Six on Six: 2024 Trade Deadline Edition

I know it’s been a minute since we put any real content up on this site. For that you have my apologies. I had a busy first half of January followed by a very sick last half of January. To fill the void, I blew the conch, and the CtB faithful assembled. First up, a very excited Adam Cathcart, who is ecstatic about this team and the NBA season and whose brain is bursting with all the posts we didn’t write (at least not yet).

Adam Cathcart: 

Guard Play: 
Mitchell’s distribution chops; Mitchell’s messages to the league (who needs a hourglass icon when you can double-thunder on Zac Collins?); Merrill’s catch-and-shoot marvel; Darius road to returned dominance; why the Cavs have got maximum force in lineups with Strus; why #5 draft pick Isaac Okoro makes sense for this particular team; why G League Champion Craig Porter Jr. is superior as a backup point guard to Brandon Goodwin and Rajon Rondo; why Ty Jerome is a trade chip (an exception to my trade aversion); the forthcoming February battles between Caris ‘six points in two seconds’ LaVert and Tyrese Maxey; why Mitchell’s performance exposes all the flaws in Damian Lilliard’s game.

Bigalooza & Miscellaneous Bigs:

How Mobley won his matchup with Victor Wembayama; a quantative celebration of Jarrett Allen’s Statue of Liberty dunks; why the Second Post-Tristan Era for the Cavs was inaugurated on January 23, 2024 (how has the big man’s urinary SNAFU been a blessing in disguise for the Cavs rotation?); Damian Jones’s suprising offensive chops and defensive hops; how George Niang sometimes plays the 5; why Niang should be nicknamed ‘the Caboose’ (envision an assist to Max: ‘Strus and the Caboose are loose’ etc.); why Dean Wade Blocks Out Every Time; was Tristan’s dust-up with Claxton in Paris winning basketball or petulant narcissism?

Miscellaneous Cavs themes:
The Cavs’ since the Paris game; J.B. just barely missing coaching the East All-Star; how Koby Altman has changed the narrative on his DUI; Sabrina Winter’s struggle with “Carmina Burana”; why Austin Carr is still one of the best; why the fake violin playing on ‘City Nights’ has got to go; recalling the ‘SexLand’ backcourt; dumbest Cavs hot takes by people who watch four Cavs games a year.

Miscellaneous Themes around the League:
Dylan Windler on the bench with peak LeBron; the Grizzlies ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ lineup;  the inevitable insanity of the Doc Rivers’ hiring; why the former Cavs coaches vs. the Cavs (Mike Brown and Ty Lue) have made for some of the best games of the season;  why Isaiah Hartenstein gets offensive boards and learned to not Foul Every Time; wither P.J. Tucker; how Troy Weaver will still be employed three months from now; Koby White vs. Colin Sexton; why Alex Caruso is not worth two first-round pics; how Mamaki Diakite is performing for Coach Pop; Cedi’s changing role in San Antonio; will the Pistons win six more games this year?

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YOWZA! With that brain dump, let’s get to our Five on Five questions featuring five of your all time favorites, and newcomer Nate Klooster with his first contribution. Welcome, Nate!

1. How bout them Cavs?! Which win was your favorite and why? 

EvilGenius: How bout them indeed! I haven’t seen all of the games because of my less than convenient world location (most games are on between 4 and 5am here), but this Cavs team has me altering my sleeping habits to see as much as I can. They’ve been that much fun to watch. I’d have to say my favorite win was them besting arguably the best team in the West, the Clippers, last week. Not just because they followed an impressive win against the Bucks with another quality win against the trendy Western leaders in the clubhouse, but because they absolutely locked down PG13, Russ and the Golden Turd. Sure the rejuvenated Claw got 30, but it took him 25 shots to do it. This team fuels their offense with great defense (Ice didn’t have a single personal foul in 33 minutes, even guarding all four of the aforementioned Clips!). Total team effort and just my favorite of many the last two months.

Ben Werth: will cheat a little here. My answer: overtaking the Bucks in games and in the standings. The first Bucks win was abjectly the most fun. Yeah, Giannis didn’t play so it had an asterisk, but it was incredibly entertaining to witness the G-wagon going for a career high. The team moved the rock with so much joy. Sure, it’s easy to do when guys are scorching hot, but their unselfishness extended to the defensive end as well. Combine that with the second Bucks win after their lone loss on this stretch and you get my vote.

Simmo: The win over the Magic in late January. They had some impressive wins prior to this, but the ones I saw mostly relied on Spida dominating offensively. In this one, JB appeared to finally trust a larger portion of the squad and they repaid him in spades. Banchero is a beast when he gets a sniff (like the previous time these teams met), but THIS time the Cavs shut him and his buds down. This was yet another win without Mobley and Garland. People are starting to notice and one got the feeling this team might shake the tree this season. Sam Merrill scored 26 points! Spida scored well but didn’t have to take over to ensure a victory. The signs were good.

Nate Klooster: How about them Cavs! It is so much fun to see them play this well for an extended period. Love to see the bench develop into a strong supporting cast. Love to see Mitchell and Allen better than ever. My favorite win came against the Bucks. Seeing them compete with a tough team was great and leads to dreams about the future. I especially loved some one-on-one defense. Jarret Allen totally frustrated Brook Lopez, with Lopez throwing some bos and picking up an offensive foul. Allen did this to Embiid and Jokic earlier in the season: just annoying them with relentless effort play after play after play. Okoro frustrated and shut down Dame. Always in his grill, fighting through screens, only allowing contested shots. Dame had a horrible shooting night mostly thanks to Isaac’s defense. Fun, impressive win.

Adam Cathcart: The Cavs have been a source of abundance and positivity this year. Mitchell has scored at will (no surprise), highlighted his distribution chops, and sent a clear message to the league. Who needs a hourglass icon when you can double-thunder on Zach Collins? Max Strus provides velocity and force and the bigs have been consistently phenomenal.

It’s also notable that Cleveland is in sole command of the Central Division at the moment, with Milwaukee at last in the rear view mirror – although for how long is anyone’s guess. Lighting up the Bucks 135-95 was a highlight of the year.

Nate Smith: I mean there were some great wins: the Bucks with Giannis, the Kings Scorchfest, the Clippers Clampdown… The game that kept me up at night with possibilities: Evan Mobley goes 3-3 from deep against the San Antonio Spurs for 28/10/3 night on 15 shots. I tweeted, posted, texted, woke up my wife “Oh shit. Evan Mobley fixed the hitch in his jumper…” Do you all know what this means? The Cavs can beat anyone. I’m not saying they can beat everyone on the way to a Finals berth, but they can absolutely beat any team in the association in a seven game series if Evan Mobley can consistently hit threes. They now have a two year window where anything is possible.

2. Who on this team has impressed you the most? Any disappointments? (The Ben Werth/Caris question)

Ben Werth: Dean Wade will forever receive my flowers until people begin to really internalize his value. He is the Cavs most versatile and fundamentally sound wing defender. His abilities to body up centers like Brook Lopez while also bothering guards like Lillard are underrated assets to a defense. The fact he is in the Herb Jones percentile of big wing defenders is infuriatingly overlooked. He is a defensive stud. Okoro is my second choice, with a shout out to my dude, Craig Porter Jr.

Nate asked about my thoughts on LeVert. You all know I’m not a fan of his game. During this stretch, he has been as good as he has been in his career while still maintaining two giant warts that cloud an otherwise sunny day. LeVert just can’t quit his midrange hope shots, and it breaks my heart. Players don’t have to be perfect for me to be a fan, but there are certain things that are sure to trigger my angst. Tossing up slop instead of driving or shooting balanced catch and shoot threes, and the other damning feature of his game, ie, hopping on defensive.

LeVert is a hopper in general, on both sides of the ball, but his defensive hopping undermines a lot of the things he could potentially do well considering his size and will. His hopping is particularly problematic when he on ball in PnR coverage. You will see him hop to try to get over the screen, then pause and chase from behind without putting any rear pressure on the ball-handler. He just floats and is then completely out of the play. Does he try to get into a passing lane or box out from that point at least? Nope. He just stops, and it drives me mad. Compare that to my basketball crush of the day, Craig Porter and how Craig closes airspace super quickly and gets a ton of rear contests and/or blocks while being almost half a foot shorter than LeVert. So, yeah, Caris is playing better ball, but I still think Wade, Okoro, and Porter should all get bigger mintues than he does, regardless of how much his teammates seem to love him.

EvilGenius: Three way tie for me between Spida, JA and the Mormon Marksman himself, Sam Merrill (could have been four way before Canadian Dynamite’s PED use came to light). Donovan has transcended to an All NBA level version of himself by sublimating his hero scoring capabilities and channeling his inner playmaker. It’s been an incredible display of his awe-inspiring talents. Jarrett, in addition to being the most interesting Cav in the world personally (I read that the dude bought a 3D printer the summer he got his big contract so he could make Star Wars character masks), has morphed into a walking, talking Daily Double. And Yosemite Sam looks like Kyle Korver on steroids (sorry Tristan!). My only disappointment is the (probably) weak sauce argument that CPJ should be getting more burn… but that’s a very small nit to pick.

Nate Smith: I mean there are so many to choose from. I gotta go with Jarrett Allen though. The dude drives me nuts when he doesn’t play up to his ability. I don’t know if he shows up out of shape, doesn’t believe in himself, or what, but he is a slow starter every year and after every all star game. Right now, though? Jarrett is an absolute rock star on both ends of the court. JA is fifth in the association in True Shooting percentage, but he’s scoring more than anyone else in the top 10. Jarrett Allen is an efficient bucket as it gets in the association. He can finish over either shoulder with either hand with the hook, the dunk, or the layup. He can cook you in the post, or he can turn and face and drive. He can spot you up from the elbow. You foul him and he hits 75% of his freebies. The only thing missing is the three-ball. And trust me. Allen will get there. The Cavs ran their first play against the wizards for a left wing corner three. He’s also posting a career high in assists, and is an assassin in the high post. He’s the most fundamentally sound interior player in the association.

Disappointments? I mean just Niang. But he eats minutes. I’ll only really be disappointed if he plays in the playoffs.

Nate Klooster: Sam Merrill came out of nowhere and now is such a weapon for this team. Moving around the arc constantly. People think they have him covered and then Merrill quickly flicks his wrist and cans one.  >44% from three! He competes on defense. JB has to find more time for him. Divvying up minutes between Merrill and Okoro will be a major theme we should watch for the rest of the season. Maybe give Merrill a few minutes of Strus’s playing time?

Garland has been a disappointment to date. I was hoping for another leap from him this season. Too many turnovers and not accurate enough from three. I want to see 23 ppg (2 buckets more than his current average), at least 1 fewer turnover per game and 39% from three for the rest of the season. That is a tall ask, but he is capable of these numbers. The pace and space we’ve been playing with will help him. He is a good and really fun player to root for. I just hope he can step it up and hit his potential for the second half of the season.

Simmo: In December, I’d have said Max Strus. Right now I’d lean towards Sam Merrill, his progress is a great story and it’s hard not to be excited for him and what his success might mean for the team. In reality though I can’t go past Jarrett Allen. His form over the last two months to me is jaw-dropping. I can’t remember the last time he played badly or was dominated by his opposing player, which includes Giannis and Jokic. His short and midrange shots seem automatic now. He has lifted the floor of the Cavs in the most meaningful way.

At this point, airing disappointments in the players would seem to be looking a gift horse in the mouth. I instead nominate the “216 Stix” as the most disappointing aspect of the franchise. IYKNK.

Adam Cathcart: Besides Mitchell the MVP candidate, it’s Sam Merrill, not for his exceptional range, but for his scrappy edge on defense. Thus far he has looked like a superior player to his Eastern Conference counterparts T.J. McConnel or Payton Pritchard.

I was disappointed in Tristan Thompson. His dust-up with Claxton and ejection in Paris was a bit like his performance-enhancing drug decision: is that really winning basketball or just petulant narcissism? That said, the Cavs are better when he is bouncing around the gym.

3. What’s the current ceiling of this team given the way they’ve been playing and the rest of the Eastern Conference (or even the Western conference)?

Ben Werth: Eastern Conference Finals unless JB gives Wade big minutes and Mobley imagines every opponent is named Victor Wembanyama. The latter is the wildcard that we simply can’t know. Assuming Evan just plays well and doesn’t turn into prime KG like did against the Spurs, the Cavs are unlikely to be able to win that many tough series in a row to get to the Finals. I do think they could beat any team in the East in a series.

Nate Klooster: Eastern Conference finals run. Boston has so many wing and guard defenders and could shut down Cleveland’s offense. I would pick against the Celtics in the NBA finals, but it’s hard to see them losing to the Cavs in the ECF. Philly is hurt, but if Embiid is healthy in May and if the Sixers use some of their assets to improve today, they are probably better than the Cavs. If they don’t improve today and Embiid is done, the Cavs would be a clear favorite against them. The Bucks defense and bench are poor. Their offense hasn’t really taken off yet. Who would be a crappier playoff coach, Rivers or JB? Bucks offense could get going and be elite and if they improve their bench they could be a problem. We’re talking about ceiling here. Cavs ceiling is better than Sixers and Bucks and clearly higher than that of the Knicks/ Heat/ Pacers. Injuries will determine everyone’s floor.

Adam Cathcart: It feels odd to make the newest guys on the roster responsible for the lift, but if Niang and Strus can catch fire it might actually help win a playoff series. Winning a first round dogfight with Miami and taking the Celtics to seven games would be pretty fun.

Simmo: They’ve already shattered the ceiling that I thought was in place. Beating the Bucks and the Kings I felt was beyond their reach, given key Cavs player availability or their fitness upon return from injury. If the team stays healthy, they are seasoned enough now to be a real threat to any team in the comp. A full squad of more mature players will trouble them, but there aren’t many of those around at this moment.

EvilGenius: Allow me to answer with a slightly NSFW ditty from way back… “The roof! The roof! The roof is on FIRE! We don’t need no water, let the m*#$%&f*#$%! Burn! Burn m*#$%&f*#$%! Burn! In other words, the ceiling is higher than what Evan Mobley could graze with his fingertips while standing on Jarrett Allen’s shoulders (watch the Fro bro!). They also match up incredibly well with the two best teams in the EC or WC, the Celtics and Clippers. Let’s hang another banner fellas! (This is my unbridled optimism talking but what the heck… shooting my shot from the other side of the world).

Nate Smith: The Cavs window is now. There will never be a better time to chase glory. Allen’s contract runs through next season as does Mobley’s rookie deal. Merrill is on the hook for being massively underpaid for another year. I don’t care if Donovan Mitchell doesn’t extend this summer (he will) the Cavs have a two year window with this team before it gets too expensive to keep everyone. I’ll let Jake Taylor do the rest of the talking here.

4. What move(s) should the Cavs make at the trade deadline, in the buyout market, or should they just let it ride?

Nate Klooster: Let it ride. I guess we could use a backup center from the buyout market. TT is out for now and might lose several pounds of muscle without the juice, haha. We can stagger Allen and Mobley perfectly and rely on Wade and Niang to get backup big minutes. But a big burly center on Clevelands bench would improve today’s team and provide insurance going forward.

Nate Smith: The only trade the Cavs can do before the deadline that makes any sense would be moving Ty Jerome and Damian Jones for an upgrade somewhere else. Folks have tossed around those two guys and a couple of seconds for  Spida Mitchell’s best friend, Royce O’Neal. The problem with that deal is it puts the Cavs over the tax apron. Given the extended run this team can go on and the fact that they could just sign Royce this summer. Despite Eli’s love for athletic wings in the trade market, that wouldn’t be smart long term (to which Eli likely agrees). So buyout/free agent market, and converting Craig Porter Junior’s two way. I’d love to see Delon Wright on a buyout or the Cavs sign Bismack for Insurance. But otherwise, let it ride.

Adam Cathcart: If it’s good enough for Chicago, it’s good enough for me: let it ride. But along with Nate Smith, I was on “never trade Larry Nance, Jr.” island, tend to enjoy the team we have got and perhaps overrate the role of chemistry over the longer term GM architecture.

Simmo: Let. It. Ride.

Ben Werth: Unless it is a Donovan Mitchell/LeVert “trade at maximum value” deal, they should just stand pat and enjoy their depth. I don’t think there is anyone out there that could put them over the top as a legit title team as long as Mitchell and Garland are sharing the backcourt. Three teamer with the Lakers giving the Cavs LeBron, Reeves, and a good first rounder for Spida and LeVert could actually win the Cavs a championship, but would also lower the floor on this season.

EvilGenius: Let it ride, Sally! You don’t mess with vibes this immaculate. They already got the de facto best two “moves” in getting back two of their core four this past week. I’ve heard some noise about swapping Ice for someone like Alex Caruso, but that not only seems like pie in the sky, but also a negligible sidestep that’s not worth possibly disturbing said immaculate vibes. They’ll get TT back before the playoffs (even if he isn’t quite the specimen he was pre banishment) to back up the 5, and they already have the best back up 5 and back up 1 in the League… they just happen to be their starting 4 and 2.

5. Who most scares you in the East and West? Why? Is there a move that would make them scarier?

Nate Smith: Weirdly? Miami. Mainly because Spo can out-coach anyone. Mazzula and Doc don’t scare me, and Philly’s flopping BS isn’t going to work in the playoffs. Keep flopping yourself into injuries though, Joel. New York isn’t deep enough, and Thibs is going to run those guys into the ground. The Zinger’s injury will come. Miami will try to make some kind of move. I could even see them pulling off a LeBron deal. That would be scary.

EvilGenius: Only the Celtics in the East, though the Knicks might still own a psychological edge until the Cavs see them again in the post season. The Clips, Nuggets and Wolves are formidable in the West, but the Cavs have done remarkably well against that conference this season. Honestly, the only thing to truly be afraid of is the Cavs themselves if they get complacent, but I don’t expect that to happen with this group. Their shovel is sharp and their will is outstanding.

Nate Klooster: Boston’s playoff defensive potential scares me the most. Maybe Cleveland’s two bigs will give them problems. Maybe the wine and gold defense is good enough to give them major problems. But Boston’s defense is terrifying. Their big wings match the Cavs’ biggest weakness. I would be scared to face that defense when they have time to game plan and adjust over the course of a playoff series. If they improve their 7th and 8th guys in the rotation, look out.

Denver and LAC scare me most out West. I think Cleveland could hang tough with OKC. Minnesota would have problems with the Cavs’ D. Denver can dominate with their offense. Is their bench good enough to repeat? LAC are rolling right now. If they stay healthy, Kwahi and George are terrifying two-way wings.

Adam Cathcart: In the West, I am on the mercurial Timberwolves roller coaster, hoping they can swing a trip to Western Conference Finals. In that conference, it’s the small stuff that is worth tracking this year: I was intrigued by the Lamar Stevens to the Grizzlies move and wonder if Dylan Windler will ever have a Matt Ryan moment for the Lakers. In the East, of course it’s Boston, the team with hands down the weirdest coach in the league; would love to see J.B. match wits with him.

Simmo: East: Boston. An established, winning team that added Porzingis. He’s been inconsistent / flakey over his NBA career but has undeniable talent. If he continues to perform like he has been, they will be hard to beat.

West: Thunder. I haven’t seen anyone with an answer to Shai at this point. With a full squad, they are a lot to handle. (PS, the Clippers did scare me, until the Cavs beat them.)

Ben Werth: The Bucks aren’t scary at all unless Lillard gets hurt and they randomly come across some actual defensive. The Sixers aren’t either since I continue to be skeptical of Embiid in the playoffs even if healthy. The Celtics are terrifying assuming Porzingis is playing and Brown isn’t going left. They are complete, though Brogdon could help them again. He would also provide the Bucks some much needed defensive competence. The Knicks are a nightmare, though offensively too inconsistent to win a chip. I am taking a victory lap on Donte and Brunson as I never lost any hope on DiVincenzo’s ceiling and would have been happy to give Brunson the max if I were the Mavs. Still OG, is always hurt and Randle is one moment away at all times from going into a 1-30 slump.

6. Does this run of sustained success happen without the Garland/Mobley injuries? (and why)

Nate Klooster: Yes. Cleveland had a few wins against good teams, but they beat a lot of really bad teams when they were injured. It was a great stretch to develop bench depth, giving reps to everyone. Porter showing well reduced the need for a backup ball-handler. Scorching hot Sam the Man shows they already had a shooter off the bench. Okoro had locked everyone down and had room for a little more offense. These guys wouldn’t have had these generous opportunities to develop and to prove it without the injuries. Cleveland doen’t need to go out and make trades because their bench has proved sufficient. But the Cavs are clearly a better team with Garland and Mobley and would have likely won these games if “the core” had all played.

EvilGenius: I’d like to think so (I really believe they were starting to figure some things out prior to the injuries), but it’s a true testament to the non-injured and JB that they dug deep and embraced this style of play fully in Mobes and DG’s absence. It’s even more impressive how seamlessly both have begun to fit back into said style of play. There will undoubtedly be some remaining bumps and kinks to work out, but it really seems like they’ve found a way to truly unlock the potential they sought at the start of the year.

I don’t think JB liked the call 😂

(@330SportsShow)

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— McNeil (@Reflog_18) February 4, 2024

Nate Smith: I don’t believe in alternate universes. I believe in this one. And in this one, JB is coaching the best of his career since the Mobley and Garland injuries: everything is better. The Cavs have diversified their offense. They can run pick/and roll (their double high stack is particularly deadly). They can run run high post dribble handoff with Mobley and Allen at the hubs. They can run iso with Spida (yay!), Mobley (ok), Niang (I don’t understand how it works, but it does) and LeVert (only when absolutely necessary). They can run motion offense using Strus’, Mitchell’s, Sam’s, or Garland’s gravity to make pin downs and back doors work. They can play the pick and roll every way you need to play it. They can switch everything when Garland and Merrill are off the floor. But when it comes to managing rotations, challenges, late game situations and the locker room, JB has been on another level. Yes, I know I cheated at my own question, but I don’t care. When the Cavs finish with the best record in the association. JB will be coach of the year, and Koby will be GM of the year.

Ben Werth: No effing way. DM needed to remember to pass and playing the one helped him do that. JB’s refusal to trust Okoro and Wade also doesn’t happen unless his hand is forced. Strus has played hard, but he has shot poorly and isn’t a good enough defender to man the three in the “normal” starting lineup. He was able to play more 2 defensively when the guys were out and it helped save his defensive season. I like that JB is leaning on that awesome Wade Okoro lineup as the first subs in for Garland and Mobley. That lineup is fantastic and we don’t get it without the injuries.

Simmo: No, it doesn’t. JB has trust issues. The Cavs coach is well known for his penchant for using small rotations of trusted players. A reduced list forced his hand, and finally we got to see CPJ, Our Man Sam, etc with meaningfull floor time. The result? It may be that JB now finally trusts his whole squad….