Links To The Present: November 29, 2010
2010-11-29
I’m making a conscious decision this week to avoid posting LeBron stories, in part because there’s nothing educational about them. We are all intimately familiar with what he did, what it means, and why his return to Cleveland is painful. There’s no need to spill more speculative ink about Thursday’s Cavs/Heat matchup. If the Cavs upset Miami, if LeBron goes for 50, if a fan does something abhorrent, we’ll discuss it on Friday. Until then, let’s focus on the 2010 Cavs as they are. The Celtics visit the Q on Tuesday, after all, and they’re a better basketball team right now than the Heat.
Nearly lost in all the chatter surrounding a certain Akron native is the fact that, on Thursday, Big Z will also be playing professional basketball in the state of Ohio for the first time since the conclusion of last season. Brian Windhorst wrote a special feature for the Plain Dealer. As is Windhorst’s wont, it’s an excellent piece delineating Z’s offseason and his feelings about playing in the Q once again.
As one of the lone veterans on this Cavs squad, Mo Williams is making an effort to assume more of a leadership role. He also claims to have a “good relationship” with Byron Scott, who, since Mo’s return from injury, has often allowed the offense to run through Williams.
File this under the “What’s Wrong with J.J. Hickson?” heading: he claims he has “kind of lost what his role [is] on the team.” While Hickson finished strong in the Cavs win over the Grizzlies on Saturday, he looked horrendous in the first half, clanking a number of jumpers and bogging down the offense when he received the ball in the post. His recent play, paired with some of the troubling quotes he has produced this year, seem to indicate that his Basketball IQ might not be through the roof. The saving grace is that he’s 22, but the past two weeks have been disconcerting.
Scott over at WFNY discusses the pros and cons of the Cavs (hypothetically) making a play for Andre Iguodala, who the 76ers are placing firmly on the trading block. Iguodala’s a fine player and all, but his contract pays him “$13.5 million in 2011-12, $14.7 million in 2012-13” and he has “a player option of $15.9 million in 2013-14.” $13-15 million for a player who plays great defense and is a tremendous athlete, but whose career percentages are 46-32-75? (He also takes 3 to 4 three-point shots per game, despite shooting a little over 30% from beyond the arc over the past 4 seasons.) The Cavs are certainly thin at small forward, but giving up picks, young talent, and/or cap space to acquire Iguodala could be disastrous.
Byron Scott was fined $35,000 for his comments after the Orlando game that “It’s tough playing five guys in white jerseys and three with stripes.”
On The Twitters
“When asked if it was tough to stay focused on Boston w/ LeBron’s return looming Thurs, Boobie paused, grinned, & unconvincingly said, ‘Nah.'” [Mary Schmitt Boyer]
“Anderson Varejao remains as a “non-contact” practice participant. #Cavs” [Scott Sargent]
“Antoine Walker Planning Comeback in D-League, Per League Sources http://aol.it/gGBljq” [Scott Shroeder]
Kevin H. — I’ve been pointing out to my friends the need for the Cavs to be just like the championship Pistons: rough and gritty. They need to make the opposing teams earn every point, especially in the paint. If you are gonna foul them, make it count… Yes, the league has given the referees way more power than they deserve and they are probably gonna be calling flagrants more often tho. So it’s a different style of league. But again, the Cavs need 5-7 solid players and not one top 10 player. They need consistency from the core group… Read more »
Lebron’s career percentages are 47-33-74 (taking 3-4 three’s per game) and he was serviceable with the Cavs.
The hope would be that with Williams, Iguodala, Hickson, and Varejao, the Cavs would have 4 of the top 50 players (Hickson developing is critical to this plan). If they could draft a solid wing with a mid first round pick (I’m thinking Tayshaun Prince several years ago), I think the Cavs could build a very solid team that could have a good run. The Pistons had a great team for a few years without a top 10 player.
Unfortunately 3/4 of the things I try to post don’t end up being posted. Why is that?
Lebron’s Return “The Shunovation”
Have everyone go completely quiet and turn their backs to the court shunning him as if he doesn’t exist or how he turned his back on Cleveland. and do ‘The Shunovation’ every time he is at the foul line or is intro-ed in the line up.
“The Shunovation” should be pronounced with a sharp e
copy/paste comment to spread the word plz
Kevin H, the problem is when you’re the 25th best player you need someone better than you on a team in order to truly make a difference. Taking a 34 win team to 40 wins is nice, but it makes no impactful difference. That is my arguement to bringing him here. Now, would a team like the Pacers find great use for a slasher type player like Iguodala? Probably. There he might actually take a fringe playoff team and get them solidly in the playoffs and possibly to the second round. To them, the contract might not be such a… Read more »
Kevin H makes good points, but I just don’t see out front office dealing this year.
I would take AI if the price was right (trade exception, an expiring contract, a draft pick). I don’t think his contract is horrendous. He’s not a great value, but his contract is not out of place in the nba. He’s the 38th highest paid player. 22 of the higher paid players have contracts that extend through this year and at least two more years. When healthy, Iguodala is a top 25 player in the league. Scoping a few advanced stats, in the last two seasons he is top 25 in John Hollingers extra wins added, top 15 in Dave… Read more »
I agree, pass on AI as he will bog down the future of the team both financially and on the court development.
Andre Iguodala is a fine player, but as you pointed out his contract is horrendous. Also, he’s playing on a more talented (at least evenly talented) sixers team and they are terrible. There is nothing I have seen from him over the years that makes me believe he can be the number 1 guy andl ead a team to a strong season. I don’t even think he can be your number 2 guy for a good team.