NBA Free Agency 2013: Why the Cleveland Cavaliers Should Sign Josh Smith
Josh Smith could be a dynamic fit in Cleveland. (NBA.com photo)
So how are the Cleveland Cavaliers recovering since LeBron James migrated south for greener pastures in 2010? Pretty well, actually. The Cavs have landed a franchise player in point guard Kyrie Irving, some quality young pieces in Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson and, with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, they were able to add Canadian-born UNLV product Anthony Bennett, an athletic forward with the versatility to play multiple positions who could potentially thrive in an uptempo offense with Irving and company. Not bad, considering how dark a place this franchise, this CITY was in when the best player in the world spurned them on national television. Could the Cavs compete for the postseason in 2013-14 as presently constituted? Considering the top-heavy state of the Eastern Conference, without a doubt. But adding free-agent forward Josh Smith to this unique group of players would make this a dangerous team with the athleticism and fire power to potentially compete with anyone in the NBA.
The game plan in Cleveland appears to be geared towards preserving cap space in order to make another run at LeBron when he becomes a free agent again in 2014. Understandable. The history is there for the King, who spent the first seven seasons of his career trying to win a title for a city he grew up near. The Miami Heat core has won two titles already, but Dwayne Wade is clearly on his last legs thanks to a nagging knee injury that allows him to contribute on a superstar level in spurts only. In addition to Wade’s injury concerns, Chris Bosh‘s transformation from franchise NBA power forward into Channing Frye has been remarkably shocking. In Cleveland, James would be surrounded by a ton of young talent and a budding superstar in Irving to help shoulder the load. On paper, it’s a perfect fit.
The problem is, Cleveland isn’t the only franchise enamored with the idea of adding James. The Lakers are hellbent on the idea of retaining enough capspace to bring LeBron to Los Angeles. There will be other suitors who feel that after dumping salary at the trade deadline in 2014, acquiring James could be a real possibility. Then there is Miami, with whom LeBron has already won two titles with. Pat Riley is in the fold, so a quick, creative reboot of the roster around LeBron seems realistic. For LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers are a long shot.
This is why Josh Smith, right now, THIS SEASON, makes sense.
When you look at the top teams in the Eastern Conference this season, outside of Miami they all lack athleticism and pace. Indiana and Chicago play terrific defense, but they ranked 23rd and 28th in the NBA in points per game, respectively. The Brooklyn Nets ranked 29th in the NBA in fast-break points and got older. The New York Knicks? 30th. With Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters, Anthony Bennett and Josh Smith in the fold, the Cavaliers would be able to play at a frenetic pace only Miami could match in the Eastern Conference. And with Kyrie Irving improving every year, Cleveland may have one of the few true franchise players in the NBA capable of being the best player on a championship contender down the line. Factor in the youth on the roster and this is a team that could compete as early as next year and be a force for years to come.
Does Josh Smith have his issues? Sure. Shot selection is a problem that many felt he curtailed in 2009-10, a season that saw Smith attempt only seven 3-pointers. But that proved to be an aberration, as that total sky-rocketed the following season to 154 and in 2012-2013 Smith set a career-high with 201 3-point attempts, connecting on only 30 percent of them. For a player with the incredible size and athleticism Josh Smith possesses, it can be maddening to watch him constantly settle for perimeter jumpers. But outside of LeBron James, there isn’t a player in the NBA who can fill up a stat sheet the way Smith does, as his 2012-13 line of 17.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.8 blocks per game suggests.
The idea of pairing a couple of forwards with skill sets as unique as Josh Smith and Anthony Bennett and combining that with a franchise point guard in Irving makes signing Josh Smith and passing on LeBron James a risk that makes sense. Smith, without a doubt, is a gamble. He hasn’t proven he can be a franchise player in the NBA and he will be paid like one. But is it as big a gamble as putting all your chips in the middle on a reunion with a the same guy who left you at the alter in 2010? Probably not. And this is why Cleveland would be wise to consider bringing in Josh Smith for the 2013-14 season.