Cleveland Cavaliers: How recent trades impact this season and the future
By Ryan Piers
The Cleveland Cavaliers completely turned over their roster before the 2018 NBA Trade Deadline. Here’s how it affects this season and the future.
After LeBron James drilled a fade away jumper to beat the buzzer and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, he was mobbed by his teammates — his old, sluggish, ill-fitting teammates, half of whom would be on different rosters in 16 hours.
When Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Kody Altman crafted the 2017-18 team, he needed something different than last season to beat Golden State. His offseason moves seemed sensible; he traded a defiant Kyrie Irving for a player with almost identical numbers, plus assets. He signed a former MVP for pennies on the dollar. And he inked LeBron’s comfort peacock from his Miami Heat days, Dwyane Wade, to make him feel cozy in Cleveland.
But this hodgepodge of once-stars blended horribly. Wade and Derrick Rose appeared washed up. Jae Crowder proved unreliable from the outside. And Isaiah Thomas never fully recovered from his hip injury. Either that or a Monstar has taken over his body, because 25.3 percent from the 3-point line is stunningly bad.
Channing Frye and the out-of-place Iman Shumpert were also dealt in Altman’s roster turnover. It’s important to give the Cavaliers GM credit. He officially put his stamp on the team, no longer looking overwhelmed to be heading a franchise with such high expectations.
All of this occurred without giving up the supremely treasured Brooklyn Nets first round pick, which could have top-five value in a loaded NBA Draft. We can still salivate over the possibility of Marvin Bagley III and James playing for the same team.
While the Cavaliers’ roster may be none the more talented after the trade barrage, it’s certainly younger and more cohesive. In the short-term, expect the Cavaliers to better jell with players actually complementing LeBron.
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In the long-term, the trades add promising pieces that may entice James to remain in Cleveland as he inks would could be his last major contract. That means this season’s goals are two-fold: Win the NBA championship, of course, or at the very least play well enough that James feels the newly assembled pieces have potential.
Let’s start with this season. Even if the roster isn’t better, it’s certainly more sensible. The previous player pile featured too many one-dimensional pieces — guys that could shoot but not play defense, and vice versa.
When Thomas and Frye shared the floor, the team could score but lacked backbone. Bring in Crowder and Wade and you ruin the spacing. Too often, James shared the floor with four average shooters. To properly utilize LeBron’s laser-like cross court fastball and supreme drive-and-kick capabilities, gunners from the outside are required. Hence, each of the six players traded away is shooting below 35 percent from the 3-point line this season.
According to NBA.com, the Cavaliers’ most effective lineup this season has been James, Kyle Korver, Kevin Love, J.R. Smith and Dwyane Wade. Its lineup with the second highest net rating includes James, Korver and Love. Hence, Korver and Love, sharpshooters, stay.
Enter George Hill, the league leader in 3-point percentage at 45.3 percent. The two-way guard is a sticky defender that excels as a role player. He comfortably transitions from facilitator to spot-up shooter. Better than Thomas? No. Better fit than Thomas? Probably.
Pundits used to believe Rodney Hood was the league’s next great shooting guard. Curiously, buzz surrounded the lengthy lefty dissipated. Yet Hood continued to improve, currently averaging a career best 16.8 points per game and 51.6 efficient field goal percentage. Weirdly, he’s only started 12 games for a below-average Utah Jazz team. With LeBron’s tutelage and coach Tyronn Lue’s confidence, Hood could evolve into a major player.
Similar story for Larry Nance Jr. The supremely athletic power forward battled Julius Randle and Kyle Kuzma for minutes in L.A. With Love injured, Nance may find himself in the starting lineup playing in the same city his father once excelled in. He also seems very happy he was traded.
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Last but not least, Jordan Clarkson provides a potent punch off the bunch for Cleveland. Outside of fleeting stretches from Rose and Wade, the Cavaliers have seriously lacked playmakers off the pine. Clarkson, averaging a career-best 22.1 points per 36 minutes, will be given the keys to the second string. He, Korver and Hood could make for an extremely effective reserve unit.
Most importantly, the deals eliminates a negative aura permeating the Cavaliers locker room like stink gas. It’s hard to remember a team with such bad chemistry. Some of the culprits, namely Thomas, are no longer part of the team.
It’s not necessarily the fault of the players, the GM or the coaching staff. Some guys are just difficult to coach and it takes a special leader to corral egos. For Thomas, it was Brad Stevens. Everyone knows Tom Thibodeau is the Derrick Rose whisperer. Lue just isn’t charismatic or personal enough to work with everyone.
The long-term impact of the deal is difficult to determine. Hopefully, James sees the potential in his new teammates and chooses to stay. Hopefully, Hill or Hood becomes that third star, one good enough to help LeBron and Love run with Golden State in the NBA Finals.
Yes, the deals free up cap space for the Lakers allowing them to take a stab at LeBron this summer. But I am going to side with USA TODAY NBA Insider Sam Amick, who called the deals a “huge win” if Cleveland hopes to mend ties with its prodigal son.
I think we’d be naïve to think James didn’t have some say in these trades. Unless you’ve lived under a rock for the past decade, you know there is some truth to the “GM LeBron” theory. James does have a hand in managerial moves.
In the backroom of some swanky, Cleveland establishment, James probably munched on pierogi with Altman while thumbing over players he’d like to acquire. Maybe it sounded like this:
James: “We need more shooters.”
Altman: “George Hill. He’s the best this year. I’ll get him.”
James: “We need athleticism and youth.”
Altman: “Rodney Hood and Larry Nance Jr. are being shopped around.”
James: “Anyone else?”
Altman: “If I add Jordan Clarkson, will you stay?”
Next: Biggest winners and losers of the 2018 NBA Trade Deadline
I guess we’ll find out this summer.