Post by plax on Feb 28, 2013 21:33:39 GMT -5
With NFL in the offseason, I am paying a lot of attention to the NBA, and if you do not know already, I am a Cleveland Cavaliers fan.
When LeBron left, it killed the franchise. When we initially traded Mo Williams for Baron Davis and their 1st, I was mad, because I loved Mo Williams as a player. However, the LAC pick came out as the number 1 pick in the draft (amazing, huh?). With that pick, Kyrie Irving was born. Only playing in college, he was seen as a skeptical pick as he might not have been NBA-ready. Many thought CLE should have went F Derrick Williams, in which I would not have minded, as CLE had some good players. Because that would have most likely meant Brandon Knight with the 4th pick. So Williams and Knight would have been AMAZING as a stepping stone going forward.
However, CLE went Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson. Did not mind Irving, but the Thompson pick was iffy to me, not only because it was thought of as a reach, but because he was only 6'8", undersized for a 4.
CLE struggled last year, but Irving showed a LOT to the NBA, showing everyone that they were wrong with the skepticism.
While Irving HAS had his fair share of injuries, none have been serious, and hopefully when CLE gets more help around him, he will not push himself as hard.
Kyrie Irving has cemented himself as a top PG in the league (top 5 for me personally), Tristan Thompson has shown he is one of the top offensive rebounders in the game today (however, for the love of god, fix your FT shooting). Rookie Dion Waiters has shown he has great burst, and is proving some wrong with a 6th man in college being taken 4th overall. And fellow rookie Tyler Zeller has shown to be very productive.
My hopes for this offseason:
- Trade Varejao
- While he is a GREAT player, he is getting up there in age, and his value has not been this high throughout his entire career. The Cavs should get younger, and go for a OKC sort of build-up. There were rumblings of a Varejao for Terrance Ross and Jonas Valunciunas deal, which I would like VERY much. So assume this were to happen.
- Draft Shabazz Muhammed OR Otto Porter
- Cleveland has some good young talent, but need a 3, IMO. I like Alonzo Gee, but I think he is best suited for a bench role to create a spark. Muhammed is a scoring machine, and will give Irving a GREAT player to rely on. And Porter's motor is unmatched, and will help CLE on fastbreaks and defense, two things they are not too good at currently.
===
With these moves, this can be CLEs core roster next year:
PG - Kyrie Irving
SG - Dion Waiters, Terrance Ross, CJ Miles
SF - Shubazz Muhammed/Otto Porter, Alonzo Gee
PF - Tristan Thompson, Maureese Speights
C - Jonas Valunciunas, Tyler Zeller
However, I do not expect CLE to fetch Valunc and Ross from AV now, seeing as how JV is doing great, and AV will be coming of of an injury.
===
How do you think CLE does this offseason and their outlook for the future (near and down the road)?
When LeBron left, it killed the franchise. When we initially traded Mo Williams for Baron Davis and their 1st, I was mad, because I loved Mo Williams as a player. However, the LAC pick came out as the number 1 pick in the draft (amazing, huh?). With that pick, Kyrie Irving was born. Only playing in college, he was seen as a skeptical pick as he might not have been NBA-ready. Many thought CLE should have went F Derrick Williams, in which I would not have minded, as CLE had some good players. Because that would have most likely meant Brandon Knight with the 4th pick. So Williams and Knight would have been AMAZING as a stepping stone going forward.
However, CLE went Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson. Did not mind Irving, but the Thompson pick was iffy to me, not only because it was thought of as a reach, but because he was only 6'8", undersized for a 4.
CLE struggled last year, but Irving showed a LOT to the NBA, showing everyone that they were wrong with the skepticism.
While Irving HAS had his fair share of injuries, none have been serious, and hopefully when CLE gets more help around him, he will not push himself as hard.
Kyrie Irving has cemented himself as a top PG in the league (top 5 for me personally), Tristan Thompson has shown he is one of the top offensive rebounders in the game today (however, for the love of god, fix your FT shooting). Rookie Dion Waiters has shown he has great burst, and is proving some wrong with a 6th man in college being taken 4th overall. And fellow rookie Tyler Zeller has shown to be very productive.
My hopes for this offseason:
- Trade Varejao
- While he is a GREAT player, he is getting up there in age, and his value has not been this high throughout his entire career. The Cavs should get younger, and go for a OKC sort of build-up. There were rumblings of a Varejao for Terrance Ross and Jonas Valunciunas deal, which I would like VERY much. So assume this were to happen.
- Draft Shabazz Muhammed OR Otto Porter
- Cleveland has some good young talent, but need a 3, IMO. I like Alonzo Gee, but I think he is best suited for a bench role to create a spark. Muhammed is a scoring machine, and will give Irving a GREAT player to rely on. And Porter's motor is unmatched, and will help CLE on fastbreaks and defense, two things they are not too good at currently.
===
With these moves, this can be CLEs core roster next year:
PG - Kyrie Irving
SG - Dion Waiters, Terrance Ross, CJ Miles
SF - Shubazz Muhammed/Otto Porter, Alonzo Gee
PF - Tristan Thompson, Maureese Speights
C - Jonas Valunciunas, Tyler Zeller
However, I do not expect CLE to fetch Valunc and Ross from AV now, seeing as how JV is doing great, and AV will be coming of of an injury.
===
How do you think CLE does this offseason and their outlook for the future (near and down the road)?