Cavs are Building a Playoff Team
By Michael Schneid
After signing former All-Star center Andrew Bynum, I believe the Cleveland Cavaliers are building a playoff team for the upcoming season.
PG Kyrie Irving, the number one pick in 2011, was an all-star last season, averaging 22 ppg. Tristan Thompson, the #4 pick in 2011, averaged 11 ppg, 9 rpg. Last year's #4 pick, Dion Waiters, had 14.7 ppg.
Those are certainly three solid building blocks. Add in this year's #1 pick, Anthony Bennett and the #19 pick Sergey Karasev. Bennett average 16 ppg, 8 rpg in his one year at UNLV. At 6'8 some people say he is too undersized to play PF, and too big and not a good enough shooter to be SF. With more and more NBA teams going small ball, a 6'8 power forward is not a crazy concept. Especially, if the SF is a good shooter and defender (Lebron?).
Karasev averaged 18.4 ppg in Russia last season. If his game can translate to allow him to score in the NBA next season, he will be a major upgrade at SF over Alonzo Gee, who started all 82 games.The Cavs also signed former Lakers SF Earl Clark. So both Clark and Karasev provide Cleveland with some strong depth at the wing position.
Now add in Andrew Bynum, who missed all of 2012-13 with a knee injury. Bynum has only played 82 games once, in 2006-07, his second season. He has not played more than 65 games in any other season. He does have career averages of 11.7 ppg and 7.8 rpg. The move at least shows that the Cavs are willing to take chances and spend money to try to win.
Incumbent center Anderson Varejao played only 25 games last season but averaged 14 ppg, 14 rpg. If him and Bynum can split the season, in terms of health and games played, Cavs could be set at center. They also have second year Tyler Zeller, another first round pick from last season.
Cleveland signed Jarrett Jack to a big contract, to be the 6th man and back up Irving and Waiters. Gone are the days of CJ Miles, Alonzo Gee, and Wayne Ellington playing big minutes.
Also, Mike Brown is back. The roster has been completely re-made since the last time he was here (with Lebron) but he can install his defensive minded-system and run the offense through Irving.
With teams like the Celtics, Bucks, and Hawks blowing up their rosters, there is opportunity in the east for a lottery team or two (or three) to step up and sneak into the playoffs. The way the Cavs are constructing their roster and building their team, consider them one of those teams who may just sneak in.
And who knows...maybe if their young players like Waiters and Bennett keep developing further they might be an attractive location for free agents in 2014. A couple big names are available (Lebron) and the Cavs will have cap room to sign someone to a max contact (like Lebron).
What do you think about what the Cavs have done this off-season? Comment below or tweet us@msschneid
After signing former All-Star center Andrew Bynum, I believe the Cleveland Cavaliers are building a playoff team for the upcoming season.
PG Kyrie Irving, the number one pick in 2011, was an all-star last season, averaging 22 ppg. Tristan Thompson, the #4 pick in 2011, averaged 11 ppg, 9 rpg. Last year's #4 pick, Dion Waiters, had 14.7 ppg.
Those are certainly three solid building blocks. Add in this year's #1 pick, Anthony Bennett and the #19 pick Sergey Karasev. Bennett average 16 ppg, 8 rpg in his one year at UNLV. At 6'8 some people say he is too undersized to play PF, and too big and not a good enough shooter to be SF. With more and more NBA teams going small ball, a 6'8 power forward is not a crazy concept. Especially, if the SF is a good shooter and defender (Lebron?).
Karasev averaged 18.4 ppg in Russia last season. If his game can translate to allow him to score in the NBA next season, he will be a major upgrade at SF over Alonzo Gee, who started all 82 games.The Cavs also signed former Lakers SF Earl Clark. So both Clark and Karasev provide Cleveland with some strong depth at the wing position.
Now add in Andrew Bynum, who missed all of 2012-13 with a knee injury. Bynum has only played 82 games once, in 2006-07, his second season. He has not played more than 65 games in any other season. He does have career averages of 11.7 ppg and 7.8 rpg. The move at least shows that the Cavs are willing to take chances and spend money to try to win.
Incumbent center Anderson Varejao played only 25 games last season but averaged 14 ppg, 14 rpg. If him and Bynum can split the season, in terms of health and games played, Cavs could be set at center. They also have second year Tyler Zeller, another first round pick from last season.
Cleveland signed Jarrett Jack to a big contract, to be the 6th man and back up Irving and Waiters. Gone are the days of CJ Miles, Alonzo Gee, and Wayne Ellington playing big minutes.
Also, Mike Brown is back. The roster has been completely re-made since the last time he was here (with Lebron) but he can install his defensive minded-system and run the offense through Irving.
With teams like the Celtics, Bucks, and Hawks blowing up their rosters, there is opportunity in the east for a lottery team or two (or three) to step up and sneak into the playoffs. The way the Cavs are constructing their roster and building their team, consider them one of those teams who may just sneak in.
And who knows...maybe if their young players like Waiters and Bennett keep developing further they might be an attractive location for free agents in 2014. A couple big names are available (Lebron) and the Cavs will have cap room to sign someone to a max contact (like Lebron).
What do you think about what the Cavs have done this off-season? Comment below or tweet us
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