Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 keys to contending in 2017-18
By Drew Zlogar
2. Wing consistency
A big part of the trade that went down with Boston was Cleveland bringing in Jae Crowder. Crowder is a true 3-and-D player that LeBron will really enjoy having on the floor with him. Crowder will come into the lineup to hopefully bolster the wing position, as last year it got pretty stale at times.
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Crowder has something to prove in his first year with the Cavaliers. It wasn’t a surprise that Crowder was part of the deal with Cleveland, as his name was being brought up in trade rumors for awhile. As a player, when you keep hearing how you aren’t in the future plans for the team that you are on, it has to be a tough feeling.
However, once a move is finally made, it’s a fresh start. Crowder was one of the more consistent players for Boston last year, and he comes to Cleveland looking to bring that and more to hopefully bring them back to the championship.
Crowder is a huge addition, because last season the rotation of J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert and Richard Jefferson was brutally underwhelming at times. Smith a sharp shooter, but is notorious for being very streaky, so when he gets cold, he is a freezer.
Shumpert, might have one of the more outrageous contracts in the league right now with how he has performed, and Jefferson is no longer a rotation player every night. He is getting old, and can only provide a spark here and there. Crowder will come in and blanket the weaknesses that the other wings show when they are playing poorly.