a catcher seems pointless because of the fact we have Carlos Santana (considered a top 3 prospect in our organization), and we already have Asdrubal Cabrera, Beau Mills, Carlos Rivero, and Lonnie Chisenall ready to take positions in the middle and corner infield spots, so why trade for shortstop Jason Donald and catcher Lou Marson? The Indians could flip those 2 prospects, but it seems unlikely. Those two pieces confused me, I would've rather had another pitching prospect or an outfielder.
Now looking back on all this, we acquired 2 major league ready pitchers, and 7 minor league pitchers, 2 position players, and a player to be named later. Not only did we cut our payroll from $81 million to $64 million through the trades, Our management team thought we would have 2.2 million for attendance this year, but it looks like the number is going to be between 1.8-1.9 million. We are projected to lose about $16 million this year. Add in the fact that our front office has not been able to scout and develop any pitching talent in the Shapiro regime, you can see why we made some of our moves. The Indians farm system has been depleted of pitchers. Aside from CC Sabathia and Jeremy Guthrie, the Indians have not drafted, signed, and developed a solid starting pitcher in the past 8 years. Guys such as Adam Miller, JD Martin, and Chuck Lofgren were just some names of Indians pitchers who were supposed to develop but never did. Mark Shapiro and his scouting staff have not done a good job of developing young pitchers, but I do trust Shapiro to be able to find good prospects through trades (Grady Sizemore, Brandon Phillips, Cliff Lee, Asdrubal Cabrera, Travis Hafner, Shin Soo Choo, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Ryan Ludwick). I think in the end, we might not see the Bartolo Colon trade all over again, but I feel that with so many highly regarding pitching prospects being brought over, a couple of them have to pan out and do well. Remember, we also have outfielders Michael Brantley, and Matt LaPorta waiting in the wings with catcher Carlos Santana. These guys were all considered to be the top prospects in their organizations, and they will make contributions in the near future. While we didn't get the one hot name like JA Happ, Doug Drabek, or Clay Bucholz, we got a good collection of young pitching talent to use in the future (2011 looks like a good starting point). Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickey once said that with pitchers its always better to have "Quantity over quality".
Thats all folks! Next time I will be writing a few thoughts on the Browns, and the recent signing of PF Leon Powe by the Cavs. Thanks again!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Long Time (Part 1)
Hello everyone, it has been a pretty longtime since I last wrote. In between my laziness, and work I never got around to this. I also wanted to wait till the NBA offseason was complete, and the MLB trade deadline to finish before writing. Since both of those have finished, I will share with you my thoughts.
Cavs Offseason
-The addition of Shaq was a great move in my opinion. As long as he stays in shape he is good for 15 points and 6 rebounds a game. Since Carlos Boozer, the Cavs have not had a serious low post threat. Shaq will be much better against Dwight Howard one on one, but he will struggle defending the pick and roll.
-Teams will now have to respect Shaq by doubleteaming him. This leaves shooters such as Daniel Gibson, Anthony Parker, Mo Williams, Delonte West and Danny Green open. Remember how well Damon Jones and Jason Kapono shot with Shaq on their teams? Kapono shot 40% and 51% from 3 in his 2 years with Shaq, and Jones shot 43% in his lone season with Shaq. Kapono is a career 45% shooter from 3, and Jones is 39%. Yeah, Shaq will make a difference...
-People often times complain about Daniel Gibson's struggles, and I was dissapointed in him last year. He had a toe injury that affected his shot and confidence. Now that he has an offseason of rest, he will come back strong, and I expect him to shoot well.
-Andy's extension was a pretty big one (6 yrs $43 million, could go up to $50 million), and he did get overpaid. Bigmen in the NBA tend to get overpaid, look at Kenyon Martin ($15 million a year), Kenny Thomas ($8 million a year), Zach Randolph ($17 million a year), and Brian Cardinal ($6.7 million a year). Anderson is only 26 and he is a great energy guy, who will bug opposing players, play tough defense, and grab rebounds. LeBron likes him a lot too. I am sad we overpaid for him, but he fills a solid role on our team.
-The addition of Anthony Parker was a solid move. He will fill the role that Sasha couldn't fill. He is a solid defender, great midrange shooter (Top 10 midrange shooter in the NBA), and solid 3 point shooter (39% last year). Although he is 34, he has the legs of a 31 year old because he played 6 seasons overseas. Overseas basketball does not have the rigor of an 82 game schedule like the NBA does, and they do not play 4 times a week. He adds size (6'6), and some scoring punch to our bench (10 ppg last year). The Cavs signed him to a 2 year deal, thus not getting bogged down in a longer contract (Damon Jones? Donyell Marshall?)
-Jamario Moon was a GREAT pickup. People do not realize how athletic this guy is. Go to YouTube, type his name and see what you will find. He is a solid defender with long arms, and can finish when near the basket. He is exactly what we need to guard the Orlando Magic, a long athletic perimeter guy who can close out quick on the Orlando shooters. He will be catching many alley-oop dunks from LeBron this year. The Cavs signed him to a 2 year deal, with a team option for a 3rd year, thus increasing his trade value after next year.
-Drafting Christian Eyenga was a head scratcher for me, but I think he could pan out to be a Leandro Barbosa/Mickael Pietrus type of player. He is a freakish athlete, who has good size for a SG/SF (6'6), a developing jumper, solid defender, and he is only 19! Eyenga lacks some fundamentals as he isn't a great shooter, has low basketball IQ, and he cannot create his own shot. Add to the fact that he speaks no English, you have yourself a project. While playing for the Cavs in the NBA Summer League he showed some flashes of his amazing athletiscm and defense. The Cavs even thought about keeping him here for the year. He signed a 3 year deal to play with Spain's DKV Joventut (same team Ricky Rubio player for), with an opt out clause every year, so the Cavs can bring him back next year. He is better suited to play overseas anyways because they develop players in a more fundamental way than the NBDL.
-SG Danny Green was a great pick. He will be able to contribute right away. Playing for Roy Williams and North Carolina for 4 years was a great benefit. Williams has a knack for sending a lot of players to the NBA. His teammates Wayne Ellington, Ty Lawson, Tyler Hansbrough were all drafted in the first round. Green will be a solid SG off the bench, who has good size (6'6), smarts, a great shot (51% from 3 last year), and a good defender. He will benefit from the double teams Shaq will get. Again, this is what the Cavs wanted out of Sasha and Wally, and they really never got it.
- The Cavs bought the Suns 2nd round pick SF Emir Preldzic. He is 6'9 who can pass very well, and is a very smart basketball player but he lacks a great shot and athleticism. He is a good gamble late in the draft, and he will be stashed away overseas for awhile. I am glad Dan Gilbert was willing to spend some money on a developmental player like him.
-Former Kansas Jayhawks PG Russell Robinson accepted an invitation to training camp. He could make the roster because of the fact that he plays solid defense, and was a solid PG in college. The Cavs do not have a true point guard on the team, and Robinson could fill the void of 3rd PG.
-The Cavs have made a contract offer to PF Leon Powe. He will miss at least half the season after knee surgery. He could be a low risk/high reward pickup because it will allow us to play JJ Hickson more, and see what we have with him exactly. If Hickson struggles and is not ready, we can plug Powe in half way, if Hickson is doing well we can continue to play him, or use him or Powe as trade bait. Powe will probably come cheap as well because he won't be able to play half the year.
-The Celtics added Rasheed Wallace and might end up losing Glen Davis and Leon Powe. Their team is very old, and after players reach their 1,000th game, their numbers tend to fall. Did anyone watch Tim Duncan after his 1,000th game? Garnett got injured after his 1,000th game. Ray Allen is 34 (will hit 1,000th game this year too), Garnett is 33, and Paul Pierce is 32. Rasheed is 34 as well. Rajon Rondo was on the trading block the entire NBA offseason because he clashed with both his teammates and Doc Rivers. Both Rivers and GM Danny Ainge badmouthed Rondo during the offseason as well. Also, after Rasheed who comes off the bench for the Celtics? Eddie House? Ha. Tony Allen? Ha Ha. Brian Scalabrine? Ha Ha Ha. Think about this too, you have 2 of the most wild personalities in the NBA on the same team in Rasheed and Garnett. Cavs fans have seen Rasheed blow up numerous times, and even shut it down if his team wasn't winning. Garnett will chase after white PG's in an attempt to scare them (Ask Jose Calderon and Luke Ridnour). Age, chemistry issues, and a lack of depth are really going to the hurt the Celtics.
-To me the Cavs and the Magic are the teams to beat in the East. The Magic lost their BEST offensive option in Hedo Turkoglu, backup PG Rafer Alston, backup C Tony Battie, and young up and comer Courtney Lee. Alston is expendable because of the return of Jameer Nelson, but losing Courtney Lee and Hedo was huge. Lee is going to be a good player in the NBA, and he was even starting for the Magic. He is a great shooter and a good defender.
-Turkoglu is a matchup nightmare at SF because he is 6'10, can drive, shoot, and run the pick and roll to perfection. The Magic lost height on the perimeter, and one of their main facilitators in Hedo. While Vince Carter puts up big numbers (21 points per game last year), he gets his offense mainly through himself, as he creates his own shot to score. What makes the Magic so deadly is their ability to pass out from Howard to the perimeter and knock down 3 point shots, or run the pick and roll to get open looks. Carter cannot facilitate like Hedo, and he does not drive as well as him either. If Carter is trying to create his own shot, it neutralizes the Magic's strengths. Carter played with Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson, and they still could not beat the Cavs in the 2007 playoffs.
-The Magic re-signed Marcin Gortat and added PF Brandon Bass, SF Matt Barnes, and PF Ryan Anderson. Losing Courtney Lee is a bigger loss than the gain of Matt Barnes, but Bass and Anderson will be solid upgrades over Battie. Anderson is a solid 3 point shooter, but he doesn't defend that well. The Magic gained more depth downlow, but they lost some of their backcourt depth, and their best forward. Losing Hedo and Courtney Lee (who were both great shooters and defenders) will really come back to hurt the Magic in my opinion.
-The Lakers are my favorite to repeat for the NBA championship. They re-signed Lamar Odom, lost Trevor Ariza, but added Ron Artest. They got tougher defensivley, and still kept a lot of the length that helped them win it all last year. It will be great to see the Cavs and Lakers play on Christmas Day.
-Overall, I think the Cavs had a great offseason. They addressed their most pressing needs of a scoring bigman downlow (Shaq), an athletic wing defender (Moon), and taller perimeter defenders who can knock down shots (Parker and Green). We overpaid to re-sign Andy, but the Cavs need to win now and there weren't any replacements out there. We need to show LeBron we are serious about a championship here in Cleveland. We currently have the 3rd highest payroll in the NBA, and it will probably be 2nd highest after we sign Danny Green. I have a lot of appreciation for Danny Ferry's patience and smarts (losing out on Artest, Ariza, and Villanueva/turning Ben Wallace and Sasha into Shaq), and Dan Gilbert's willingness to open his checkbook. It just goes to show you that you have to spend money to put a quality team on the field.
I will write about the Indians trades' in a little bit. Thanks for reading!
Cavs Offseason
-The addition of Shaq was a great move in my opinion. As long as he stays in shape he is good for 15 points and 6 rebounds a game. Since Carlos Boozer, the Cavs have not had a serious low post threat. Shaq will be much better against Dwight Howard one on one, but he will struggle defending the pick and roll.
-Teams will now have to respect Shaq by doubleteaming him. This leaves shooters such as Daniel Gibson, Anthony Parker, Mo Williams, Delonte West and Danny Green open. Remember how well Damon Jones and Jason Kapono shot with Shaq on their teams? Kapono shot 40% and 51% from 3 in his 2 years with Shaq, and Jones shot 43% in his lone season with Shaq. Kapono is a career 45% shooter from 3, and Jones is 39%. Yeah, Shaq will make a difference...
-People often times complain about Daniel Gibson's struggles, and I was dissapointed in him last year. He had a toe injury that affected his shot and confidence. Now that he has an offseason of rest, he will come back strong, and I expect him to shoot well.
-Andy's extension was a pretty big one (6 yrs $43 million, could go up to $50 million), and he did get overpaid. Bigmen in the NBA tend to get overpaid, look at Kenyon Martin ($15 million a year), Kenny Thomas ($8 million a year), Zach Randolph ($17 million a year), and Brian Cardinal ($6.7 million a year). Anderson is only 26 and he is a great energy guy, who will bug opposing players, play tough defense, and grab rebounds. LeBron likes him a lot too. I am sad we overpaid for him, but he fills a solid role on our team.
-The addition of Anthony Parker was a solid move. He will fill the role that Sasha couldn't fill. He is a solid defender, great midrange shooter (Top 10 midrange shooter in the NBA), and solid 3 point shooter (39% last year). Although he is 34, he has the legs of a 31 year old because he played 6 seasons overseas. Overseas basketball does not have the rigor of an 82 game schedule like the NBA does, and they do not play 4 times a week. He adds size (6'6), and some scoring punch to our bench (10 ppg last year). The Cavs signed him to a 2 year deal, thus not getting bogged down in a longer contract (Damon Jones? Donyell Marshall?)
-Jamario Moon was a GREAT pickup. People do not realize how athletic this guy is. Go to YouTube, type his name and see what you will find. He is a solid defender with long arms, and can finish when near the basket. He is exactly what we need to guard the Orlando Magic, a long athletic perimeter guy who can close out quick on the Orlando shooters. He will be catching many alley-oop dunks from LeBron this year. The Cavs signed him to a 2 year deal, with a team option for a 3rd year, thus increasing his trade value after next year.
-Drafting Christian Eyenga was a head scratcher for me, but I think he could pan out to be a Leandro Barbosa/Mickael Pietrus type of player. He is a freakish athlete, who has good size for a SG/SF (6'6), a developing jumper, solid defender, and he is only 19! Eyenga lacks some fundamentals as he isn't a great shooter, has low basketball IQ, and he cannot create his own shot. Add to the fact that he speaks no English, you have yourself a project. While playing for the Cavs in the NBA Summer League he showed some flashes of his amazing athletiscm and defense. The Cavs even thought about keeping him here for the year. He signed a 3 year deal to play with Spain's DKV Joventut (same team Ricky Rubio player for), with an opt out clause every year, so the Cavs can bring him back next year. He is better suited to play overseas anyways because they develop players in a more fundamental way than the NBDL.
-SG Danny Green was a great pick. He will be able to contribute right away. Playing for Roy Williams and North Carolina for 4 years was a great benefit. Williams has a knack for sending a lot of players to the NBA. His teammates Wayne Ellington, Ty Lawson, Tyler Hansbrough were all drafted in the first round. Green will be a solid SG off the bench, who has good size (6'6), smarts, a great shot (51% from 3 last year), and a good defender. He will benefit from the double teams Shaq will get. Again, this is what the Cavs wanted out of Sasha and Wally, and they really never got it.
- The Cavs bought the Suns 2nd round pick SF Emir Preldzic. He is 6'9 who can pass very well, and is a very smart basketball player but he lacks a great shot and athleticism. He is a good gamble late in the draft, and he will be stashed away overseas for awhile. I am glad Dan Gilbert was willing to spend some money on a developmental player like him.
-Former Kansas Jayhawks PG Russell Robinson accepted an invitation to training camp. He could make the roster because of the fact that he plays solid defense, and was a solid PG in college. The Cavs do not have a true point guard on the team, and Robinson could fill the void of 3rd PG.
-The Cavs have made a contract offer to PF Leon Powe. He will miss at least half the season after knee surgery. He could be a low risk/high reward pickup because it will allow us to play JJ Hickson more, and see what we have with him exactly. If Hickson struggles and is not ready, we can plug Powe in half way, if Hickson is doing well we can continue to play him, or use him or Powe as trade bait. Powe will probably come cheap as well because he won't be able to play half the year.
-The Celtics added Rasheed Wallace and might end up losing Glen Davis and Leon Powe. Their team is very old, and after players reach their 1,000th game, their numbers tend to fall. Did anyone watch Tim Duncan after his 1,000th game? Garnett got injured after his 1,000th game. Ray Allen is 34 (will hit 1,000th game this year too), Garnett is 33, and Paul Pierce is 32. Rasheed is 34 as well. Rajon Rondo was on the trading block the entire NBA offseason because he clashed with both his teammates and Doc Rivers. Both Rivers and GM Danny Ainge badmouthed Rondo during the offseason as well. Also, after Rasheed who comes off the bench for the Celtics? Eddie House? Ha. Tony Allen? Ha Ha. Brian Scalabrine? Ha Ha Ha. Think about this too, you have 2 of the most wild personalities in the NBA on the same team in Rasheed and Garnett. Cavs fans have seen Rasheed blow up numerous times, and even shut it down if his team wasn't winning. Garnett will chase after white PG's in an attempt to scare them (Ask Jose Calderon and Luke Ridnour). Age, chemistry issues, and a lack of depth are really going to the hurt the Celtics.
-To me the Cavs and the Magic are the teams to beat in the East. The Magic lost their BEST offensive option in Hedo Turkoglu, backup PG Rafer Alston, backup C Tony Battie, and young up and comer Courtney Lee. Alston is expendable because of the return of Jameer Nelson, but losing Courtney Lee and Hedo was huge. Lee is going to be a good player in the NBA, and he was even starting for the Magic. He is a great shooter and a good defender.
-Turkoglu is a matchup nightmare at SF because he is 6'10, can drive, shoot, and run the pick and roll to perfection. The Magic lost height on the perimeter, and one of their main facilitators in Hedo. While Vince Carter puts up big numbers (21 points per game last year), he gets his offense mainly through himself, as he creates his own shot to score. What makes the Magic so deadly is their ability to pass out from Howard to the perimeter and knock down 3 point shots, or run the pick and roll to get open looks. Carter cannot facilitate like Hedo, and he does not drive as well as him either. If Carter is trying to create his own shot, it neutralizes the Magic's strengths. Carter played with Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson, and they still could not beat the Cavs in the 2007 playoffs.
-The Magic re-signed Marcin Gortat and added PF Brandon Bass, SF Matt Barnes, and PF Ryan Anderson. Losing Courtney Lee is a bigger loss than the gain of Matt Barnes, but Bass and Anderson will be solid upgrades over Battie. Anderson is a solid 3 point shooter, but he doesn't defend that well. The Magic gained more depth downlow, but they lost some of their backcourt depth, and their best forward. Losing Hedo and Courtney Lee (who were both great shooters and defenders) will really come back to hurt the Magic in my opinion.
-The Lakers are my favorite to repeat for the NBA championship. They re-signed Lamar Odom, lost Trevor Ariza, but added Ron Artest. They got tougher defensivley, and still kept a lot of the length that helped them win it all last year. It will be great to see the Cavs and Lakers play on Christmas Day.
-Overall, I think the Cavs had a great offseason. They addressed their most pressing needs of a scoring bigman downlow (Shaq), an athletic wing defender (Moon), and taller perimeter defenders who can knock down shots (Parker and Green). We overpaid to re-sign Andy, but the Cavs need to win now and there weren't any replacements out there. We need to show LeBron we are serious about a championship here in Cleveland. We currently have the 3rd highest payroll in the NBA, and it will probably be 2nd highest after we sign Danny Green. I have a lot of appreciation for Danny Ferry's patience and smarts (losing out on Artest, Ariza, and Villanueva/turning Ben Wallace and Sasha into Shaq), and Dan Gilbert's willingness to open his checkbook. It just goes to show you that you have to spend money to put a quality team on the field.
I will write about the Indians trades' in a little bit. Thanks for reading!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
NBA Draft Preview
Hello everyone. It has been awhile since I have last written a blog. I wanted to write a preview of what the Cavs might do in this Thursdays NBA Draft. I have been trying to find out who the Cavs have worked out, and they really haven't worked out too many players. The last 2 times the Cavs had draft picks, they drafted the player they worked out. Since the Cavs own the 30th pick, they really have no idea who will be around when they pick. A lot of what I have read from RealCavsFans message board, and from Brian Windhorst is that the Cavs will look to trade up or buy a pick. The reason why this is reasonable is because in the NBA Draft, teams can buy draft picks and they usually cost $3 million. Since we have an owner willing to spend money, if the right opportunity comes about then I believe the Cavs will try to buy a pick. Also, with tough economic conditions, teams could be looking to save some money.
Previously I have written the needs that the Cavs have. They need a backup PG, a tall athletic SF/PF, and another bigman. This draft is full of PG's, there is a few athletic SF's/PF's, but not a lot of bigmen. I believe the Cavs should take someone who could contribute immediately with there first pick, and with their second pick they should take a developmental player. The Cavs need people who can step in immediatley, but at the same time they need to develop young talent for the future. I think the Cavs will end up with a PG and a SF when the draft is said and done. Here are some guys the Cavs could take....
Earl Clark, SF, Louisville- Clark is a guy the Cavs would probably have to trade up to get. He is projected to get taken between 15-20. He is exactly what the Cavs need: an athletic defender who can guard the perimeter, handle the ball, and shoot the midrange shot. He has great size at 6'10. He can also grab rebounds and pass well. While he is a little raw, he is someone who could come off the bench and get solid playing time his rookie year. He matches up well with the Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkgolus.
Sam Young, SF, Pittsburgh- There is an outside chance that Young could be there at 30, but probably not. Again, the Cavs would need to either buy him, or move up to get him. He is 6'7, atheltic, good finisher, solid shooter, and defender. He is a little old for his class (24 years old), but he is someone who would be able to step in and contribute immediately to the Cavs. Again, he is someone who could matchup well with the Magic, and he can be had at a cheap price.
Ty Lawson, PG, UNC- Lawson is a little undersized for the PG position (6'0), but he is lightning quick, and he can go to the hole with ease. He is a good defender, has good court vision, and he does turn the ball over a lot. Lawson needs to work on his jumper, but he is someone who can run the 2nd unit. There is a chance he could fall to the Cavs with the influx of PG's in this draft.
Terrance Williams, SG/SF, Louisville- Williams, much like Clark is an athletic forward from Lousiville. He isn't as tall as Clark, but he is 6'6. He can guard the SF position, and he seems very interested on that side of the floor. This makes him very attractive in the Mike Brown style of coaching, in that Brown emphasizes defense first. He is very long, and he can handle the ball pretty well. The only major knock on his game is that he is not a great shooter. He can get to the hole, and he is a very good dunker. He to go mid-late first round, so the Cavs would have to move up to get him.
Eric Maynor, PG, VCU- Although his name has not been mentioned with the Cavs, I personally would love to see Maynor here. He is projected to be taken between 15-22, so the Cavs have to buy him or move up. He has excellent size for the PG position at 6'3, and we all know how much Mike Brown loves size. He is a jack of all trades, but a master of none. He is a floor general in every sense, he is improving his 3 point shot, he is a great defender, and he takes very good care of the ball. He fits the bill of someone who could run our 2nd unit.
Darren Collison, PG, UCLA- Collison is a PG who could fall into the 2nd round because there are so many good PG's in this draft. Collison could step in day one and play with the 2nd unit. He played 4 years at UCLA, and he is very experienced. A true floor general, great defender, incredibly fast, and he takes good care of the ball. He is a little small at 6'0, but if the Cavs do stand pat at 30, he is definitely a guy who they should consider.
Patrick Mills, PG, St. Mary's- Mills is another lightning quick PG who is a solid defender, and a true floor general. He is great at getting to the basket and he can defender the perimeter. He is somewhat of an inconsistent shooter, and he is very small at 5'11. He played at a small time school and he didn't play the best competition. If he is around at pick 46 (our 2nd round pick), I definitely think he would be a great pick up for us. He drew a lot of attention to himself this past summer with his play for Team Australia in the Olympics. He played very well versus Team USA, and he will definitely have a place in the NBA.
DaJuan Summers, SF, Georgetown- Summers would be a solid pick, and there is a chance he could be around late in the first round. He has great size at 6'9, and he is a very athletic guy. He would be very good in a Cavs uniform because he is a very good shooter, and he could open up the floor for LeBron. While he isn't a great rebounder or slasher, he is someone who could sneak under the radar.
Danny Green, SG/SF, UNC- Green is a smooth player who can shoot the ball very well. He is a very good defender and he has good size at 6'7. He is a tough player who has high basketball IQ. He isn't that athletic, and he lacks explosiveness, but he is someone who is crafty and smooth enough to make things happen. Green is projected to go a little after the lottery, so the Cavs would have to trade or buy him.
Omri Casspi, SF, Israel- Now I know Cavs fans would be upset if we drafted this guy, and I would be too a little bit. Casspi plays for Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel, and he plans on staying there next year. The Cavs could draft him in the 2nd round, hold his rights, not pay him anything, then when he is ready bring him over. This would be an ideal situation because Casspi has good size at 6'9, and he can guard the perimeter well. He is a tough player, solid rebounder, and he can get to the basket. He isn't a great shooter, and he isn't that athletic. With the Cavs trying to win now, I don't see Casspi being drafted by us in the first round.
Joe Ingles, SF, Australia- O no, not another foreign white guy! The Cavs did indeed workout Ingles, but we won't take a stab at him untill the 2nd round, if we decided to go with him. I only have him here because of the position he plays, and the fact that the Cavs worked him out. He is listed at 6'8, and has a smoother game that Casspi does. He handles the ball better and he has good court vision. Again, Ingles would be an overseas developmental guy.
James Johnson, SF/PF, Wake Forest- The only reason Johnson is here is because his stock has dropped because he showed up to the Chicago Pre-Draft Camp 15 pounds heavier. Teams picking in the 20's are looking at him now, but before he was projected as a lottery pick. He is an atheltic forward who is stuck between 2 positions. He can rebound, shoot, and he is a strong guy. He isn't a great penetrator, and he doesn't have too many post moves, but he has the size the Cavs need. Johnson seems to be a longshot out of everyone listed here, but you never say never.
Derrick Brown, PF, Xavier- Brown is a 6'9 PF, who is very athletic, and he has long arms. He can shoot the ball very well (43% from 3 last year), and he can finish around the hoop. He isn't a great ballhandler, and he can be passive at times, but the Cavs really don't need a ballhandler with Delonte, Mo, and LeBron on the team. Brown could be available when the Cavs draft at #30, and he could fall into the 2nd round.
Now after listing all these guys, I really don't have a clue who the Cavs will take. These are just my logical guesses. I wouldn't be shocked if the Cavs didn't take one of the 13 guys listed here. If I had to guess a sleeper I would guess Terrance Williams because of the fact he is an excellent defender with size. The guys I want the most are Eric Maynor, Darren Collison, Sam Young, and Earl Clark. Maynor is a solid floor general who can lift a team himself, Collison has a lot of experience and plays great defense, Young is a tough player who has a lot of experience as well, and Clark is someone who has great size and athleticism, and the most potential to improve as well. I think these guys can make an impact on our team from day one. They each fit our need of either a backup PG or athletic SF. Also, remember that there are always a few draft day deals that go down. Last year we saw the Jermaine O'Neal/TJ Ford trade, and the year before we saw the Ray Allen deal. I have nothing to speculate, but I hope Danny Ferry can get a good start to our offseason this Thursday.
Previously I have written the needs that the Cavs have. They need a backup PG, a tall athletic SF/PF, and another bigman. This draft is full of PG's, there is a few athletic SF's/PF's, but not a lot of bigmen. I believe the Cavs should take someone who could contribute immediately with there first pick, and with their second pick they should take a developmental player. The Cavs need people who can step in immediatley, but at the same time they need to develop young talent for the future. I think the Cavs will end up with a PG and a SF when the draft is said and done. Here are some guys the Cavs could take....
Earl Clark, SF, Louisville- Clark is a guy the Cavs would probably have to trade up to get. He is projected to get taken between 15-20. He is exactly what the Cavs need: an athletic defender who can guard the perimeter, handle the ball, and shoot the midrange shot. He has great size at 6'10. He can also grab rebounds and pass well. While he is a little raw, he is someone who could come off the bench and get solid playing time his rookie year. He matches up well with the Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkgolus.
Sam Young, SF, Pittsburgh- There is an outside chance that Young could be there at 30, but probably not. Again, the Cavs would need to either buy him, or move up to get him. He is 6'7, atheltic, good finisher, solid shooter, and defender. He is a little old for his class (24 years old), but he is someone who would be able to step in and contribute immediately to the Cavs. Again, he is someone who could matchup well with the Magic, and he can be had at a cheap price.
Ty Lawson, PG, UNC- Lawson is a little undersized for the PG position (6'0), but he is lightning quick, and he can go to the hole with ease. He is a good defender, has good court vision, and he does turn the ball over a lot. Lawson needs to work on his jumper, but he is someone who can run the 2nd unit. There is a chance he could fall to the Cavs with the influx of PG's in this draft.
Terrance Williams, SG/SF, Louisville- Williams, much like Clark is an athletic forward from Lousiville. He isn't as tall as Clark, but he is 6'6. He can guard the SF position, and he seems very interested on that side of the floor. This makes him very attractive in the Mike Brown style of coaching, in that Brown emphasizes defense first. He is very long, and he can handle the ball pretty well. The only major knock on his game is that he is not a great shooter. He can get to the hole, and he is a very good dunker. He to go mid-late first round, so the Cavs would have to move up to get him.
Eric Maynor, PG, VCU- Although his name has not been mentioned with the Cavs, I personally would love to see Maynor here. He is projected to be taken between 15-22, so the Cavs have to buy him or move up. He has excellent size for the PG position at 6'3, and we all know how much Mike Brown loves size. He is a jack of all trades, but a master of none. He is a floor general in every sense, he is improving his 3 point shot, he is a great defender, and he takes very good care of the ball. He fits the bill of someone who could run our 2nd unit.
Darren Collison, PG, UCLA- Collison is a PG who could fall into the 2nd round because there are so many good PG's in this draft. Collison could step in day one and play with the 2nd unit. He played 4 years at UCLA, and he is very experienced. A true floor general, great defender, incredibly fast, and he takes good care of the ball. He is a little small at 6'0, but if the Cavs do stand pat at 30, he is definitely a guy who they should consider.
Patrick Mills, PG, St. Mary's- Mills is another lightning quick PG who is a solid defender, and a true floor general. He is great at getting to the basket and he can defender the perimeter. He is somewhat of an inconsistent shooter, and he is very small at 5'11. He played at a small time school and he didn't play the best competition. If he is around at pick 46 (our 2nd round pick), I definitely think he would be a great pick up for us. He drew a lot of attention to himself this past summer with his play for Team Australia in the Olympics. He played very well versus Team USA, and he will definitely have a place in the NBA.
DaJuan Summers, SF, Georgetown- Summers would be a solid pick, and there is a chance he could be around late in the first round. He has great size at 6'9, and he is a very athletic guy. He would be very good in a Cavs uniform because he is a very good shooter, and he could open up the floor for LeBron. While he isn't a great rebounder or slasher, he is someone who could sneak under the radar.
Danny Green, SG/SF, UNC- Green is a smooth player who can shoot the ball very well. He is a very good defender and he has good size at 6'7. He is a tough player who has high basketball IQ. He isn't that athletic, and he lacks explosiveness, but he is someone who is crafty and smooth enough to make things happen. Green is projected to go a little after the lottery, so the Cavs would have to trade or buy him.
Omri Casspi, SF, Israel- Now I know Cavs fans would be upset if we drafted this guy, and I would be too a little bit. Casspi plays for Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel, and he plans on staying there next year. The Cavs could draft him in the 2nd round, hold his rights, not pay him anything, then when he is ready bring him over. This would be an ideal situation because Casspi has good size at 6'9, and he can guard the perimeter well. He is a tough player, solid rebounder, and he can get to the basket. He isn't a great shooter, and he isn't that athletic. With the Cavs trying to win now, I don't see Casspi being drafted by us in the first round.
Joe Ingles, SF, Australia- O no, not another foreign white guy! The Cavs did indeed workout Ingles, but we won't take a stab at him untill the 2nd round, if we decided to go with him. I only have him here because of the position he plays, and the fact that the Cavs worked him out. He is listed at 6'8, and has a smoother game that Casspi does. He handles the ball better and he has good court vision. Again, Ingles would be an overseas developmental guy.
James Johnson, SF/PF, Wake Forest- The only reason Johnson is here is because his stock has dropped because he showed up to the Chicago Pre-Draft Camp 15 pounds heavier. Teams picking in the 20's are looking at him now, but before he was projected as a lottery pick. He is an atheltic forward who is stuck between 2 positions. He can rebound, shoot, and he is a strong guy. He isn't a great penetrator, and he doesn't have too many post moves, but he has the size the Cavs need. Johnson seems to be a longshot out of everyone listed here, but you never say never.
Derrick Brown, PF, Xavier- Brown is a 6'9 PF, who is very athletic, and he has long arms. He can shoot the ball very well (43% from 3 last year), and he can finish around the hoop. He isn't a great ballhandler, and he can be passive at times, but the Cavs really don't need a ballhandler with Delonte, Mo, and LeBron on the team. Brown could be available when the Cavs draft at #30, and he could fall into the 2nd round.
Now after listing all these guys, I really don't have a clue who the Cavs will take. These are just my logical guesses. I wouldn't be shocked if the Cavs didn't take one of the 13 guys listed here. If I had to guess a sleeper I would guess Terrance Williams because of the fact he is an excellent defender with size. The guys I want the most are Eric Maynor, Darren Collison, Sam Young, and Earl Clark. Maynor is a solid floor general who can lift a team himself, Collison has a lot of experience and plays great defense, Young is a tough player who has a lot of experience as well, and Clark is someone who has great size and athleticism, and the most potential to improve as well. I think these guys can make an impact on our team from day one. They each fit our need of either a backup PG or athletic SF. Also, remember that there are always a few draft day deals that go down. Last year we saw the Jermaine O'Neal/TJ Ford trade, and the year before we saw the Ray Allen deal. I have nothing to speculate, but I hope Danny Ferry can get a good start to our offseason this Thursday.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Looking Forward....
After last nights disappointing loss, the Cavs have a very big offseason to look forward to. LeBron can opt out of his contract in 2010, and this could be the Cavs last chance to put together a championship caliber team for LeBron. Heading forward, I don't have any inside information about what the Cavs are going to do, but I will try to make some educated guesses. Our biggest needs going into the offseason are a tough low post scorer, a tall small forward who can guard the perimeter, and a backup PG. We saw how Dwight Howard, Yao Ming, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum torched us in the post, we saw the mismatches the Magic gave us on the perimeter, the limited production we got in the post from our bigs was just awful, and we have no one to handle the ball with our 2nd unit.
Offseason Summary
-The Cavs have a lot of salaries coming off the book. Wally ($14 million), Joe Smith ($1.2 million), Eric Snow ($7 million), Lorenzen Wright ($1.2 million), are all off of our books. This brings our salary cap number down to $71.8 million. Anderson will opt out, which brings our cap number down to $65 million. I think the Cavs will try to bring Anderson back, but on a budget. They don't want to pay him too much because they need to save some cap room to get another superstar with LeBron in 2010. Z will pick up his player option, so we stay at $65 million. Sasha Pavlovic's contract is partially guaranteed, and he can be paid $1.5 million dollars and be let go, or we can pay him $4.95 million next year and keep him.
-The wild card here is that Ben Wallace is strongly considering retiring. If he retires he can do one of many things, this includes walking away from his $14 million salary next year, he can negotiate a buyout, or he can play it out. If Wallace was to walk away from his contract completely, it was bring our salary cap number down to about $48 million dollars. This would bring us under the projected $58 million salary cap. The probably won't happen, but the Cavs will have some flexibility if a buyout is agreed upon, and if Sasha is bought out. If Wallace retires, we can still trade his $14 million salary but he can negotiate a buyout with a team we trade him to. Ferry has to decide if he can get a better player in free agency or through a trade. In a trade it would save the team we are trading him to a lot of money because they would be trading away $14 million dollars worth of salary, but only pay the buyout amount. This makes him very valuable.
-Draft Picks: The Cavs have 2 draft picks in the upcoming draft. We own the 30th and 46th picks in this draft. While this is considered a weak draft class, it still has some solid players in it. One of the needs the Cavs need to address is a backup PG. Daniel Gibson won't cut it, and we have no one to handle the ball with our 2nd unit. This draft class is loaded with good PG's. This includes players such as Brandon Jennings, Ricky Rubio, Jeff Teague, Jrue Holliday, Johnny Flynn, Ty Lawson, Eric Maynor, Stephen Curry, Patrick Mills, and Curtis Jerrells. The only guys I see falling to the Cavs are Mills and Jerrells. Also, there is a glut of athletic SF's in this draft, it includes DaJuan Summers, Sam Young, and Damion James. All 3 of these guys are seasoned players, and they could contribute early in their NBA careers. These guys could be around at #30.
-There aren't many good bigmen in this draft, and since we are drafting so low, we probably would have to take a developmental prospect with our 46th pick. A tough bigman is needed to replace Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, possibly even Andy. Our chances of finding one late in the draft aren't good, so I think trading one of our picks is a possibility.
-The Cavs still have a very valuable trading piece in JJ Hickson. His name was tossed around in a few deals last year, and I expect to hear the same this offseason. I believe he will only be traded if we land a big name.
-Chinese investors bought a 15% stake in the team last week. This is huge because it will give us immediate capital for the team. This will give us financial flexibility, and it will allow us to take back some bad contracts in our attempts to land a superstar next to LeBron.
-With the U.S. economy still reeling from the current recession, a lot of NBA teams are trying to cut salaries. The New Orleans Hornets, Phoenix Suns, and Milwaukee Bucks are all trying to save as much money because they have felt the pinch of this recession. The Cavs on the other hand have lots of salaries coming off their books, an injection of cash into the team from the Chinese investors, and an owner in Dan Gilbert who is willing to spend money. This could be very beneficial to us because teams will be looking to dump salary, and the best way for teams to dump salary is to pair them with a great player, and receive an expiring contract in return (Ben Wallace/Sasha).
Possible Names to Consider:
-Andrei Kirilenko, SF, Utah Jazz- This one is my wild card player I think the Cavs will go after. He fits the bill of exactly what we need. He is tall (6'9), plays great defense, can drive to the hoop, and he is very energetic. He is the type of guy who can matchup very well against a Rashard Lewis or Hedo Turkgolu. He would be replacing Sasha Pavlovic and Wally. The reasons why I don't think we would get him though is because his contract goes past 2010, and he is making $16 million next year, and $17 million in 2010, which would kill our 2010 plans. I think if the Jazz got a good offer for AK47, they could trade him because the Jazz struggled last year in the playoffs, and they have to decide on what they are going to do with Paul Milsap, and Carlos Boozer becoming free agents, and Mehmet Okur having an early termination option as well.
-Shaq, C, Phoenix Suns- The Cavs tried acquiring him at the trade deadline, and it did not work out. I still believe the Suns are going to try to trade Shaq because they know they won't win with him, their owner Robert Sarver is hurting in this bad economy, and their window of opportunity for winning a championship is basically shut. There was even talk of them trading Amare Stoudemire in February! The Cavs will probably have to part with some draft picks, Ben's contract, Sasha, and maybe JJ Hickson. Shaq would give us an immediate post threat that teams would have to account for. Also, his contract expires in 2010 which is huge. I think Shaq would be great in Cleveland because of his ability to score in the post, and rebound. While Shaq is old (37 years old), he put up 18 points and 8 rebounds per game last year. His PER went from 17.07 the year before to 22.33 this past year. When Shaq is healthy and motivated, he is still a force to be reckoned with.
-Chris Kaman, C, LA Clippers- The only reason I have him here is because the Clippers will be taking Blake Griffin with the first pick in the NBA Draft, and Zach Randolph's contract is impossible to trade, and Marcus Camby has an expiring deal, thus Kaman becomes expendable. Clippers owner Donald Sterling is always looking to save money, and Kaman is set to make $10 million next year. Kaman has good post skills, and he is a great rebounder, he just isn't that great of a defender. The reason why I don't think it would happen is because his contract goes past 2010. The Cavs need to decide if they can get a guy now that can help them win a championship, or get someone who might not be as good but have a 2010 friendly contract. This is a big issue.
-Chris Bosh, F, Toronto Raptors- If the Cavs get this guy, we win the championship. Its that simple. I know I have listed Bosh before, but according to a report from the NY Daily News, people inside the Raptors organization are realizing that they might have to trade Bosh. Toronto has no young talent around him, limited cap room this year, and it might make sense to trade for him before he becomes a free agent in 2010. Bosh can score downlow, he is big (6'11), and he is a great defender, who played with LeBron on Team USA this past year. I really think the Cavs have a chance at getting this guy too. Think about this, Pau Gasol was traded for Kwame Brown (expiring deal), Javaris Crittenton (young PG, with the Wizards now), 2 first round picks, and Marc Gasol. Marc Gasol is the only solid piece to come of that deal. Kevin Garnett was traded for Al Jefferson (great young player), Ryan Gomes (bench player), Sebastian Telfair (bum), Gerald Green (he rarely plays for Dallas), and Theo Ratliff (throw in). The Cavs can offer a first round pick this year, and in 2011, JJ Hickson, expiring deal of Ben Wallace, and either Sasha or Darnell, and we can take back the bad contract of Jason Kapono as well. The Raptors would save loads of money, get a promising young bigman, draft picks, and another young player. The only team I can think of that could do such a trade is Portland, but it makes no sense for them to do it because they have a young PF in LaMarcus Aldridge and a young C in Greg Oden. It will be interesting to see what happens.
-Tyson Chandler, C, New Orleans Hornets- The reason why I have him on the list is because the Hornets tried trading him at the trade deadline for 2 expiring deals (Chris Wilcox and Joe Smith), so obviously they are having financial difficulties. Chandler is a good low post defender, can block shots, and rebound. He has excellent size at 7'0, and he can run the floor. His contract does go past 2010, but he would give us great size downlow to defend, and his offensive game is not that polished. We again have the expiring deal of Ben Wallace to work with, along with Sasha Pavlovic's expiring deal. Taking back a bad contract would probably be required to pull off this trade.
-Jason Kidd, PG, Dallas Mavericks- Kidd is a free agent, and with so much cap space coming off of our books, the Cavs could make a small splash in free agency. With few teams having cap space, a tough U.S. economy where NBA teams are looking to save, free agents won't be getting huge deals we've seen in the past. We would probably use our mid level exception to get Kidd. He said earlier in the year he could see himself playing here, and while he isn't as good as he use to be, he can shoot the open 3, find and help set up his teammates. He takes very good care of the ball, and he is a true floor general. He played with LeBron on Team USA this past summer, and LeBron lobbied to get him in the 2008 trade deadline. There is a definite chance it could happen. I would love to see Jason Kidd as our backup PG.
-Matt Barnes, SF, Phoenix Suns- Barnes will be a free agent as well this offseason. He would fit our need for a backup SF. He is 6'7, extremely athletic, and he can defend. If the price is right, I think the Cavs will take a look.
-Ron Artest, SF, Houston Rockets- This would be a huge long-shot. Artest is a free agent, but his price tag will be high. He is an excellent, tough defender, with great size (6'8) and solid offensive skills. He would be a nightmare matchup for most teams because the Cavs would then have 6'9 LeBron paired with 6'8 Artest in the frontcourt. I only see Artest coming here if the Cavs are under the cap, and if Artest does not get the offers he is looking for.
-Lamar Odom, F, LA Lakers- Odom is a free agent this offseason as well, but his price tag will be somewhat high as well. He has great size (6'11), speed, athleticism, and he can score both inside and outside. He can defend the perimeter and when he puts his mind to it, he can rebound as well. He is versatile enough to play SF and PF as well. The Lakers have to decide what to do with Odom, and Trevor Ariza (he is a free agent too) because both are very valuable to the Lakers. Much like Artest, I only see Odom coming here if we are under the salary cap, and he doesn't have any good offers from good teams.
-Brandon Bass, PF, Dallas Mavericks- I love Brandon Bass because he is a tough, physical bigman, who can grab rebounds. He will be a free agent this offseason, and we could use a part of our mid level exception to sign him. He would be a solid bigman off the bench, and while he wouldn't solve our problems of low post scoring, he would give us much needed depth, as Joe Smith did last year.
Again, I have no inside information on any of this stuff, but I these are just my thoughts. A lot of this offseason is going to hinge on what Ben Wallace decides to do, and what direction the Andy negotiations go. If I am the Cavs, I bring Andy back only at the right price. He is a young bigman, and if his offensive game continues to develop he could be a very reliable asset to this team. Wally I wouldn't bring back because he is getting old, and he is not athletic enough to defend anymore. I would bring Joe Smith back at a very cheap price. Depending on what the trade market is like, I might hold on to Sasha because his deal expires, and he is still a young player (25 years old). I will write a NBA Draft preview later this month, contingent that the Cavs keep their picks! Thanks for reading!
-Raz
Offseason Summary
-The Cavs have a lot of salaries coming off the book. Wally ($14 million), Joe Smith ($1.2 million), Eric Snow ($7 million), Lorenzen Wright ($1.2 million), are all off of our books. This brings our salary cap number down to $71.8 million. Anderson will opt out, which brings our cap number down to $65 million. I think the Cavs will try to bring Anderson back, but on a budget. They don't want to pay him too much because they need to save some cap room to get another superstar with LeBron in 2010. Z will pick up his player option, so we stay at $65 million. Sasha Pavlovic's contract is partially guaranteed, and he can be paid $1.5 million dollars and be let go, or we can pay him $4.95 million next year and keep him.
-The wild card here is that Ben Wallace is strongly considering retiring. If he retires he can do one of many things, this includes walking away from his $14 million salary next year, he can negotiate a buyout, or he can play it out. If Wallace was to walk away from his contract completely, it was bring our salary cap number down to about $48 million dollars. This would bring us under the projected $58 million salary cap. The probably won't happen, but the Cavs will have some flexibility if a buyout is agreed upon, and if Sasha is bought out. If Wallace retires, we can still trade his $14 million salary but he can negotiate a buyout with a team we trade him to. Ferry has to decide if he can get a better player in free agency or through a trade. In a trade it would save the team we are trading him to a lot of money because they would be trading away $14 million dollars worth of salary, but only pay the buyout amount. This makes him very valuable.
-Draft Picks: The Cavs have 2 draft picks in the upcoming draft. We own the 30th and 46th picks in this draft. While this is considered a weak draft class, it still has some solid players in it. One of the needs the Cavs need to address is a backup PG. Daniel Gibson won't cut it, and we have no one to handle the ball with our 2nd unit. This draft class is loaded with good PG's. This includes players such as Brandon Jennings, Ricky Rubio, Jeff Teague, Jrue Holliday, Johnny Flynn, Ty Lawson, Eric Maynor, Stephen Curry, Patrick Mills, and Curtis Jerrells. The only guys I see falling to the Cavs are Mills and Jerrells. Also, there is a glut of athletic SF's in this draft, it includes DaJuan Summers, Sam Young, and Damion James. All 3 of these guys are seasoned players, and they could contribute early in their NBA careers. These guys could be around at #30.
-There aren't many good bigmen in this draft, and since we are drafting so low, we probably would have to take a developmental prospect with our 46th pick. A tough bigman is needed to replace Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, possibly even Andy. Our chances of finding one late in the draft aren't good, so I think trading one of our picks is a possibility.
-The Cavs still have a very valuable trading piece in JJ Hickson. His name was tossed around in a few deals last year, and I expect to hear the same this offseason. I believe he will only be traded if we land a big name.
-Chinese investors bought a 15% stake in the team last week. This is huge because it will give us immediate capital for the team. This will give us financial flexibility, and it will allow us to take back some bad contracts in our attempts to land a superstar next to LeBron.
-With the U.S. economy still reeling from the current recession, a lot of NBA teams are trying to cut salaries. The New Orleans Hornets, Phoenix Suns, and Milwaukee Bucks are all trying to save as much money because they have felt the pinch of this recession. The Cavs on the other hand have lots of salaries coming off their books, an injection of cash into the team from the Chinese investors, and an owner in Dan Gilbert who is willing to spend money. This could be very beneficial to us because teams will be looking to dump salary, and the best way for teams to dump salary is to pair them with a great player, and receive an expiring contract in return (Ben Wallace/Sasha).
Possible Names to Consider:
-Andrei Kirilenko, SF, Utah Jazz- This one is my wild card player I think the Cavs will go after. He fits the bill of exactly what we need. He is tall (6'9), plays great defense, can drive to the hoop, and he is very energetic. He is the type of guy who can matchup very well against a Rashard Lewis or Hedo Turkgolu. He would be replacing Sasha Pavlovic and Wally. The reasons why I don't think we would get him though is because his contract goes past 2010, and he is making $16 million next year, and $17 million in 2010, which would kill our 2010 plans. I think if the Jazz got a good offer for AK47, they could trade him because the Jazz struggled last year in the playoffs, and they have to decide on what they are going to do with Paul Milsap, and Carlos Boozer becoming free agents, and Mehmet Okur having an early termination option as well.
-Shaq, C, Phoenix Suns- The Cavs tried acquiring him at the trade deadline, and it did not work out. I still believe the Suns are going to try to trade Shaq because they know they won't win with him, their owner Robert Sarver is hurting in this bad economy, and their window of opportunity for winning a championship is basically shut. There was even talk of them trading Amare Stoudemire in February! The Cavs will probably have to part with some draft picks, Ben's contract, Sasha, and maybe JJ Hickson. Shaq would give us an immediate post threat that teams would have to account for. Also, his contract expires in 2010 which is huge. I think Shaq would be great in Cleveland because of his ability to score in the post, and rebound. While Shaq is old (37 years old), he put up 18 points and 8 rebounds per game last year. His PER went from 17.07 the year before to 22.33 this past year. When Shaq is healthy and motivated, he is still a force to be reckoned with.
-Chris Kaman, C, LA Clippers- The only reason I have him here is because the Clippers will be taking Blake Griffin with the first pick in the NBA Draft, and Zach Randolph's contract is impossible to trade, and Marcus Camby has an expiring deal, thus Kaman becomes expendable. Clippers owner Donald Sterling is always looking to save money, and Kaman is set to make $10 million next year. Kaman has good post skills, and he is a great rebounder, he just isn't that great of a defender. The reason why I don't think it would happen is because his contract goes past 2010. The Cavs need to decide if they can get a guy now that can help them win a championship, or get someone who might not be as good but have a 2010 friendly contract. This is a big issue.
-Chris Bosh, F, Toronto Raptors- If the Cavs get this guy, we win the championship. Its that simple. I know I have listed Bosh before, but according to a report from the NY Daily News, people inside the Raptors organization are realizing that they might have to trade Bosh. Toronto has no young talent around him, limited cap room this year, and it might make sense to trade for him before he becomes a free agent in 2010. Bosh can score downlow, he is big (6'11), and he is a great defender, who played with LeBron on Team USA this past year. I really think the Cavs have a chance at getting this guy too. Think about this, Pau Gasol was traded for Kwame Brown (expiring deal), Javaris Crittenton (young PG, with the Wizards now), 2 first round picks, and Marc Gasol. Marc Gasol is the only solid piece to come of that deal. Kevin Garnett was traded for Al Jefferson (great young player), Ryan Gomes (bench player), Sebastian Telfair (bum), Gerald Green (he rarely plays for Dallas), and Theo Ratliff (throw in). The Cavs can offer a first round pick this year, and in 2011, JJ Hickson, expiring deal of Ben Wallace, and either Sasha or Darnell, and we can take back the bad contract of Jason Kapono as well. The Raptors would save loads of money, get a promising young bigman, draft picks, and another young player. The only team I can think of that could do such a trade is Portland, but it makes no sense for them to do it because they have a young PF in LaMarcus Aldridge and a young C in Greg Oden. It will be interesting to see what happens.
-Tyson Chandler, C, New Orleans Hornets- The reason why I have him on the list is because the Hornets tried trading him at the trade deadline for 2 expiring deals (Chris Wilcox and Joe Smith), so obviously they are having financial difficulties. Chandler is a good low post defender, can block shots, and rebound. He has excellent size at 7'0, and he can run the floor. His contract does go past 2010, but he would give us great size downlow to defend, and his offensive game is not that polished. We again have the expiring deal of Ben Wallace to work with, along with Sasha Pavlovic's expiring deal. Taking back a bad contract would probably be required to pull off this trade.
-Jason Kidd, PG, Dallas Mavericks- Kidd is a free agent, and with so much cap space coming off of our books, the Cavs could make a small splash in free agency. With few teams having cap space, a tough U.S. economy where NBA teams are looking to save, free agents won't be getting huge deals we've seen in the past. We would probably use our mid level exception to get Kidd. He said earlier in the year he could see himself playing here, and while he isn't as good as he use to be, he can shoot the open 3, find and help set up his teammates. He takes very good care of the ball, and he is a true floor general. He played with LeBron on Team USA this past summer, and LeBron lobbied to get him in the 2008 trade deadline. There is a definite chance it could happen. I would love to see Jason Kidd as our backup PG.
-Matt Barnes, SF, Phoenix Suns- Barnes will be a free agent as well this offseason. He would fit our need for a backup SF. He is 6'7, extremely athletic, and he can defend. If the price is right, I think the Cavs will take a look.
-Ron Artest, SF, Houston Rockets- This would be a huge long-shot. Artest is a free agent, but his price tag will be high. He is an excellent, tough defender, with great size (6'8) and solid offensive skills. He would be a nightmare matchup for most teams because the Cavs would then have 6'9 LeBron paired with 6'8 Artest in the frontcourt. I only see Artest coming here if the Cavs are under the cap, and if Artest does not get the offers he is looking for.
-Lamar Odom, F, LA Lakers- Odom is a free agent this offseason as well, but his price tag will be somewhat high as well. He has great size (6'11), speed, athleticism, and he can score both inside and outside. He can defend the perimeter and when he puts his mind to it, he can rebound as well. He is versatile enough to play SF and PF as well. The Lakers have to decide what to do with Odom, and Trevor Ariza (he is a free agent too) because both are very valuable to the Lakers. Much like Artest, I only see Odom coming here if we are under the salary cap, and he doesn't have any good offers from good teams.
-Brandon Bass, PF, Dallas Mavericks- I love Brandon Bass because he is a tough, physical bigman, who can grab rebounds. He will be a free agent this offseason, and we could use a part of our mid level exception to sign him. He would be a solid bigman off the bench, and while he wouldn't solve our problems of low post scoring, he would give us much needed depth, as Joe Smith did last year.
Again, I have no inside information on any of this stuff, but I these are just my thoughts. A lot of this offseason is going to hinge on what Ben Wallace decides to do, and what direction the Andy negotiations go. If I am the Cavs, I bring Andy back only at the right price. He is a young bigman, and if his offensive game continues to develop he could be a very reliable asset to this team. Wally I wouldn't bring back because he is getting old, and he is not athletic enough to defend anymore. I would bring Joe Smith back at a very cheap price. Depending on what the trade market is like, I might hold on to Sasha because his deal expires, and he is still a young player (25 years old). I will write a NBA Draft preview later this month, contingent that the Cavs keep their picks! Thanks for reading!
-Raz
Mission: Failure
Well folks, not a fun night. The Cavs dream season came to a slamming end against the Orlando Magic tonight with a 103-90 loss. I thought we had a very good chance to beat this team, but in the end, the combination of a dominant bigman, and consistent three point shooting became our achillies heal, which led to our demise this season.
-Losing Game 1 killed us. I have said all along that winning Game 1 is huge in any series, and we did not do it. We lost our homecourt invincibility, and we lost our confidence. Once the Cavs saw that they could be beat, especially in the playoffs, we seemed tentative and afraid. We took Orlando too lightly in the second half of Game 1, blowing a 16 point half time lead. After that, we never really quite looked the same for 48 minutes....
-Its sad that LeBron had such a dominating series (41 ppg 8 assists 8 rebounds), and it all basically goes to waste. Add the fact that he hit the biggest shot in Cavs history in Game 2, you get an uneasy feeling inside. He didn't even speak to the media after the loss tonight, and he went straight to the team bus......
-I am disappointed in LeBron's game tonight somewhat because he just seemed too tentative tonight. He didn't not come out aggressive, and he seemed to shy away from the basket when he didn't get foul calls early on. Also, Delonte and Mo each stepped up scoring 22 and 17 respectfully. He seemed tired in the end of the game, and it was probably from carrying the team on his back for so long.
-I give a lot of credit to Delonte West in this game and series. He was the only one fighting this entire game and he seemed fearless. He had a few step back jumpshots, a three pointer, and he attacked the basket. With 1 minute left in the 4th quarter, off of a missed shot, he went and stripped the ball out of Hedo Turkgolu's hands, even though the game was long over. He had to guard Hedo the entire series and he was giving up about 7 inches too. For those of you who play basketball, giving up that much size on defense isn't fun.
-Mo Williams was truly a disappointment in the first four games. He seemed very nervous, and he couldn't get any consistency out of his 3 point shot. He came alive when it was too late, he scored 25 points in game 5 and 17 tonight. The Cavs needed production out of him earlier in the series and they didn't get it. In the series as a whole, he only shot 35%....
-The bench was also very bad. Joe Smith, and Wally gave nothing, Daniel did hit a couple of 3 pointers, Sasha didn't get enough playing time, Ben Wallace tried his best on Dwight, but its obvious his best days are way behind him. This is an area in which the Cavs will need to get a Mickael Pietrus/JR Smith type of guy off the bench who can just score as a 6th man.
-Everyone is making an issue of LeBron not talking to the media after the game. Big deal. Have you ever played a sport where you wanted to win very badly, worked a very long time to get to where you were and you lost? Did you want to talk to anyone afterwards? LeBron was so focused on winning a championship, and he came up short. I don't think he needs to explain himself to everyone. The national media will make this out to be something big, and that he is going to NYC in 2010. You really think that while LeBron was walking out of the locker room, he said to himself "NYC, here I come!". I think not. Some of the members of the media should consider playing team sports, it could help in situations like this.
-Mike Brown got outcoached in this series. He should have played Sasha more instead of Wally because of his athleticism, and ability to drive. He could have better guarded Hedo or Rashard. Z played too many minutes in the first 4 games, as he played over 28 minutes a game in each. Z cannot guard the Magic pick and roll because he is too slow. He cannot score in the paint anymore, and if he can't shoot his jumper, there isn't much use for him aside from rebounding. Darnell Jackson should have gotten more playing time because he is a big body who can absorb contact and eat fouls. Joe Smith should have played more as well, because of his ability to shoot jumpers and guard the 3 point shot. Also, Mike Brown really didn't try doing anything radical or different. How about putting Tarence Kinsey in to guard Courtney Lee or Mickael Pietrus, so LeBron could guard Rashard or Hedo? Kinsey is definitely athletic enough to do so, and he has the height to matchup with them (6'6). Throw something at the Magic that they haven't seen, force them to adjust to you. Go with a smaller, quicker lineup, run the ball up the court faster or maybe post up LeBron. Brown seemed to go with his same rotations, and when your in an elimination game, you need to try to do EVERYTHING to win.
-All in all, I don't know what to think about this offseason. Andy and Z can opt out of there contracts (Andy probably will, Z probably won't), Wally's contract expires (he won't be back), Sasha has a partially guaranteed contract (trade bait), Joe Smith is a free agent (might be back), we have 2 draft picks in the upcoming draft, Ben Wallace has a $14 million expiring deal, the mid-level exception at hand, and Chinese Investors bought a 15% stake in the Cavs (more cash to use). I am not sure what all this adds up to, but Danny Ferry and company are definitely going to have to get creative this offseason. I will write a more detailed review of our season, and preview of our offseason later.
I am proud of the way the Cavs played this year and they played great. I am thankful that we got to see this team achieve the best record in the NBA, go 39-2 at home in the regular season, develop great team chemistry, pull off last second heroics (@ Clippers, @ Atlanta, @ Golden State), blowout wins, hilarious pre-game rituals, the awards won by LeBron James and Mike Brown, but in the end our one goal of a championship was a failure in itself.......
-Raz
-Losing Game 1 killed us. I have said all along that winning Game 1 is huge in any series, and we did not do it. We lost our homecourt invincibility, and we lost our confidence. Once the Cavs saw that they could be beat, especially in the playoffs, we seemed tentative and afraid. We took Orlando too lightly in the second half of Game 1, blowing a 16 point half time lead. After that, we never really quite looked the same for 48 minutes....
-Its sad that LeBron had such a dominating series (41 ppg 8 assists 8 rebounds), and it all basically goes to waste. Add the fact that he hit the biggest shot in Cavs history in Game 2, you get an uneasy feeling inside. He didn't even speak to the media after the loss tonight, and he went straight to the team bus......
-I am disappointed in LeBron's game tonight somewhat because he just seemed too tentative tonight. He didn't not come out aggressive, and he seemed to shy away from the basket when he didn't get foul calls early on. Also, Delonte and Mo each stepped up scoring 22 and 17 respectfully. He seemed tired in the end of the game, and it was probably from carrying the team on his back for so long.
-I give a lot of credit to Delonte West in this game and series. He was the only one fighting this entire game and he seemed fearless. He had a few step back jumpshots, a three pointer, and he attacked the basket. With 1 minute left in the 4th quarter, off of a missed shot, he went and stripped the ball out of Hedo Turkgolu's hands, even though the game was long over. He had to guard Hedo the entire series and he was giving up about 7 inches too. For those of you who play basketball, giving up that much size on defense isn't fun.
-Mo Williams was truly a disappointment in the first four games. He seemed very nervous, and he couldn't get any consistency out of his 3 point shot. He came alive when it was too late, he scored 25 points in game 5 and 17 tonight. The Cavs needed production out of him earlier in the series and they didn't get it. In the series as a whole, he only shot 35%....
-The bench was also very bad. Joe Smith, and Wally gave nothing, Daniel did hit a couple of 3 pointers, Sasha didn't get enough playing time, Ben Wallace tried his best on Dwight, but its obvious his best days are way behind him. This is an area in which the Cavs will need to get a Mickael Pietrus/JR Smith type of guy off the bench who can just score as a 6th man.
-Everyone is making an issue of LeBron not talking to the media after the game. Big deal. Have you ever played a sport where you wanted to win very badly, worked a very long time to get to where you were and you lost? Did you want to talk to anyone afterwards? LeBron was so focused on winning a championship, and he came up short. I don't think he needs to explain himself to everyone. The national media will make this out to be something big, and that he is going to NYC in 2010. You really think that while LeBron was walking out of the locker room, he said to himself "NYC, here I come!". I think not. Some of the members of the media should consider playing team sports, it could help in situations like this.
-Mike Brown got outcoached in this series. He should have played Sasha more instead of Wally because of his athleticism, and ability to drive. He could have better guarded Hedo or Rashard. Z played too many minutes in the first 4 games, as he played over 28 minutes a game in each. Z cannot guard the Magic pick and roll because he is too slow. He cannot score in the paint anymore, and if he can't shoot his jumper, there isn't much use for him aside from rebounding. Darnell Jackson should have gotten more playing time because he is a big body who can absorb contact and eat fouls. Joe Smith should have played more as well, because of his ability to shoot jumpers and guard the 3 point shot. Also, Mike Brown really didn't try doing anything radical or different. How about putting Tarence Kinsey in to guard Courtney Lee or Mickael Pietrus, so LeBron could guard Rashard or Hedo? Kinsey is definitely athletic enough to do so, and he has the height to matchup with them (6'6). Throw something at the Magic that they haven't seen, force them to adjust to you. Go with a smaller, quicker lineup, run the ball up the court faster or maybe post up LeBron. Brown seemed to go with his same rotations, and when your in an elimination game, you need to try to do EVERYTHING to win.
-All in all, I don't know what to think about this offseason. Andy and Z can opt out of there contracts (Andy probably will, Z probably won't), Wally's contract expires (he won't be back), Sasha has a partially guaranteed contract (trade bait), Joe Smith is a free agent (might be back), we have 2 draft picks in the upcoming draft, Ben Wallace has a $14 million expiring deal, the mid-level exception at hand, and Chinese Investors bought a 15% stake in the Cavs (more cash to use). I am not sure what all this adds up to, but Danny Ferry and company are definitely going to have to get creative this offseason. I will write a more detailed review of our season, and preview of our offseason later.
I am proud of the way the Cavs played this year and they played great. I am thankful that we got to see this team achieve the best record in the NBA, go 39-2 at home in the regular season, develop great team chemistry, pull off last second heroics (@ Clippers, @ Atlanta, @ Golden State), blowout wins, hilarious pre-game rituals, the awards won by LeBron James and Mike Brown, but in the end our one goal of a championship was a failure in itself.......
-Raz
Monday, May 18, 2009
Eastern Conference Finals Preview
Hello everyone. Last night the Orlando Magic defeated the Boston Celtics in the 7th game of their series. While I would have loved to seen us play Boston, we are stuck with the better team. This series is going to be a real dogfight. Today's blog will be dedicated to a preview of the series.
-The Magic are a team that can beat you one of two ways, with the three point shot, or by pounding you in the block with Dwight Howard. While we have played great defense in the playoffs thus far, the Magic have length in their 3 point shooters. JJ Reddick, Courtney Lee, Hedo Turkgolu, and Rashard Lewis are all over 6'5, and Turkgolu and Lewis are both 6'10.
-Courtney Lee, Mickael Pietrus, and Dwight Howard are all great defenders. Howard won the Defensive Player of the Year Award this year, and the Cavs must be physical, attack and grind out games against these guys.
-Orlando can win both at home and away. But they can also lose very easily at home because of their dependence on the 3 point shot. Game 1 will be huge for the Cavs because Orlando is coming off a huge victory in Boston, and Cleveland will have had almost 8 days of rest and need to shake off some rust. Also, Orlando beat Cleveland twice this year, once by 11 points and once by 29. The Cavs beat the Magic at home by only 4 points....
-If I am the Cavs, I try my best to close out the perimeter, and force Dwight Howard to beat you. Closing out on the 3 point shooters of Orlando will be huge. If we can pressure the shooters or just force them to not take shots, the Cavs will win the series.
-While Howard is the best big man in the league, and a great rebounder, he still does not have any consistent post moves. He does not have a consistent jump shot, hook shot, and he is a horrible free throw shooter (59%). Our post defenders must play physical with Howard, as Kendrick Perkins did in the previous series. Versus Boston Howard averaged 16 points and 17 rebounds a game, and while his rebounding increased, his scoring decreased by about 4 points.
-Getting Howard into foul trouble early will be important because it not only take away their best player, but it takes away their best post defender. This opens up the floor for LeBron James.
-The reason why I believe we should try and let Howard beat us is because the if the Magic get hot from the outside, the game will be very hard to win for the Cavs.
-The Magic backcourt is somewhat weak with Rafer Alston, Anthony Johnson, and Courtney Lee coming off an injury. Alston struggled in the Celtics series as he averaged only 10 points and 4 assists a game.
-The way the Cavs will win this series is our shooting and defense. Z, Joe Smith, Daniel, Sasha, Delonte, Wally, and Mo all must hit their shots. This will keep the defenders on them close, and it will open the floor up for LeBron to drive and create.
-Delonte needs to attack the basket to keep Courtney Lee off balance, and Mo must hit 3's to help keep pressure off LeBron on offense.
-LeBron needs to continue his improved jumpshooting. He is averaging 32.9 points, 9.8 rebounds and 7.8 assists a game thus far in the playoffs. He is shooting 55% from the field, and 48% from 3. The better LeBron shoots, the more floor space he will have to operate with.
-Z hitting his jumpers and even a 3 pointer here and there is huge because it will force Howard to close out on him out of the block, which will give us better chances to grab offensive boards.
-Anderson needs to do a good job of playing physical defense on Rashard Lewis. Lewis has a very high release on his 3 point shot, and Anderson must do his best job to disrupt his shot.
While I am not happy that we are stuck with the Magic, I think the Cavs can win the series. LeBron needs to continue his great play, and his teammates must help him out on offense. Our defense needs to continue to suffocate, and we have to get all the loose balls and hustle plays. The reason I think we are going to win is because teams that usually live by the 3, die by it. Rebounding will be another key factor, and I believe the Cavs will put up a very good fight on the boards. With the extended rest for Ben Wallace, Z, and Joe Smith, the Cavs should have fresh legs to grab boards. Add the combination that we have Anderson and LeBron attacking the glass will only help our cause. I am confident that LeBron will lead the team in the series, and he will not let us lose. We have been an extremely focused team throughout the year and we must not lose sights on our goal of an NBA Championship. I have the Cavs in 6 games.
-The Magic are a team that can beat you one of two ways, with the three point shot, or by pounding you in the block with Dwight Howard. While we have played great defense in the playoffs thus far, the Magic have length in their 3 point shooters. JJ Reddick, Courtney Lee, Hedo Turkgolu, and Rashard Lewis are all over 6'5, and Turkgolu and Lewis are both 6'10.
-Courtney Lee, Mickael Pietrus, and Dwight Howard are all great defenders. Howard won the Defensive Player of the Year Award this year, and the Cavs must be physical, attack and grind out games against these guys.
-Orlando can win both at home and away. But they can also lose very easily at home because of their dependence on the 3 point shot. Game 1 will be huge for the Cavs because Orlando is coming off a huge victory in Boston, and Cleveland will have had almost 8 days of rest and need to shake off some rust. Also, Orlando beat Cleveland twice this year, once by 11 points and once by 29. The Cavs beat the Magic at home by only 4 points....
-If I am the Cavs, I try my best to close out the perimeter, and force Dwight Howard to beat you. Closing out on the 3 point shooters of Orlando will be huge. If we can pressure the shooters or just force them to not take shots, the Cavs will win the series.
-While Howard is the best big man in the league, and a great rebounder, he still does not have any consistent post moves. He does not have a consistent jump shot, hook shot, and he is a horrible free throw shooter (59%). Our post defenders must play physical with Howard, as Kendrick Perkins did in the previous series. Versus Boston Howard averaged 16 points and 17 rebounds a game, and while his rebounding increased, his scoring decreased by about 4 points.
-Getting Howard into foul trouble early will be important because it not only take away their best player, but it takes away their best post defender. This opens up the floor for LeBron James.
-The reason why I believe we should try and let Howard beat us is because the if the Magic get hot from the outside, the game will be very hard to win for the Cavs.
-The Magic backcourt is somewhat weak with Rafer Alston, Anthony Johnson, and Courtney Lee coming off an injury. Alston struggled in the Celtics series as he averaged only 10 points and 4 assists a game.
-The way the Cavs will win this series is our shooting and defense. Z, Joe Smith, Daniel, Sasha, Delonte, Wally, and Mo all must hit their shots. This will keep the defenders on them close, and it will open the floor up for LeBron to drive and create.
-Delonte needs to attack the basket to keep Courtney Lee off balance, and Mo must hit 3's to help keep pressure off LeBron on offense.
-LeBron needs to continue his improved jumpshooting. He is averaging 32.9 points, 9.8 rebounds and 7.8 assists a game thus far in the playoffs. He is shooting 55% from the field, and 48% from 3. The better LeBron shoots, the more floor space he will have to operate with.
-Z hitting his jumpers and even a 3 pointer here and there is huge because it will force Howard to close out on him out of the block, which will give us better chances to grab offensive boards.
-Anderson needs to do a good job of playing physical defense on Rashard Lewis. Lewis has a very high release on his 3 point shot, and Anderson must do his best job to disrupt his shot.
While I am not happy that we are stuck with the Magic, I think the Cavs can win the series. LeBron needs to continue his great play, and his teammates must help him out on offense. Our defense needs to continue to suffocate, and we have to get all the loose balls and hustle plays. The reason I think we are going to win is because teams that usually live by the 3, die by it. Rebounding will be another key factor, and I believe the Cavs will put up a very good fight on the boards. With the extended rest for Ben Wallace, Z, and Joe Smith, the Cavs should have fresh legs to grab boards. Add the combination that we have Anderson and LeBron attacking the glass will only help our cause. I am confident that LeBron will lead the team in the series, and he will not let us lose. We have been an extremely focused team throughout the year and we must not lose sights on our goal of an NBA Championship. I have the Cavs in 6 games.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Keeping It Up
Hello everyone, its been awhile, so lets get to work.
Cleveland Browns
-Not much to report here. Braylon rumors continue to fester but I don't think there is much to them. I think the Browns think Braylon can have a Pro Bowl year and make great contributions to this team. To me, he is a headcase, can't catch, and he probably won't stay past next year, and thats why I advocated for a trade. Since the draft is complete, I guess you have to go with the guys you have.
-I predict that Brady Quinn will be the starting QB of the team opening day. According to Tony Grossi, the Browns rejected 2 trades for Quinn and both these offers included a 1st round pick. The Browns used Quinn as a smokescreen to bait teams into trading up for Mark Sanchez. I like Quinn and I think he can be a good QB in this league.
Cleveland Indians
-This team is in somewhat of a mess. The players held a players only meeting a couple games ago. Our bullpen cannot hold a lead, and when we do get solid pitching, our hitting doesn't come through.
-We need consistency out of our bullpen. Can you name a solid bullpen arm that the Tribe has had this year? Raffy Perez was optioned to AAA, Betancourt has a 4.91 ERA, Kobayashi has a 8.38 ERA, Joe Smith has a 7.11 ERA, and Kerry Wood has an ERA of 6.00.
-Fausto Carmona has continued to struggle this year. He is 1-4 with a 5.57 ERA. He has 25 walks, 25 strikeouts in 42 innings. He is a key to our pitching staff, and if theres any chance of salvaging our season he needs to get his act together.
-Cliff Lee has not been that bad. Yes his record is 2-5, but he has an ERA of 3.00. In 4 of his 5 losses the Indians offense scored a combined 2 runs...
-People are starting to call for Eric Wedge to be let go. I still would give him another 2-3 weeks to see if this team will have any chance at all to make it out of the Central. We are only 6 games back, and we are just a solid winning streak away from climbing in the standings.
Cleveland Cavaliers
-The Cavs have done great in the playoffs so far. They swept the Detroit Pistons in 4 games, and the Atlanta Hawks in 4 games. They won every game by double digits.
-Our defense continues to be impressive as we held the Hawks to 78.5 points per game in the series. We out-rebounded them 44.5 to 30.75.
-LeBron James continues his amazing performance throughout the playoffs, and his shooting touch seems to have been improved. He is averaging almost a point a minute throughout the playoffs.
-If the Cavs play the Celtics, they need to finally knock the defending Champs out. The Magic have a better team but they can't seem to close the envelope. The Cavs must deliver the killer blow to the Celtics and not let them hang around. It will definitely be a grind out series.
-The Cavs need to continue their stout defense and aggressive rebounding if they want to beat the LA Lakers. The Lakers can score 120 points on any given night, but they are an inconsistent team. The Cavs must be focused on boxing out, defending the post, and slowing the tempo down. By doing this, the Cavs will be playing to their strengths of defense, rebounding, and half court offense.
-I still believe the Lakers will beat the Cavs if they play in the Finals. I have written why in earlier blogs. Any other team out of the West, I have the Cavs.
-This upcoming offseason will be big for the Cavs as Wally, Joe Smith, and Anderson will all be free agents. There is a early termination option with Sasha's contract as well. We should have the mid level exception to use, along with millions coming off the books. And did I mention we have 2 draft picks in this years up coming draft?
Well folks this just about does it. With the Cavs on a break for a little bit, the Indians struggling, and the Browns a couple months from training camp, sports talk has been a little slow. It will pick up once the Cavs begin to play again and when we know the direction the Indians are headed. Thanks for reading!
-Raz
Cleveland Browns
-Not much to report here. Braylon rumors continue to fester but I don't think there is much to them. I think the Browns think Braylon can have a Pro Bowl year and make great contributions to this team. To me, he is a headcase, can't catch, and he probably won't stay past next year, and thats why I advocated for a trade. Since the draft is complete, I guess you have to go with the guys you have.
-I predict that Brady Quinn will be the starting QB of the team opening day. According to Tony Grossi, the Browns rejected 2 trades for Quinn and both these offers included a 1st round pick. The Browns used Quinn as a smokescreen to bait teams into trading up for Mark Sanchez. I like Quinn and I think he can be a good QB in this league.
Cleveland Indians
-This team is in somewhat of a mess. The players held a players only meeting a couple games ago. Our bullpen cannot hold a lead, and when we do get solid pitching, our hitting doesn't come through.
-We need consistency out of our bullpen. Can you name a solid bullpen arm that the Tribe has had this year? Raffy Perez was optioned to AAA, Betancourt has a 4.91 ERA, Kobayashi has a 8.38 ERA, Joe Smith has a 7.11 ERA, and Kerry Wood has an ERA of 6.00.
-Fausto Carmona has continued to struggle this year. He is 1-4 with a 5.57 ERA. He has 25 walks, 25 strikeouts in 42 innings. He is a key to our pitching staff, and if theres any chance of salvaging our season he needs to get his act together.
-Cliff Lee has not been that bad. Yes his record is 2-5, but he has an ERA of 3.00. In 4 of his 5 losses the Indians offense scored a combined 2 runs...
-People are starting to call for Eric Wedge to be let go. I still would give him another 2-3 weeks to see if this team will have any chance at all to make it out of the Central. We are only 6 games back, and we are just a solid winning streak away from climbing in the standings.
Cleveland Cavaliers
-The Cavs have done great in the playoffs so far. They swept the Detroit Pistons in 4 games, and the Atlanta Hawks in 4 games. They won every game by double digits.
-Our defense continues to be impressive as we held the Hawks to 78.5 points per game in the series. We out-rebounded them 44.5 to 30.75.
-LeBron James continues his amazing performance throughout the playoffs, and his shooting touch seems to have been improved. He is averaging almost a point a minute throughout the playoffs.
-If the Cavs play the Celtics, they need to finally knock the defending Champs out. The Magic have a better team but they can't seem to close the envelope. The Cavs must deliver the killer blow to the Celtics and not let them hang around. It will definitely be a grind out series.
-The Cavs need to continue their stout defense and aggressive rebounding if they want to beat the LA Lakers. The Lakers can score 120 points on any given night, but they are an inconsistent team. The Cavs must be focused on boxing out, defending the post, and slowing the tempo down. By doing this, the Cavs will be playing to their strengths of defense, rebounding, and half court offense.
-I still believe the Lakers will beat the Cavs if they play in the Finals. I have written why in earlier blogs. Any other team out of the West, I have the Cavs.
-This upcoming offseason will be big for the Cavs as Wally, Joe Smith, and Anderson will all be free agents. There is a early termination option with Sasha's contract as well. We should have the mid level exception to use, along with millions coming off the books. And did I mention we have 2 draft picks in this years up coming draft?
Well folks this just about does it. With the Cavs on a break for a little bit, the Indians struggling, and the Browns a couple months from training camp, sports talk has been a little slow. It will pick up once the Cavs begin to play again and when we know the direction the Indians are headed. Thanks for reading!
-Raz
Sunday, April 26, 2009
NFL Draft Review
Boy was I wrong. None of the guys I listed in my last draft were drafted by the Browns. Neither Brady Quinn and Braylon were traded. GM George Kokinis and Head Coach Eric Mangini made a flurry of moves during draft day. We traded our 5th overall pick to the NY Jets for the 17th overall pick, their 2nd round pick, and 3 reserves from the NY Jets. We then traded down two more times to the 21st pick. I was initially shocked and mildly disappointed with our selection of C Alex Mack of California. I thought the Browns should have taken LB Rey Meualuga or LB Clay Matthews, because of our need of LB. The Browns thought otherwise, and all in all I am starting to make some sense of what the Browns did.
1st Round- Alex Mack, C, California- This was a tough pick to understand at first, but it makes some sense. Mack was the best rated C in the draft, he broke his right wrist during the season, and he continued playing with his left hand. He is nasty, tough, strong, hard working, and he is great at anchoring the line. He is a safe pick and can contribute immediately.
2nd Round- Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio State- This was another head scratching move to me when it initially occurred. With Rey still on the board I thought we should have taken him, but we went with the OSU wideout. I think Robiskie can be a very solid #2 WR in the NFL. He is smart, has great hands, has some speed, and can run routes very well. This means he can contribute immediately and fill our need for a possession receiver. He can fill the role that Joe Jurevicius had (3rd down receiver, reliable hands).
2nd Round- Mohammed Massaqoui, WR, Georgia- By this time, I started to see what the Browns were trying to do. They were concerned about the depth at WR, and they wanted to get 2 good WR's who could contribute quickly. Massaqoui has great height (6'1), great speed, improving hands, a hard worker, elusive, and can go across the middle. He sounds like a good slot reciever, and he will complement the deep threat of Braylon, and the sure hands of Robiskie. He played with #1 overall pick Matt Stafford at Georgia, and he has a lot of experience. I like this pick a lot.
2nd Round- David Veikune, DE, Hawaii- Finnally, the Browns take a DE that they will convert to LB. I liked this pick because Veikune offers good size (6'2 260 lbs.), is a hard worker, has a nasty streak, has quickness, and great strength. He can compete for a LB position in our 3-4 defense. He sounds a little like Rey, which I like...
4th Round- Kaluka Maiava, LB, USC- We took a USC LB, just not one of the ones I listed! Maiava is tough, strong, and fast. His weakness is his lack of height (5'11), and his short arms. Maiava seems like a good candidate to be on our special teams and could see some time on defense during the game.
6th Round- Don Carey, CB, Norfolk State- After addressing our LB and WR problems, we went to shore up our secondary. He is a smart, somewhat quick, and solid tackler in the secondary. He saw time at both S and CB, and he could serve that purpose with the Browns. The only problem I have is his lack of height (5'11), and average leaping ability. He seems like a solid backup for our secondary and could see some time with Mike Adams at S.
6th Round- Coye Francies, CB, San Jose State- Here is an extremely quick athlete, who has pretty good cover skills, but he struggles against the run. He is not that aggressive, and has some character problems (he was kicked off Oregon St. and was arrested on weapons charges in 2007 but they were later dropped). Francies will probably serve as a solid backup, and he adds youth to our secondary.
6th Round- James Davis, RB, Clemson- The Browns decided to go back to offense, and they used their last pick on Davis. I thought getting a RB was important, and good RB's can be found late in the draft. Davis has good vision, good blocker, and hit the hole with authority. His weakness is that he does not have great speed, and he isn't that elusive. Davis sounds like a good workhorse, 3rd down back, and maybe he could develop into a guy who can take 10-12 carries a game. With the aging Jamal Lewis, and the unproven James Harrison, the pick of Davis makes a lot of sense.
The right side of our offensive line is in some trouble with the underachievement of G Rex Hadnot, and the injury problem of T Ryan Tucker. With Mack as our starting C, Hadnot and Hank Fraley can battle for the RG position, and Tucker can play RT (he started one game at RT last year versus the New York Giants, we all know how well that went). John St. Clair and Floyd Womack will provide depth for the line as well. We solidified our line, found an anchor, and we saw how important a good offensive line was to an offense (anyone remember 2007?)
When I actually sit down and think about this draft, it might not have sexy names, but they filled a lot of holes on the roster. We acquired DE Kenyon Coleman, and S Abram Elam, in trading the 5th pick, and both will provide solid depth, as they are familiar with Eric Mangini (they played for him last year). We saved a lot of money by not selecting at the 5th pick, and I didn't feel that there was anyone we could use at the 5th spot. We got an extra 2nd rounder, and we began to use it on our defense.
The 2 LB's we got are quick, strong, tough, and good workers. We got rid of our two slowest LB's (McGinest and Andra Davis), and we are replacing them with strong and fast players. We still have LB's Leon Williams, and Beau Bell to work with, free agent Eric Barton (played with Mangini), along with stud D'Qwell Jackson. If our coaches can develop more moves from Kamerion Wimbley, we could really have an improved LB's corps.
Now I know I spoke highly of Rey Meauluga, but after thinking about it long and reading more scouting reports, I came to notice that he has 3 red flags. Durability, character issues, and inability to drop back in coverage. Rey does not change directions quickly enough, and is not fluid in his movements. He has faced disciplinary action more than once at his time at USC, and he was once arrested on suspicion of battery. He did have a calf and leg problems that he dealt with this past year as well. While I love his "kill em all" attitude, he could be a real wild child, and pose problems for the team. Also, the New England Patriots worked him out numerous times, and they passed on him twice. Remember the Patriots lost Mike Vrabel in the offseason, and they could have used a LB....
Before Saturday could you name our #2 WR? Syndric Steptoe. That scares me a lot right there. I think our need for LB was magnified by the fact that Aaron Curry was in our reach, and we really didn't concentrate on the fact that we needed to replenish the depth at WR after cutting Joe Jurevicius, and the impending legal problems of Donte Stallworth. We added a potential possession and a slot receiver which compliments the vertical threat of Braylon, and our short passing game very well. Both receivers that we drafted are experienced, hard working kids, who can contribute pretty quickly.
The last three picks of the draft addressed our needs at S, RB, and CB, and they will provide good depth for us. All three guys are pretty durable, and have a lot of experience. These guys might not pan out to be Pro Bowlers, but if they serve as solid backups/special teamers, then we will have found good value.
We had 8 draft picks in this draft, and we added a lot of young talent to our team. We won't know how well we did, but I am content with our draft. We filled our needs of LB, WR, CB/S, most of our picks are smart, tough kids, and none of these guys have character concerns except Francies. 2-3 of our picks could be starting for the Browns this year. If I had to grade our draft I would give it a solid B. These guys are starting to sound like "football players"......
Thanks for reading and go Cleveland!
-Raz
1st Round- Alex Mack, C, California- This was a tough pick to understand at first, but it makes some sense. Mack was the best rated C in the draft, he broke his right wrist during the season, and he continued playing with his left hand. He is nasty, tough, strong, hard working, and he is great at anchoring the line. He is a safe pick and can contribute immediately.
2nd Round- Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio State- This was another head scratching move to me when it initially occurred. With Rey still on the board I thought we should have taken him, but we went with the OSU wideout. I think Robiskie can be a very solid #2 WR in the NFL. He is smart, has great hands, has some speed, and can run routes very well. This means he can contribute immediately and fill our need for a possession receiver. He can fill the role that Joe Jurevicius had (3rd down receiver, reliable hands).
2nd Round- Mohammed Massaqoui, WR, Georgia- By this time, I started to see what the Browns were trying to do. They were concerned about the depth at WR, and they wanted to get 2 good WR's who could contribute quickly. Massaqoui has great height (6'1), great speed, improving hands, a hard worker, elusive, and can go across the middle. He sounds like a good slot reciever, and he will complement the deep threat of Braylon, and the sure hands of Robiskie. He played with #1 overall pick Matt Stafford at Georgia, and he has a lot of experience. I like this pick a lot.
2nd Round- David Veikune, DE, Hawaii- Finnally, the Browns take a DE that they will convert to LB. I liked this pick because Veikune offers good size (6'2 260 lbs.), is a hard worker, has a nasty streak, has quickness, and great strength. He can compete for a LB position in our 3-4 defense. He sounds a little like Rey, which I like...
4th Round- Kaluka Maiava, LB, USC- We took a USC LB, just not one of the ones I listed! Maiava is tough, strong, and fast. His weakness is his lack of height (5'11), and his short arms. Maiava seems like a good candidate to be on our special teams and could see some time on defense during the game.
6th Round- Don Carey, CB, Norfolk State- After addressing our LB and WR problems, we went to shore up our secondary. He is a smart, somewhat quick, and solid tackler in the secondary. He saw time at both S and CB, and he could serve that purpose with the Browns. The only problem I have is his lack of height (5'11), and average leaping ability. He seems like a solid backup for our secondary and could see some time with Mike Adams at S.
6th Round- Coye Francies, CB, San Jose State- Here is an extremely quick athlete, who has pretty good cover skills, but he struggles against the run. He is not that aggressive, and has some character problems (he was kicked off Oregon St. and was arrested on weapons charges in 2007 but they were later dropped). Francies will probably serve as a solid backup, and he adds youth to our secondary.
6th Round- James Davis, RB, Clemson- The Browns decided to go back to offense, and they used their last pick on Davis. I thought getting a RB was important, and good RB's can be found late in the draft. Davis has good vision, good blocker, and hit the hole with authority. His weakness is that he does not have great speed, and he isn't that elusive. Davis sounds like a good workhorse, 3rd down back, and maybe he could develop into a guy who can take 10-12 carries a game. With the aging Jamal Lewis, and the unproven James Harrison, the pick of Davis makes a lot of sense.
The right side of our offensive line is in some trouble with the underachievement of G Rex Hadnot, and the injury problem of T Ryan Tucker. With Mack as our starting C, Hadnot and Hank Fraley can battle for the RG position, and Tucker can play RT (he started one game at RT last year versus the New York Giants, we all know how well that went). John St. Clair and Floyd Womack will provide depth for the line as well. We solidified our line, found an anchor, and we saw how important a good offensive line was to an offense (anyone remember 2007?)
When I actually sit down and think about this draft, it might not have sexy names, but they filled a lot of holes on the roster. We acquired DE Kenyon Coleman, and S Abram Elam, in trading the 5th pick, and both will provide solid depth, as they are familiar with Eric Mangini (they played for him last year). We saved a lot of money by not selecting at the 5th pick, and I didn't feel that there was anyone we could use at the 5th spot. We got an extra 2nd rounder, and we began to use it on our defense.
The 2 LB's we got are quick, strong, tough, and good workers. We got rid of our two slowest LB's (McGinest and Andra Davis), and we are replacing them with strong and fast players. We still have LB's Leon Williams, and Beau Bell to work with, free agent Eric Barton (played with Mangini), along with stud D'Qwell Jackson. If our coaches can develop more moves from Kamerion Wimbley, we could really have an improved LB's corps.
Now I know I spoke highly of Rey Meauluga, but after thinking about it long and reading more scouting reports, I came to notice that he has 3 red flags. Durability, character issues, and inability to drop back in coverage. Rey does not change directions quickly enough, and is not fluid in his movements. He has faced disciplinary action more than once at his time at USC, and he was once arrested on suspicion of battery. He did have a calf and leg problems that he dealt with this past year as well. While I love his "kill em all" attitude, he could be a real wild child, and pose problems for the team. Also, the New England Patriots worked him out numerous times, and they passed on him twice. Remember the Patriots lost Mike Vrabel in the offseason, and they could have used a LB....
Before Saturday could you name our #2 WR? Syndric Steptoe. That scares me a lot right there. I think our need for LB was magnified by the fact that Aaron Curry was in our reach, and we really didn't concentrate on the fact that we needed to replenish the depth at WR after cutting Joe Jurevicius, and the impending legal problems of Donte Stallworth. We added a potential possession and a slot receiver which compliments the vertical threat of Braylon, and our short passing game very well. Both receivers that we drafted are experienced, hard working kids, who can contribute pretty quickly.
The last three picks of the draft addressed our needs at S, RB, and CB, and they will provide good depth for us. All three guys are pretty durable, and have a lot of experience. These guys might not pan out to be Pro Bowlers, but if they serve as solid backups/special teamers, then we will have found good value.
We had 8 draft picks in this draft, and we added a lot of young talent to our team. We won't know how well we did, but I am content with our draft. We filled our needs of LB, WR, CB/S, most of our picks are smart, tough kids, and none of these guys have character concerns except Francies. 2-3 of our picks could be starting for the Browns this year. If I had to grade our draft I would give it a solid B. These guys are starting to sound like "football players"......
Thanks for reading and go Cleveland!
-Raz
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
NFL Draft Preview
Hello everyone. I am going to dedicate most of my thoughts today to the upcoming NFL Draft that will take place this Saturday. As most of you know, the new regime of Eric Mangini and George Kokinis have kept the lid shut on what their plans are for the draft. My friend and I have a subscription to the Orange and Brown report, and these guys really give out great bits of information. What I will right today will be facts I have heard from these guys, and my own opinion of what I think could happen. Here we go:
The Browns hold the 5th pick in the NFL Draft. This draft does not have any star power names in it, but there is a lot of depth with good players. The Browns probably feel that the money they will be paying the 5th overall pick is not worth the skill set they are drafting. Not many teams are looking to trade up, and I feel that the Browns if given the opportunity would definitely trade down. With this said in mind, the Browns have shown "genuine" interest in USC QB Mark Sanchez. This is why you hear so many trade rumors about QB Brady Quinn. Quinn fits in with the short passing game that Eric Mangini uses, so why would he trade him. He hasn't seen much of Quinn, so whats the point of drafting Sanchez? Your better off drafting someone else or trading down than getting a QB. Why are the Browns showing interest in Sanchez? I believe that they are trying to bait a team to trade up for their pick. Will it work? Who knows, but I would be shocked if we drafted Mark Sanchez.....
The player that the Browns want the most is LB Aaron Curry. He is a tough linebacker who makes all the tackles, and has can play the run well. He is intelligent, has great character, and he won the Butkus Award (best linebacker) his senior year. He will fit our need at LB. The problem is he will probably be gone by the time we pick (the Chiefs will probably take him at #3). IF Curry is there at #5, the Browns will draft him for sure. Now if this happens, should we still trade Braylon? Yes we should, if you can get a 1st, 3rd, and a WR for him do it. He said when he got drafted that he really didn't want to play here, last year he said he didn't feel liked here (catch a pass, it might help you), and he is in the last year of a contract. There are several good WR's in this draft that will be available in the latter part of the first round (Harvin, Maclin, Nicks, Britt). Now if Curry isn't there, and Sanchez isn't a possibility who do the Browns take? Here are some names we could take at the 5th pick:
Michael Crabtree, WR Texas Tech- I think the only way we draft this guy is if we trade Braylon. Many reports have surfaced that the Browns do have a deal in place for Braylon (1st and 3rd and player from Giants), but the guys at the Orange and Brown Report can't confirm this. If Curry is gone, and the Browns can't trade down a few picks, I expect that the Browns will have the Giants on speed dial, and work out a trade. Crabtree might not be as fast as Edwards, but he runs routes much better, is a team leader, and has great hands. These are all qualities Edwards lacks, and it would be a great fit for our shorter passing style.
Brian Orakpo, DE/LB Texas- I like Orakpo as a defensive end, but as a linebacker I am somewhat scared. He is an incredibly strong guy, fast, elusive, and a hard worker. The problem with Orakpo is that he will be converting from DE to LB, and we know how well that has worked out for Kamerion Wimbley. I read a scouting report on Orakpo on the Orange and Brown Report, and they are also somewhat skeptical of him. Apparently his stats were padded at Texas as they recorded more QB pressures than he deserved. They believe he will be a good DE, but he might struggle at the point of attack as a LB, and might not be able to develop pass rushing moves. The Browns biggest need is a pass rushing LB, and if Orakpo struggles at the point of attack, he doesn't sound like a fit. A lot of mock drafts have Orakpo going to the Browns, but this is because we have a need for LB. He isn't worth the 5th pick, especially since he is such a high risk, and this is why I believe the Browns are trying to trade down and get LB who fits their needs.
Eugene Monroe, OT Virginia- Now this pick would have a lot of Browns fans scratching their heads and mad. I would be happy with this pick because we have a very weak right side of our offensive line. Monroe has great size 6'5 310 lbs, who is agile, can protect the QB, hard worker, and is a very smart player. We saw in 2007 how important an offensive line could be to a team. Monroe would play RT for the Browns and fill in for the released Kevin Shaffer. He would help solidify our offensive line for the next 5-10 years with Joe Thomas on the left side. This pick seems unlikely, but we all saw the effect that Joe Thomas has had on our offensive line.
Now if we trade down, or trade Braylon for a draft pick later in the first round, here are some names to consider:
Rey Maualuga, LB, USC- I would love to have this guy on our team. He has good size (6'1 260 lbs.), speed, and just wants to kill opposing offenses. The Browns need scary guys like this on our defense. He should be available from picks 6-20. He would fit our need of LB, and bring some serious toughness to our defense.
Clay Matthews III, LB, USC- This is another LB I would love to have. He has amazing size for a 3-4 defense (6'4 240 lbs.). He has a motor that never stops, a nasty demeanor, good lineage (father player for the Browns), and is very tough. Again he fits a need, and he should be available near the end of the 1st round.
Brian Cushing, LB, USC- Another USC LB could be a possibility for the Browns. Out of all of the USC LB's, I am the most skeptical of Cushing. He has good size (6'2 243 lbs.), was productive at USC, is very strong, and tough. The problem with Cushing is that he is injury prone, and not that fast. We need a quick LB to attack the QB.
Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee- Ayers might be a DE, but he could transfer to a LB in a 3-4 defense because he is great at the point of attack, is good in pursuit, great tackler, and can shed blocks. He checks out as a good character, and he too should be available later in the first round. I would like this pick as well.
Everette Brown, DE, Florida St.- This guy on the surface might look like another Kamerion Wimbley, but if you take a closer look he might actually be a good fit. He has a wide variety of moves, very athletic, fast, tough worker, strong, and can close in on the QB quickly. Again, he should be available in the middle of the first round. I would rather have the three guys I listed above, but Brown would be a pretty good fit as well.
Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri- If we trade Braylon, and we take Curry at #5, this is the guy we could draft with the 1st rounder we would get with Braylon. He has great speed, good hands, and great upside. He is a threat anytime he touches the ball, and he would give our offense much energy. He can be used as a special teams guy, and he is versatile. I like Maclin, but only if we get a LB before him. Also, a knock on Maclin is that he might not fit with our short passing game, since he is better at running deep routes.
Hakeem Nicks, WR, UNC- Again, Nicks would be the guy we draft with the first round pick if Braylon is traded. He has good size (6'0), great hands, runs routes very well, tough, runs across the middle of the field, and is a team player. He would be a fit for our offensive passing game as well. He should be available in the end of the first round. Hicks would be a great pick, and I like him a little more than Maclin
Louis Delmas, S, Western Michigan- He would help fit the need of the departed S Sean Jones. He is tough, good in coverage, physical, productive, and a great team leader. The Browns could use an enforcer type safety, and he would be a good fit. Delmas should be available at the end of the first, beginning of the second round. I would like Delmas a lot because if you think about it, Mike Adams is our starting safety right now......
Again, not a lot of information has been released, and I am trying to be logical in who the Browns might take. There are a lot of "if's" in this draft. There will be some sort of activity going on, and I am excited to see what will happen. If I had to make a prediction, I say we end up trading Braylon, drafting Crabtree, and either Maualuga/Matthews/Ayers/Brown/Cushing with the other 1st round pick we acquire. Well I know this is a lot of information, but I hope it made you a little less confused on what the Browns could do.
Notes
-Congrats to Mike Brown for winning 2009 NBA Coach of the Year. He has done a great job trusting his assistants (Chris Jent, John Kuester), and his players.
-The Cavs looked very good in Game 1, and they should continue their dominance over the Pistons. People should appreciate the fact that the Pistons have gone to the Eastern Conference Finals for the past 6 years. They are one of the few teams to win a championship without a superstar player.
-I hope Ben Wallace's leg continues to improve, because his inside presence will be huge in the coming rounds. We need his defense and rebounding to combat the Dwight Howard's, Al Horford's, Pau Gasol's, and Andrew Bynum's. Our front line is going to be key in the playoffs.
-The Indians seem to be improving a little bit, and their offense is seeming to click. They scored 22 runs on the Yankees on Saturday.
-The bullpen is a big concern of mine as Jensen Lewis (8.10 ERA), and Rafael Perez (16.71 ERA) seem to be lost. Its sad that the Carl Pavano pitches well against his former team, but the bullpen blows it.
-Jon Meloan is was acquired in the Casey Blake deal, and has a 4.32 ERA in the minor leagues. Maybe its time we give him a try.
-Cliff Lee rebounded well after his 2 horrible starts. He seems to have better command, and is getting ahead in the count early.
-Travis Hafner continues to be steady as he is batting .286 with 4 homers and 8 RBI's. If he continues this, our offense will be much more potent and stable.
Well folks, thats about it. Thanks for reading and go Cleveland!
The Browns hold the 5th pick in the NFL Draft. This draft does not have any star power names in it, but there is a lot of depth with good players. The Browns probably feel that the money they will be paying the 5th overall pick is not worth the skill set they are drafting. Not many teams are looking to trade up, and I feel that the Browns if given the opportunity would definitely trade down. With this said in mind, the Browns have shown "genuine" interest in USC QB Mark Sanchez. This is why you hear so many trade rumors about QB Brady Quinn. Quinn fits in with the short passing game that Eric Mangini uses, so why would he trade him. He hasn't seen much of Quinn, so whats the point of drafting Sanchez? Your better off drafting someone else or trading down than getting a QB. Why are the Browns showing interest in Sanchez? I believe that they are trying to bait a team to trade up for their pick. Will it work? Who knows, but I would be shocked if we drafted Mark Sanchez.....
The player that the Browns want the most is LB Aaron Curry. He is a tough linebacker who makes all the tackles, and has can play the run well. He is intelligent, has great character, and he won the Butkus Award (best linebacker) his senior year. He will fit our need at LB. The problem is he will probably be gone by the time we pick (the Chiefs will probably take him at #3). IF Curry is there at #5, the Browns will draft him for sure. Now if this happens, should we still trade Braylon? Yes we should, if you can get a 1st, 3rd, and a WR for him do it. He said when he got drafted that he really didn't want to play here, last year he said he didn't feel liked here (catch a pass, it might help you), and he is in the last year of a contract. There are several good WR's in this draft that will be available in the latter part of the first round (Harvin, Maclin, Nicks, Britt). Now if Curry isn't there, and Sanchez isn't a possibility who do the Browns take? Here are some names we could take at the 5th pick:
Michael Crabtree, WR Texas Tech- I think the only way we draft this guy is if we trade Braylon. Many reports have surfaced that the Browns do have a deal in place for Braylon (1st and 3rd and player from Giants), but the guys at the Orange and Brown Report can't confirm this. If Curry is gone, and the Browns can't trade down a few picks, I expect that the Browns will have the Giants on speed dial, and work out a trade. Crabtree might not be as fast as Edwards, but he runs routes much better, is a team leader, and has great hands. These are all qualities Edwards lacks, and it would be a great fit for our shorter passing style.
Brian Orakpo, DE/LB Texas- I like Orakpo as a defensive end, but as a linebacker I am somewhat scared. He is an incredibly strong guy, fast, elusive, and a hard worker. The problem with Orakpo is that he will be converting from DE to LB, and we know how well that has worked out for Kamerion Wimbley. I read a scouting report on Orakpo on the Orange and Brown Report, and they are also somewhat skeptical of him. Apparently his stats were padded at Texas as they recorded more QB pressures than he deserved. They believe he will be a good DE, but he might struggle at the point of attack as a LB, and might not be able to develop pass rushing moves. The Browns biggest need is a pass rushing LB, and if Orakpo struggles at the point of attack, he doesn't sound like a fit. A lot of mock drafts have Orakpo going to the Browns, but this is because we have a need for LB. He isn't worth the 5th pick, especially since he is such a high risk, and this is why I believe the Browns are trying to trade down and get LB who fits their needs.
Eugene Monroe, OT Virginia- Now this pick would have a lot of Browns fans scratching their heads and mad. I would be happy with this pick because we have a very weak right side of our offensive line. Monroe has great size 6'5 310 lbs, who is agile, can protect the QB, hard worker, and is a very smart player. We saw in 2007 how important an offensive line could be to a team. Monroe would play RT for the Browns and fill in for the released Kevin Shaffer. He would help solidify our offensive line for the next 5-10 years with Joe Thomas on the left side. This pick seems unlikely, but we all saw the effect that Joe Thomas has had on our offensive line.
Now if we trade down, or trade Braylon for a draft pick later in the first round, here are some names to consider:
Rey Maualuga, LB, USC- I would love to have this guy on our team. He has good size (6'1 260 lbs.), speed, and just wants to kill opposing offenses. The Browns need scary guys like this on our defense. He should be available from picks 6-20. He would fit our need of LB, and bring some serious toughness to our defense.
Clay Matthews III, LB, USC- This is another LB I would love to have. He has amazing size for a 3-4 defense (6'4 240 lbs.). He has a motor that never stops, a nasty demeanor, good lineage (father player for the Browns), and is very tough. Again he fits a need, and he should be available near the end of the 1st round.
Brian Cushing, LB, USC- Another USC LB could be a possibility for the Browns. Out of all of the USC LB's, I am the most skeptical of Cushing. He has good size (6'2 243 lbs.), was productive at USC, is very strong, and tough. The problem with Cushing is that he is injury prone, and not that fast. We need a quick LB to attack the QB.
Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee- Ayers might be a DE, but he could transfer to a LB in a 3-4 defense because he is great at the point of attack, is good in pursuit, great tackler, and can shed blocks. He checks out as a good character, and he too should be available later in the first round. I would like this pick as well.
Everette Brown, DE, Florida St.- This guy on the surface might look like another Kamerion Wimbley, but if you take a closer look he might actually be a good fit. He has a wide variety of moves, very athletic, fast, tough worker, strong, and can close in on the QB quickly. Again, he should be available in the middle of the first round. I would rather have the three guys I listed above, but Brown would be a pretty good fit as well.
Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri- If we trade Braylon, and we take Curry at #5, this is the guy we could draft with the 1st rounder we would get with Braylon. He has great speed, good hands, and great upside. He is a threat anytime he touches the ball, and he would give our offense much energy. He can be used as a special teams guy, and he is versatile. I like Maclin, but only if we get a LB before him. Also, a knock on Maclin is that he might not fit with our short passing game, since he is better at running deep routes.
Hakeem Nicks, WR, UNC- Again, Nicks would be the guy we draft with the first round pick if Braylon is traded. He has good size (6'0), great hands, runs routes very well, tough, runs across the middle of the field, and is a team player. He would be a fit for our offensive passing game as well. He should be available in the end of the first round. Hicks would be a great pick, and I like him a little more than Maclin
Louis Delmas, S, Western Michigan- He would help fit the need of the departed S Sean Jones. He is tough, good in coverage, physical, productive, and a great team leader. The Browns could use an enforcer type safety, and he would be a good fit. Delmas should be available at the end of the first, beginning of the second round. I would like Delmas a lot because if you think about it, Mike Adams is our starting safety right now......
Again, not a lot of information has been released, and I am trying to be logical in who the Browns might take. There are a lot of "if's" in this draft. There will be some sort of activity going on, and I am excited to see what will happen. If I had to make a prediction, I say we end up trading Braylon, drafting Crabtree, and either Maualuga/Matthews/Ayers/Brown/Cushing with the other 1st round pick we acquire. Well I know this is a lot of information, but I hope it made you a little less confused on what the Browns could do.
Notes
-Congrats to Mike Brown for winning 2009 NBA Coach of the Year. He has done a great job trusting his assistants (Chris Jent, John Kuester), and his players.
-The Cavs looked very good in Game 1, and they should continue their dominance over the Pistons. People should appreciate the fact that the Pistons have gone to the Eastern Conference Finals for the past 6 years. They are one of the few teams to win a championship without a superstar player.
-I hope Ben Wallace's leg continues to improve, because his inside presence will be huge in the coming rounds. We need his defense and rebounding to combat the Dwight Howard's, Al Horford's, Pau Gasol's, and Andrew Bynum's. Our front line is going to be key in the playoffs.
-The Indians seem to be improving a little bit, and their offense is seeming to click. They scored 22 runs on the Yankees on Saturday.
-The bullpen is a big concern of mine as Jensen Lewis (8.10 ERA), and Rafael Perez (16.71 ERA) seem to be lost. Its sad that the Carl Pavano pitches well against his former team, but the bullpen blows it.
-Jon Meloan is was acquired in the Casey Blake deal, and has a 4.32 ERA in the minor leagues. Maybe its time we give him a try.
-Cliff Lee rebounded well after his 2 horrible starts. He seems to have better command, and is getting ahead in the count early.
-Travis Hafner continues to be steady as he is batting .286 with 4 homers and 8 RBI's. If he continues this, our offense will be much more potent and stable.
Well folks, thats about it. Thanks for reading and go Cleveland!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
16 More Wins
Hello everyone. Here are some of my quick thoughts.
Cleveland Indians
-Man this team has gotten off to a bad start. 1-7 won't cut it. Pitching has really killed us as we have allowed an average of 8 runs a game. Cliff Lee has struggled to find his command as he is 0-2 with a 9.90 ERA, Fausto is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA, and Scott Lewis is on the DL.
-Travis Hafner has looked somewhat good so far, he has hit 3 HR and 6 RBI already. He looks like he cut some weight, and his swing is starting to come back. He is vital to our teams success.
-We need to get some legitimate starters in our rotation. Carl Pavano just isn't going to cut it, Lewis is hurt, and Reyes (your 5th starter) has the teams only win. Compare our pitching to the Rays rotation: Matt Garza, Andy Sonnanstine, James Shields, Scott Kazmir, and David Price. Look at the Red Sox: Dice K, Lester, Beckett, Bucholz, and Brad Penny. Yanks have CC, Burnett, Wang, and Pettitte. Do you really think our rotation matches up with these guys?
-Our hitting really hasn't been too big of a problem. I am excited to see some of our youngsters come up at play in the coming months.
-Eric Wedge's leash is starting to become tight, and he needs to start winning if he wants to keep his job. One year he has a good season, the next a bad one, this team flip flops too much. We need consistency, and our team is too good to be 1-7. This team has great potential, and they need to start playing like men.
Cleveland Browns
-I really have no idea what the Browns are going to do in the upcoming draft. They want "football players", I am not sure what you mean by that.
-At the #5 pick, we can go any different direction. WR Michael Crabtree, QB Mark Sanchez, LB Aaron Curry, OT Jason Smith, OT Eugene Monroe DE/LB Brian Orakpo are all names that have been mentioned.
-I think the Browns are trying to bait a team to trade for the #5 pick. I don't really believe LB Aaron Curry will be there, neither will OT Jason Smith, Orakpo isn't worth the 5th pick, if we don't trade Edwards we have no need for Crabtree. Where do we go?
-I believe the Browns want to trade down, and collect more draft picks. They don't want to pay a player #5 money, especially if that player does not fit a need. If we do trade down, pay attention to these names: DE Robert Ayers, OT Michael Oher, S Louis Delmas, LB's Rey Meualuga, Clay Matthews, and Brian Cushing and WR Jeremy Maclin. These are all guys that the Browns have brought in for workouts.
-The Browns should keep Brady Quinn. We haven't really seen much out of him, and I want to see him for a whole season before we trade him. He fits our short passing style very well, he is a competitor, and he doesn't make dumb mistakes.
-If the Browns are offered a 1st and 3rd for Braylon, they should trade him. He is unhappy here, he is in the final year of his contract, and he cannot catch a pass. We aren't going to be Super Bowl contenders, so you might as well trade away an unhappy player. Should we trade him, we should use our 5th pick on Crabtree, and depending on where the 1st round pick is, draft the best available LB or S. After that, go after an OT, S, RB, and LB.
-I will give a more extensive preview on the draft in a future blog.
Cleveland Cavaliers
-Congrats on getting homecourt gentlemen. It has been truly a great season, and we are 16 post- season wins away from a championship. If we don't win a championship, the season means nothing. LeBron talking about the heartbreaks we've had in Cleveland, and how it motivates the team is just awesome.
-Detroit will be a tough opponent in the first round, but I think we can handle them. PD's Brian Windhorst made a good point in that they have a rookie head coach in Michael Curry, crumbling team chemistry, no main scorer, and they run a very simple offense. The Pistons fell apart yesterday at home versus the Bulls. They needed to win that game to avoid playing the Cavs, and they didn't make it happen.
-According to RCF insiders, Ben Wallace should be ready for the playoffs this weekend. He is vital in our success, as he will give us a tough interior presence with our 2nd unit. When he came back, Wallace looked like he had fresh legs. He meshes will with the smooth inside/outside game of Joe Smith.
-The Cavs need to win game 1 at the Q, and game 3 in the Palace. By winning the first game, you establish yourself in the series, and its hard for a visiting team to win game 2. If you win the first away game, then the Pistons will just fold in game 4. My prediction Cavs in 5.
-This is going to be a very tough playoff run. We have to beat Detroit, Hawks/Heat, Celtics, and Lakers 4 times each to win the championship. My hope is the Lakers will get upset in the West, and the Cavs propel themselves to a championship against a weaker team (Nuggets).
-If the Cavs win every post season home game, we win a championship, its that simple.
We have a very exciting month coming up with the Browns draft, the Indians season in full swing, and the Cavs playoff run. I will do a Browns draft preview, some more Indians talk, and Cavs playoff thoughts. Thanks again for reading and go Cleveland!
-Raz
Cleveland Indians
-Man this team has gotten off to a bad start. 1-7 won't cut it. Pitching has really killed us as we have allowed an average of 8 runs a game. Cliff Lee has struggled to find his command as he is 0-2 with a 9.90 ERA, Fausto is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA, and Scott Lewis is on the DL.
-Travis Hafner has looked somewhat good so far, he has hit 3 HR and 6 RBI already. He looks like he cut some weight, and his swing is starting to come back. He is vital to our teams success.
-We need to get some legitimate starters in our rotation. Carl Pavano just isn't going to cut it, Lewis is hurt, and Reyes (your 5th starter) has the teams only win. Compare our pitching to the Rays rotation: Matt Garza, Andy Sonnanstine, James Shields, Scott Kazmir, and David Price. Look at the Red Sox: Dice K, Lester, Beckett, Bucholz, and Brad Penny. Yanks have CC, Burnett, Wang, and Pettitte. Do you really think our rotation matches up with these guys?
-Our hitting really hasn't been too big of a problem. I am excited to see some of our youngsters come up at play in the coming months.
-Eric Wedge's leash is starting to become tight, and he needs to start winning if he wants to keep his job. One year he has a good season, the next a bad one, this team flip flops too much. We need consistency, and our team is too good to be 1-7. This team has great potential, and they need to start playing like men.
Cleveland Browns
-I really have no idea what the Browns are going to do in the upcoming draft. They want "football players", I am not sure what you mean by that.
-At the #5 pick, we can go any different direction. WR Michael Crabtree, QB Mark Sanchez, LB Aaron Curry, OT Jason Smith, OT Eugene Monroe DE/LB Brian Orakpo are all names that have been mentioned.
-I think the Browns are trying to bait a team to trade for the #5 pick. I don't really believe LB Aaron Curry will be there, neither will OT Jason Smith, Orakpo isn't worth the 5th pick, if we don't trade Edwards we have no need for Crabtree. Where do we go?
-I believe the Browns want to trade down, and collect more draft picks. They don't want to pay a player #5 money, especially if that player does not fit a need. If we do trade down, pay attention to these names: DE Robert Ayers, OT Michael Oher, S Louis Delmas, LB's Rey Meualuga, Clay Matthews, and Brian Cushing and WR Jeremy Maclin. These are all guys that the Browns have brought in for workouts.
-The Browns should keep Brady Quinn. We haven't really seen much out of him, and I want to see him for a whole season before we trade him. He fits our short passing style very well, he is a competitor, and he doesn't make dumb mistakes.
-If the Browns are offered a 1st and 3rd for Braylon, they should trade him. He is unhappy here, he is in the final year of his contract, and he cannot catch a pass. We aren't going to be Super Bowl contenders, so you might as well trade away an unhappy player. Should we trade him, we should use our 5th pick on Crabtree, and depending on where the 1st round pick is, draft the best available LB or S. After that, go after an OT, S, RB, and LB.
-I will give a more extensive preview on the draft in a future blog.
Cleveland Cavaliers
-Congrats on getting homecourt gentlemen. It has been truly a great season, and we are 16 post- season wins away from a championship. If we don't win a championship, the season means nothing. LeBron talking about the heartbreaks we've had in Cleveland, and how it motivates the team is just awesome.
-Detroit will be a tough opponent in the first round, but I think we can handle them. PD's Brian Windhorst made a good point in that they have a rookie head coach in Michael Curry, crumbling team chemistry, no main scorer, and they run a very simple offense. The Pistons fell apart yesterday at home versus the Bulls. They needed to win that game to avoid playing the Cavs, and they didn't make it happen.
-According to RCF insiders, Ben Wallace should be ready for the playoffs this weekend. He is vital in our success, as he will give us a tough interior presence with our 2nd unit. When he came back, Wallace looked like he had fresh legs. He meshes will with the smooth inside/outside game of Joe Smith.
-The Cavs need to win game 1 at the Q, and game 3 in the Palace. By winning the first game, you establish yourself in the series, and its hard for a visiting team to win game 2. If you win the first away game, then the Pistons will just fold in game 4. My prediction Cavs in 5.
-This is going to be a very tough playoff run. We have to beat Detroit, Hawks/Heat, Celtics, and Lakers 4 times each to win the championship. My hope is the Lakers will get upset in the West, and the Cavs propel themselves to a championship against a weaker team (Nuggets).
-If the Cavs win every post season home game, we win a championship, its that simple.
We have a very exciting month coming up with the Browns draft, the Indians season in full swing, and the Cavs playoff run. I will do a Browns draft preview, some more Indians talk, and Cavs playoff thoughts. Thanks again for reading and go Cleveland!
-Raz
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