The future of the frontcourt
2011-03-22The Cavaliers’ immediate future is uncertain, to say the least. The one thing we do know is that Anderson Varejao will almost certainly be a part of it. Given the upcoming CBA battle, it seems unlikely that any teams are going to be making the type of trade that would lead to Varejao’s departure this season. Varejao has also shown that he is almost as effective defending the center position as he is defending the four spot, and that his high-movement, high-energy style of offense can work even without LeBron running the pick-and-roll with him. Those are both good things.
However, there is somewhat of a paradox: Anderson Varejao is a true center on offense and a true power forward on defense. Varejao is a slightly better outside shooter and high-post player than he gets credit for, but he’s infinitely more comfortable when he can make cuts without the ball, roll to the basket, and crash the offensive glass. And while he can guard the post pretty darn well for such a skinny guy, he’s at his best when he can show hard on pick-and-rolls, recover back, and disrupt offenses 25 feet away from the hoop.
So the ideal frontcourt partner for Anderson Varejao is a center who can guard the post, defend the rim, and keep the floor spaced by stepping out and hitting jumpers. That player does not actually exist, which is something of an issue. The 08-09 version of Zydrunas Ilgauskas was a perfect fit with Varejao, but he was overmatched by Dwight Howard, has aged, and plays in Miami. Marcus Camby comes close, but he’s much better at taking 20-footers than he is at making them. Chad Ford’s version of Darko Milicic would be perfect, and reports are that he plans to put in serious work on his game this off-season with Sidd Finch. We’ll keep you updated on that as it develops.
With that in mind, let’s look at the pros and cons of some potential froncourts for the Cavs next season:
Varejao/Hickson:
The most likely starting unit. If this is going to work, Hickson will have to consistently knock down mid-range jumpers and make good defensive rotations on the perimeter. I have doubts about the former and grave doubts about the latter. I think the chances are that Hickson’s rightful place in this league will be as a first big off the bench, but a Varejao/Hickson backcourt could potentially be serviceable.
Varejao/Sullinger:
I can’t shake the feeling that if the Cavs don’t get Irving, they’re going with Sullinger. Barnes is the only other guy that can really be sold as a huge potential piece, and Sullinger is more consistent and playing for the good basketball team in Ohio. (Note: if the Cavs pass on Irving willingly and the subsequent five blog entries are pictures of puppies attempting to solve mysteries, it is because I have lost my mind.)
Sullinger can score and rebound, but perimeter defense and outside shooting are his two biggest weaknesses, which means he’d be an iffy fit with Varejao on offense and questionable on defense. I’m going to say this one more time: I’m all about building a defensive frontcourt first. That’s why I’m not really sold on Sullinger.
Varejao/Valanciunas:
I know nothing about Valanciunas other than what I’ve read in scouting reports. Apparently he’s tall, has an insane wingspan, doesn’t shoot mid-range jump shots, loves to roll to the basket and finish, is a good shot-blocker, but isn’t the most cerebral defensive player. I like him on paper, but he’s European and was born in 1992. That makes him a huge question mark. Still, he sounds like a legit NBA center if all goes as planned, and I’m willing to sacrifice some offensive hiccups for a real live defensive backcourt. The caveat here is that I wouldn’t be all that surprised if he turns out to be a poor man’s Mosgov. It’s really hard to predict these Euro big mens, especially really young ones.
Perry Jones:
Seems like Mike Beasley without the college production. He will tantalize you with jump shots, he will miss defensive rotations, he will get your hopes up, and he will break your heart. Or he could be a cross between Lamar Odom, Kevin Durant, and Kevin Garnett. A pretty good “fit” on paper, but these versatile forwards will make you tear your hair out.
Those are a few of my thoughts — there’s always the chance that the Cavs could try and develop a center on their own (does anyone know what’s up with Sasha Kaun right now? He was doing well in international play, right?), or try to find another option through free agency or trades. Let me know your ideas.
Nobody else is saying it so I’m just gonna say it: ENES KANTER.
if we could get him and irving… WHOOOOOOO
Value front court players later in the draft imo: kahwi leonard, faried
I hope the Cavs try to bring Sasha Kaun over this summer. I remember a chat from Windhorst a while ago that said his Russian team contract was up THIS SUMMER…they didn’t want to buy him out last summer. He would be another cog in the wheel.
I hope the team targets a future PG and Wing.
Is Center even the teams greatest need? Obviously if they get the first pick they should take best player available which I believe to be Irving. However, this team lacks athleticism at the 2 and 3. Skeyenga may become a player but he can’t even legally drink. Harris seems like a solid bench player, and Anthony Parker is on the wrong side of 30. The Cavs have not had a legitimate scoring threat at the 2 since pre-finger injury Larry Hughes, or maybe even Ricky “wrong way” Davis. Most teams would love a true center who can defend the paint.… Read more »
I agree with a lot of what has been said, and I will say that your description of Andy on offense is accurate but also potentially mislabeled. Andy is not a STRETCH 4, but very much a traditional 4 on offense on defense. His skill set fits very comfortably within that system. Just because many teams run with small lineups that feature stretch 4 guys does not mean we have to play that style. We also don’t really need either our 4 or 5 to shoot deep Jumpers. We, like many teams, have had to construct a team around one… Read more »
Personally, why not go with the tweener who has game? Assuming the Cavs can’t take Kyrie Irving due to draft position, or let’s say they do and that LAC pick is high enough to make this possible – I say the Cavs go with Derrick Williams. At this point, he looks like the best proven commodity – he’s 6’8″ which is smallish for a PF but the guy plays a lot bigger than he is offensively and has a good inside and outside game (plus, he’s a sophomore, so he’s a bit more developed as far as having an NBA… Read more »
I think Motiejunas could be another possible option. He has been compared to Andrea Bargnani (cool) and Channing Frye (ugh) and supposedly has a reliable jump shot. Still, he needs to put on about 20 pounds before he is ready to guard centers in the NBA.
I’ve always thought that Marc Gasol would be a decent fit up here, and that Memphis would be too cheap to resign him when his contract expires. I believe he’s a decent shooter, and a legit 5 in terms of defense. Once again though, I never see him play, and he’s not very flashy, so I may be overvaluing him.
Is there anyone out there who can give me a good scouting report on him? I envision him as a tougher, less finesse-oriented version of Pau.
Been making this exact point for a while. Hickson + Varejao doesn’t work for either guy, and it especially doesn’t work for any offense that plans on functioning. HIckson, who is also best in the paint on offense, needs that exact same type of player to be paired with. Like you said, that doesn’t exist. Add to that that Hickson is already undersized to actually play the C position, and it makes me wonder how the Cavs convince themselves to build with him moving forward. The only player I could come up with a while back when trying t othink… Read more »