Sources say numerous teams have inquired about Varejao, but the Cavs won't even entertain such talks unless they're getting a superstar in return; Anthony, for one, has made it clear he wouldn't sign an extension in Cleveland.I'm all for playing hardball... but a superstar?? Again: "Cavs won't even entertain such talks unless they're getting a superstar in return." Awesome.
I'm of the belief that the Cavs need tear down and rebuild in order to get back to the promise land (legit title contention). They have an entire roster built around a player that is no longer here.
Cleveland needs young guys and draft picks and guys like Varejao could bring in a decent haul of both (though if they're waiting for a superstar, they'll be waiting awhile). I like the fact that teams are asking about Cavalier players and I'm interested see what the Cavs philosophy is at the trading deadline.
I find it funny that teams are calling about Varejao. I was under the impression that Cavs had LeBron and no other talented players. It was Bron-Bron and a bunch of bums, no? But now teams want Andy, Boston signed Delonte and Shaq and LeBron took Z with him to South Beach. Playoff contenders want Cavaliers. You'd think they'd want good players.
If I'm the Cavs, I offer Varejao to the Oklahoma City Thunder (but not for Kevin Durant, because dangling Andy for a superstar is dumb). They're a team that could use a young, defensive big and they've been stockpiling young guys and picks for awhile now.
Speaking of tradeable players and young guys, the Cavs recently made a few announcements regarding both (I consider 4/5th of the starting five "tradeable players").
First, the starting lineup is going to be Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, J.J. Hickson, Varejao and Jamario Moon (with Antawn Jamison coming off the bench). I think Byron Scott has to start Hickson and that means the veteran Jamison comes off the bench. Jamison can play the small forward position at times, but he can't defend opposing threes on a regular basis. Once you decide to move Antawn to the bench, Moon is basically the default starting SF (but he does fit the up tempo offense). I like this move; Moon is athletic and Jamison gives them some second unit scoring.
The other announcement was that Manny Harris beat out former second round pick Danny Green for the fifteenth and final roster spot. I don't have a huge opinion on Harris but I've liked what I've seen. I don't even hold the fact that he went to Michigan against him.
Maybe I'm weird, but I don't usually hate on Michigan guys in the pros. As weird as it sounds, I want Michigan to be good. When OSU beats them, I want it to matter. So once guys get into the pros, I want them to do well so reflects well on UM (and therefor the Big Ten and Ohio State). So well done, Manny Harris.
(Also, Danny Green: wasted draft pick? Maybe).
6 comments:
I vote to dish Andy. I love the guy. He plays with energy and heart and is one of the best role players in the league. But we need to wake up to reality and see that we are not a contending team this season. Lucky for us we have the draft picks coming up in the future (2 2nd round picks from Miami in '11 and '12 and 3 1st round picks from Miami in '12 '13 and '15) so I'd prefer to see some young talent that already has some proven NBA ability as opposed to more draft picks.
Nick
Andy on the Thunder would be great, putting him on the already talented team that would really put a thorn in the other title contenders. I mean, Gilbert did say we will win a ring before Lebron does, and best way to do it right now is to stack another team to get in his way, right?
Currently, I have no faith in the current Cavs GM. At least majority of Ferry's moves were defensible to a degree and it seemed like he had a vision for the team. We have the guy who backed the decision to draft Marvin Williams over Chris Paul.
Also, I'm not getting a good vibe from Coach Scott either. He says he wants to run, but I read that his Hornets teams ranked as some of the slower teams in NBA, so how do we know he knows what he is doing? Plus the irony is Mike Brown would probably be better suited coaching an underdog team like this since they'd be able to defend and rebound, which is what any team needs well to win games anyways
No need to trade Andy right now. Or anyone else for that matter. Let the season develop, wait for other teams to have injuries, and let desperate teams come calling midway through the season. They'll get more for Andy at the deadline than they will right now, and they know it.
Geoffrey - It's hard to get a read on Chris Grant at the moment. The Cavs had a late start to the offseason (thanks again, Bron-Bron!) so they were scrambling post-July 8th. That being said... they were scrambling post-July 8th. Could've been more prepared (Joey Graham?!).
Andrew - I totally agree. Wait for the season to develop and see where other teams are. The Cavs should be players come mid-February
The other way to look at this is in the rush to scrap everything and start over, you might be depriving yourself of building pieces.
Andy is 28, not a youngun anymore. But he fits the Princeton well (calls for an active center who can set screens) and he's signed for reasonable money for three more years.
I know everyone is really down on the Cavs right now. Most people I know don't even want to talk about the Cavs beyond "LeBron is a douche, wake me up when they're good again."
But I don't buy this widely-held notion that the whole roster is trash save for Hickson and maybe Sessions, and you just need to start pitching deck chairs off the Titanic and get whatever you can for them.
There are pieces here to build around. Gilbert and Scott seem to think they can rebound to contention without bottoming out to 15-67.
It will take some solid drafting and a well-placed trade or two, but I think you can take a scalpel to this roster as opposed to a meat cleaver.
Besides, if you torch the roster and play for a top three pick, are you going to get that top three pick in the '03 draft, or in say the 2001 draft of Kwame Brown?
In a perfect world, the Cavs trade off Jamison/Parker/Moon (and maybe Mo), finish 9th in the East (still contending for the playoffs)and then luck into a high pick.
And I don't think the roster is trash. I think a lot of these guys are good, productive NBA players... it's just that this team is built around a fulcrum that is no longer there.
If your ceiling is 45 wins, then what are you really doing besides treading water?
Post a Comment