End Of Regular Season Progress Reports

As the regular season comes to an end, now seems like a good time for some Cleveland Cavaliers Progress Reports. It’s been a roller coaster of a regular season with injuries, locker room drama, and a major trade that completely reshaped the roster. Now, as the playoffs begin, Cavs: The Blog will take a look at each member of the roster and assign them a letter grade that stands for words that come to mind when evaluating that player. So sit back, relax, and check out our thoughts on each member of the Wine & Gold.

George Hill: It’s been a bit of a roller coaster for Hill during his time with the Cavaliers. He’s had some really impressive games, but also some duds that seem like a continuation of his disappointing tenure with the Sacramento Kings earlier this season. To make matters worse, he sprained his ankle last week just as he seemed to have found his place in the starting lineup.The Cavs need him for the playoffs. Grade: S. Hill’s combination of defense and Shooting make him a Solid Starting point guard. He could be a big factor in the Cavaliers’ postseason Success.

Rodney Hood: After a slow start to his tenure with the Cavaliers, Hood has come into his own of late, consistently scoring in double figures and playing solid defense. Hood’s shooting and ability to create his own offense have been a solid compliment to LeBron James and Kevin Love. Now, he has to prove he can stay healthy and keep up that same level of play. hGrade: C. Hood is Capable of being a terrific two-way player. The question is whether or not he can show the Consistency that has eluded him for the majority of his career. 

LeBron James: After all but having an outright mutiny on the court in January, James has been as good as ever since the trade deadline. At 33 years old and in his 15th season, James is averaging career highs in rebounds and assists per game, while also leading the NBA in VORP. Considering that he’s only giving a token effort on defense right now, there’s little doubt who still reigns as the league’s best player. Grade: G. LeBron is still the Greatest player in the NBA today. His ability to dictate all facets of the Game is unparalleled.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVZUJcriYfM

Larry Nance Jr.: After a hot start to his Cavaliers tenure, Nance has cooled off a bit, mostly due to a combination of injuries and foul trouble. Nance is a smart player and terrific athlete. His defense and passing are underrated, and his finishing ability is tremendous. Now, he has to prove that he can stay on the court for extended minutes. Grade: F. Nance has Fantastic upside for the Cavs, but he has to say out of Foul trouble. 

Kevin Love: After missing two months with a fractured left hand, Love has returned with a vengeance, showing a sweet stroke from downtown and continuing his amazing work on the boards. The Cavs are 8-1 in games in which Love has played significant minutes since his return from injury, and for the first time, his status as the number two option on this team is unquestioned. Grade: A. With the brief exception of the time he shared the court with Isaiah Thomas, Love has played like the All-Star he is throughout the season. He’s an Amazing player and and Awesome fit next to James. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYPl9zu6rUc

Jose Calderon: I was wrong about Jose Calderon, and so were you. When the Cavaliers signed Calderon on the first day of free agency, the move was met with skepticism at best, and outright derision at worst. Now, Calderon has made 32 starts for the Cavaliers while shooting 47% from three with a three-to-one assist-to-turnover ratio. It’s not just hollow stats either. The Cavaliers are 23-9 in games that Calderon has started in. Tyronn Lue has said that Calderon will be in the playoff rotation. He needs to be. Grade: M. Calderon’s basketball Mind is always evident in the Mistake-free way he plays the game. 

J.R. Smith: Smith has struggled on both ends of the court throughout the season. He has been passive on offense, hesitating to shoot the open threes the Cavaliers desperately need him to make. His defense has been abysmal, and his defensive rating is the worst on the team. He lost his starting spot, and while Smith has played better lately, it’s unlikely he will be moved from his bench role, if he’s even in the playoff rotation at all. Grade: C. Smith’s play has been a Catastrophe for most of the season, but he may be Coming around. If that’s the case, then the Cavaliers’ upside would be that much higher. Smith has proven that he has the kind of upside that can swing a playoff game.  

Kyle Korver: Korver is who he is, and that’s a wonderful thing. The Cavs can count on Korver to hit a ton of threes at a high percentage, execute smart team defense, and play the kind of heady game that makes him a tremendous fit on a team led by LeBron James. Korver has battled foot issues the last few weeks, and dealt with the tragic loss of his younger brother, Kirk,  but has remained one of the most reliable players on the roster. Grade: S. Korver is such a Smart player and tremendous Shooter. It’s amazing he’s kept up this Stellar play at age 37.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hneoUIZuHkM

Jordan Clarkson: Clarkson is who he is, a combo guard and microwave scorer off the bench in the Jamal Crawford mold. He can handle the ball, but is by no means a point guard, and often causes the offense to stall. Clarkson has shot the ball well from deep since joining the Cavs, and has good size for a guard, but isn’t much of a defender. Grade: U. Clarkson is an Up-and-down player, and it’s Unclear whether his game will translate well on the playoff stage. 

Jeff Green: We’re all willing to admit we were wrong about Jose Calderon, but what about Jeff Green? Widely panned last summer as a horrible free agent signing, Green has been a solid addition to the Cavaliers. He’s a tough fit for any team due to his lack of rebounding and outside shooting, but Green has given the Cavaliers solid defense and finishing at the basket. In many ways, he’s been what many expected Jae Crowder to be. Grade: R. Green’s Role with the team is probably larger than it should be, but we should also Recognize that he’s had a better season than Tristan Thompson, Crowder, Richard Jefferson and the other options the Cavs have had for his Role this season. He definitely deserves a spot in the Rotation.

Tristan Thompson: As someone who has defended Thompson’s game over the years, this season has been a rough one. The man who owns the Cavaliers’ record for consecutive games played has been plagued by injuries that have greatly diminished his play this season. Thompson remains as effective on the boards as ever, but he lacks his former explosiveness as a roll man, and is nowhere near as effective as he used to be switching out onto the perimeter. Grade: O. Thompson’s lack of Outside shooting makes it difficult to play him alongside either Green or Nance, and now he may find himself on the Outside of the playoff rotation. Who could have ever imagined this two seasons ago?

Cedi Osman: Osman came to the Cavaliers with a reputation as a heady young player with a great motor who could become a solid role player. So far, he’s more than lived up to expectations. Injuries have caused the rookie swingman to play more than expected, and he’s delivered in some big moments. There have certainly been some hiccups along the way, but that’s to be expected from every rookie. Osman won’t ever be a star, but he could be a high level role player in the Trevor Ariza mold. Grade: F. Osman is no failure, but rather a player who could be a key part of the Cavaliers’ Future. 

Ante Zizic: After struggling tremendously early on in his rookie season, Zizic spent some time with the Canton Charge and returned to the Cavaliers a much improved player. He stepped up when all of the team’s other big men were out with injury, showing potential as a traditional big man who can finish at the basket, rebound, and protect the rim. Zizic is a bit of a dinosaur in today’s NBA game, but looks like he could be the end-of-rotation big man the Cavs need to bang with the other giants of the league. Grade: Y. As in Young with some upside. With Zizic, Osman, Nance, Hood, and Clarkson, the Cavaliers have a decent group of Younger players. This should look better to LeBron James this summer than the aging roster they had a few months ago. It wouldn’t be a main reason he stays, but it won’t push him out the door, either. 

John Holland: At 29 years old, it was nice to see Holland fulfill his dream of playing in the NBA. He’s spent a lot of the season with the Cavaliers on a two-way contract with the Canton Charge, and has the look of an NBA player. Unfortunately for Holland, appearances can be deceiving. A volume scorer in the G-League, Holland is neither a good enough shooter or defender to work as a role player in the NBA. It wouldn’t be a shock to see Holland fill the team’s final postseason roster spot, but that’s more about the lack of better options than anything else. Grade: G. On the surface, Holland’s a Good story, but this season has shown that he’s a G-League player.

London Perrantes: Perrantes is signed to a two-year two-way contract, and has spent a decent amount of time with the Cavaliers during the second half of the season. Despite injuries to several guards, Perrantes hasn’t been able to earn significant minutes for the Cavs, and it’s not hard to see why. Perrantes struggles to score at the G-League level, let alone with the Cavaliers, and his defense is nothing to write home about. His passing and ball handling are solid, but not enough to offset his weaknesses. Grade: N. Right now, Perrantes is Not an NBA player. He’ll have to show Noticeable growth to truly become part of the Cavaliers’ plans.

Okaro White: White just signed with the Cavs for the rest of the season a week after his 10-day contract with the team expired. White didn’t play with the Cavaliers during his first stint, and is unlikely to even dress during the playoffs unless more injuries pop up. Grade: D. Does it matter that White is with the Cavs? Probably not. 

That concludes the Cleveland Cavaliers’ progress reports for the end of the regular season. This team may not quite have the upside it did with Kyrie Irving, but it has length, athleticism, and depth that it’s never had before. Since they have dealt with constant injuries, we really don’t know what kind of team this is. As the playoffs begin, and we see this team whole for the first time, half of the adventure will be in seeing what the Cleveland Cavaliers truly are.