How Good Are the Cavaliers Now? And Other Questions
By BENJAMIN HOFFMAN
JULY 11, 2014
LeBron James’s decision to return to Cleveland makes the Cavaliers an instant contender and a favorite to win the N.B.A. title, according to many oddsmakers. It also raised many questions, which may not be answered any time soon.
1. How good are the Cavaliers now?
James, the No. 1 draft pick in 2003, will join three of the last four No. 1 overall picks. Getting excited about him pairing with Anthony Bennett, the disappointing top pick of 2013, might cause a snicker or two, but a supporting cast of Kyrie Irving and Andrew Wiggins is a long-term upgrade over a Miami Heat team still relying on a broken-down Dwyane Wade.
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Irving is the first elite point guard James has played with. Just 22 years old, he was the 2011-12 rookie of the year, is a two-time All-Star and has averaged more than 20 points a game in two seasons. His durability is a concern, though, going back to his abbreviated college career at Duke. But he has produced a player efficiency rating of 20 or higher in each of his first three seasons. Once asked to make fans forget James, he can now focus on playing alongside the team’s prodigal son.
Wiggins, the top pick this year, is still a project, but he is expected to be N.B.A.-ready on defense. The good news is that James is the N.B.A. equivalent of a rising tide that lifts all ships. Just ask anyone familiar with the phrase “Mo Williams, former All-Star.” With James’s tutelage, it is easy to believe Wiggins can develop into a new version of Scottie Pippen if the team retains him. It is worth noting that James’s essay in Sports Illustrated did not mention Wiggins.
The rest of the roster is less flashy, but in the current N.B.A. climate, a core of three or four stars is generally all a team can afford in the long term. All of the other pieces become expendable. In his essay, James mentioned his excitement in reteaming with Anderson Varejao, the team’s tough Brazilian center, describing him as “one of my favorite teammates.” It had been expected that Varejao would be on his way out through a trade, but he is under contract for 2014-15, and if James wants him around it is hard to imagine Cleveland trading him.
2. How much better can the team get?
A persistent rumor has had the Cavaliers trading for Kevin Love, the sweet-shooting power forward of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Reuniting James and Love, teammates on the United States national basketball team, would give Cleveland a third All-Star, but it would likely come at the expense of Wiggins. Such a trade would certainly make the team better next season, but with Love’s pending free agency and Wiggins’s potential to develop into a star, it would seem costly, long term, if its hope is only to win a few more games next season. Since James is leaving a team of veterans, and presumably intends to play out his career in Cleveland, surrounding himself with young players who can grow into taking over the team would seem more prudent. But the allure of Love will be hard to resist.
One or two of James’s friends will also likely bolster the roster. The team has some cap room, after a three-way trade with the Boston Celtics and the Nets, which was a salary dump for Cleveland. Mike Miller and Ray Allen, talented shooters, have been mentioned as possibilities.
3. Should the San Antonio Spurs be worried?
In Miami, James combined with two of the league’s elite veterans in Wade and Chris Bosh. Even with that, it took until Year 2 for Miami to win a title. The younger Cavaliers — Wiggins is 19 — should not be expected to win it all right away. The math changes some if they get Love.
On the other hand, the Spurs may worry more about the Houston Rockets should Bosh sign there. The Rockets are a force in the Western Conference, with Dwight Howard clogging up the middle and James Harden leading the team’s outside shooting attack. Bosh would give them a stretch-four that immediately upgrades the team’s defense and offense. A core of Howard, Bosh, Harden and Chandler Parsons (should the team match his offer sheet with Dallas) would be built to win now and could give the Spurs a run for their money in the West.
4. What becomes of the Heat?
While Wade opted out of the remainder of his contract with Miami, it is hard not to see him coming back as the face of the franchise. He is no longer the player he once was, and he will need far more rest if he is going to last through an entire season, but he is still extremely talented. Teaming him with Shabazz Napier, the Connecticut point guard the team traded for at this year’s draft, along with Danny Granger and Josh McRoberts, a pair of free-agent signings, does not create a title contender, but it could be a roster that makes the playoffs if everyone stays healthy. With Wade and Granger, that is a big if.
5. What is the legacy of the Big 3?
Controversial from the start, the Big 3 were an unadulterated success. James, Bosh and Wade went to the N.B.A. finals in all four seasons together, winning twice, and reeled off a 27-game win streak in 2013 in which they played some of the best basketball in recent memory. The team was never just three players, with Shane Battier, Allen and even the eccentric Chris Andersen filling vital roles, but the superteam created by the Big 3 was something great while it lasted, even if the average fan always seemed to be rooting against the Heat. |
