Monthly Archives: January 2014

POTENTIAL CAVS FREE AGENT TARGETS IN THE SUMMER OF 2014

In looking at the Cavs free agency situation for the summer of 2014 I have compiled my list of the top free agents I think the Cavs should look at. As you can see, they just acquired one of those top free agents in a trade and now control his “Bird Rights” in Luol Deng. Here is a list of my Top 10 potential unrestricted free agents for the summer of 2014 that I would go after, along with three restricted free agents that I would target.

Luol Deng Cavs Uniform

 AP photo courtesy of George Frey

My rankings were based on ability, age (how old they’ll be for start of 2014 season), salary (what they’re making this year), fit and need for the Cavs. Danny Granger is the biggest reach on this list because of his recent injury history, but if he proves to be healthy again, he could be a bargain.  It’s unlikely players like Duncan, Wade and Nowitzki would leave the only team they’ve ever played for, but you never know. Also to me the only true max players on this list would be LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Gordon Hayward and Chandler Parsons.

 

Potential Unrestricted Free Agents – Some have an early termination offer, others a player option.

LeBron James –  SF/PF  – 29  –  $19.1million  –  26ppg-6.5rpg-6apg -59%fg-40%3fg-75%ft

Carmelo Anthony – SF  -30  -$21.5 million -26.6ppg-8.3rpg-2.9apg -45%fg-40%3fg-84%ft

Luol Deng –    SF –        29  –  $14.3 million  –  18.7ppg-6.6rpg-3.5apg-45%fg-27%3fg-82%ft

Rudy Gay –  SG/SF  – 28  –  $17.9 million  –  20.0ppg-6.6rpg-2.5apg-44%fg-33%3fg-80%ft

Chris Bosh –  F/C  –     30    – $19.1 million     –    15.4ppg-6.7rpg-1ap-52%fg-33%3fg-80%ft

Danny Granger –SF  –  31  –  $14.0 million  –   9.1ppg-3.6rpg-1.3apg-36%fg-30%3fg-95%ft

Zack Randolph –  PF  – 33  – $17.8 million –  17.2popg-10.5rpg-2.7apg-45%fg-0%3fg-75%ft

Dwyane Wade –  SG  –  32  –  $18.5 million  –  19.6ppg-4.9rpg-4.8apg-54%fg-4253fg-70%ft

Dirk Nowitzki –   PF  – 36  –  $22.7 million –  20.8ppg-5.9rpg-3.0apg-49%fg-40%3fg-89%ft

Tim Duncan –     C  –      38  –  $10.4 million  –  14.5ppg-9.8rpg-3.0apg-46%fg-0%3fg-77%ft

 

Restricted Free Agents

Gordon Hayward – SG  – 24 – $3.5 million  –  17.1ppg-5.4rpg-4.9apg-41%fg-32%3fg-83%ft

Chandler Parsons – SF  – 25 – $926 thous.  – 17.2ppg-5.4rpg-3.6apg-51%fg-37%3fg-72%ft

Evan Turner –   SF  –     25  –  $6.7 million  –  19.1ppg-6.3rpg-3.9apg-445fg-29%3fg-82%ft

(Parsons is a restricted free agent, but Houston has a team option on him)

UNSTABLE BROWNS NOT A PREMIUM DESTINATION

A friend and media source of mine said something to me this morning that sums up the Browns head coaching search in a nutshell. He said, “If you’re looking for stability for you and your family, then don’t take the Cleveland Browns head coaching job.” He’s so right.

Think about it. Rob Chudzinski got one year to prove what he could do as a first time ever NFL head coach. That’s not normal in the NFL. In that one year he dealt with a front office that traded his starting running back after two games, selected only five players in the draft because of trades for next year, still had roughly $20 million dollars under the cap to spend on free agents, the owner was, and still is being investigated by the FBI and the IRS and the team openly admitted that they were focusing on the 2014 season. How many first year coaches would perform well in that situation?

photo (47)

I’m not saying Chud was blameless. He made some bad in game decisions and other mistakes I’m sure, but how is he supposed to grasp what it takes to be a head coach if he doesn’t get the chance to learn from his mistakes. And you as a front office had to expect there would be some growing pains when you hired him and gushed about his potential, even though he had never been a head coach at any level before.

Jimmy Haslam came from an organization that’s had three head coaches since 1969. That stability is why the Pittsburgh Steelers are considered one of the model franchises in the NFL. The Browns, if someone takes the job, will have hired their seventh different head coach in the last sixteen years. It will be their third head coach in a little over a year. Couple that lack of stability, with a front office who’s “Q” rating isn’t very high in NFL circles (Mike Lombardi’s score is lower than Joe Banner’s) and you can see why over the last twelve months a lot of big name coaches talked to the Browns, but none of them took the job.

It’s looking again like the Browns will have to settle for their head coach. Settle for their third or fourth choice. Settle for a guy who is so eager to get a head coaching job he’ll even take the Browns gig. Or settle for a guy who’s looking to prove that his failure the first time around as an NFL head coach was not a true representation of what he is capable of doing or that he has learned from his mistakes. Either way once again, the Browns aren’t going to get the guy they really wanted no matter what they tell you later.

This all started in 1999 when their first choice Brian Billick told them no and went to Baltimore and won a Super Bowl. Last year they really wanted Chip Kelly and he too said no and went to Philadelphia and led them to the playoffs. Now solid candidates like Bill O’Brien and Lovie Smith have already taken other NFL  jobs.  Josh McDaniels, told the Browns no and according to Albert Breer from the NFL Network, the primary reason McDaniels returned to Foxboro was “Creating stability for his family. He has 4 young kids and he knows his job is secure there.” Vanderbilt’s James Franklin, a reported Browns candidate, looks like he’ll take the Penn State job over the one here in Cleveland. Smart move on all their parts.

Here’s hoping the guy that ends up taking the Browns head coaching job isn’t looking for stability, but instead he’s just looking for a chance to prove himself. If so, he better do it in a hurry, because based on past history here in Cleveland you don’t get much time to show what you can do.

ME, MYSELF AND I – LUOL DENG TRADE

With plenty of free time on my hands, I’ve been talking talking to myself more and more. Here’s the conversation I had with me, myself and I today about the Cavs acquiring Luol Deng from the Bulls for Andrew Bynum.  (Thanks Terry Pluto for the idea, I just tweaked it a little bit)

Me: So Cavs G.M. Chris Grant turned Andrew Bynum into Luol Deng, that’s a pretty sweet deal for the Cavs. Nice trade C.G.!

Myself: Yes indeed, you dump a bum with bad knees for a 2-time all-star, in the prime of his career, at your biggest position of need, and better your chances of making the playoffs this year. I’d say that’s a steal!

I: Big deal, the Eastern Conference sucks other than Miami and Indiana. Making the playoffs in the East is like being the slimmest fat kid at fat camp or Earl Clark saying I’m the leading scorer amongst Cavs small forwards, it doesn’t mean diddly squat!

Me: You’re wrong, it means a lot. You can’t teach playoff experience, you have to go through it and hopefully with Deng here, guys like Kyrie, Tristan and Dion will experience that.

Luol Deng

Myself: Plus if the Cavs make it to the playoffs and actually win a round that will send a message to the 2014 free agent class that they’re on the right track and it may result into a certain free agent wanting to return home if he sees progress in Cleveland.

I: Yeah, and if my aunt had balls, she’d be, well you know the rest. She doesn’t, and he’s not coming back because of Luol Deng or winning a first round playoff series in the putrid the East.

Me: Well if LeBron doesn’t come back, then the Cavs can just resign Deng and go after another free agent in the off season.

Myself: Plus even though they won’t be in the lottery, they’ll still have multiple draft picks to add talent.

I: But you won’t get one of the studs that will be available in this year’s draft. This is the year you WANT to be in the lottery. You WANT to have the 1st, 2nd or 3rd overall pick with such a deep draft class. Even Grant couldn’t mess up that pick. If they make the playoffs and get bounced in the first round, they’ll have screwed that up too! Right now they’re in good position for the lottery. APPBITH for one more year.

Me: You have to start winning sometime or else Kyrie is going to take his talents somewhere else.

Myself: This Deng trade shows Kyrie and all the other players how serious they are about winning, which will give the players a mental boost for the rest of the year, and who knows maybe they add another player before the February trading deadline for another shot in the arm.

I: That so called good feeling will last a week or two if they aren’t winning or if Luol and Kyrie both ignore Dion and don’t pass him the ball.

Me: I’m just happy that Chris Grant has followed through and traded in some of those chips he had on the table for a solid defensive small forward who can score. He’s a legitimate starter at that position.

Myself: Me too. This is the best player the Cavs have added outside of the draft since Lebron left and he’s an all-star the last 2 years.

I: That same all-star has an achillies injury, and it’s forced him to miss 9 games already this year. What’s to say it won’t flair up again?

Me: Yeah but if it doesn’t, we’re looking at 19 points and 7 rebounds a game and he’s an all-league defender.

Myself: Plus he’ll be a great veteran leader in a young clubhouse and a leader on the floor for Mike Brown.

I: The only reason he’s playing so hard is because it’s his contract year and he wants to get paid and he’ll take the best offer at the end of the year and more than likely someone else will offer more than the Cavs, so you basically got a 4 month rent-a-player.

Me: Yeah but if helps us make the playoffs, it will have been worth it.

Myself: Yeah, just win dammit!

I: You won’t be thinking that come draft lottery time when you could have had a shot at Jabari Parker or Julius Randle or Andrew Wiggins.

Me: I’m willing to take that chance if it means winning now.

Myself: Me too.

I: Not me.

IF I WERE IN CHARGE OF…….

If I were in charge of the Cleveland Browns I would inquire with every  former NFL coach who’s won a Super Bowl, every hot NFL coordinator and every top college coach and ask what would it take for them to come and coach the Cleveland Browns. Money is obviously no object, as Jimmy Haslam is paying Rob Chudzinski over $10 million dollars not to coach.

Jimmy Haslam Photo

(courtesy of sportsillustrated.cnn.com)

So yes I would reach out to Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, Brian Billick and Tony Dungy just to hear them tell me they’re not interested.

I would then call all the so-called hot coordinators like Dan Quinn the defensive coordinator of the Seahawks(he’s already interviewed with the Browns), Josh McDaniels the offensive coordinator of the Patriots(the Browns have already talked to him as well), Ken Wisenhunt the offensive coordinator of the Chargers and Adam Gase the Broncos offensive coordinator.

After I talked with all of them, I would then get in touch with the top college guys like Bob Stoops at Oklahoma, Jim Tressel, Gus Malzahn from Auburn, James Franklin from Vanderbilt, Nick Saban at Alabama, Urban Meyer at Ohio State and whoever else is considered a top coach. I would leave no stone unturned if I were Haslam, Banner and Lombardi, you can’t afford to. Your franchise is a joke right now. You admittedly screwed up last year by hiring Chud, so you better go out and find the savior to coach this team and turn it around in a hurry.

Then I would find the top three guys who have an interest in the job and see what it would take for them to quit their current job and come to Cleveland. Whoever showed the most interest and had the best resume of the bunch, I would offer him the job and get him on the next plane to Cleveland to start helping turn this franchise around.

This is the most important off season in Browns history as you’re trying to find the right coach; you have 10 high draft picks and a boatload of money to spend in free agency to better your talent. You better get all three phases right or the Browns will continue to be at the bottom of the AFC North, fan apathy will start to set in and you will continue to be the punch line for all NFL football jokes and yes Jimmy Haslam, whether you want to believe it or not, just “THE SAME OLD BROWNS”!

INSTANT ANALYSIS – ORANGE BOWL – 1-3-14 – CLEMSON 40 OHIO STATE 35

Instant Analysis – Orange Bowl – 1-3-14  –  Clemson 40  Ohio State 35

DWYANE WADE 1 ON 1 INTERVIEW WITH KENNY RODA 11-27-13

Dwyane Wade 1 on 1 Interview with Kenny Roda 11-27-13

LEBRON JAMES INTERVIEW WITH KENNY RODA 11-27-13

LeBron James Interview with Kenny Roda 11-27-13

TIGER WOODS 1 ON 1 WITH KENNY RODA 8-23-2000

Exclusive Award Winning 1 on 1 Interview with Tiger Woods 8-23-2000

Kenny Roda Hosting on 92.3 The Fan – Cleveland, Ohio

Kenny Roda Guest Hosting on 92.3 The Fan – Clevelan, Ohio

RODA REPORT 1-2-14

Either Urban Meyer/Ohio State and David Shaw/Stanford didn’t respect Michigan State’s defense, both are too stubborn for their own good, or they just had a major brain cramp by calling the plays they called in late game situations against the Spartans defense in the Big Ten title game and the Rose Bowl.  Why play to the strength of Michigan State’s defense in those short yardage situations? Stupid coaching decision by two of the very best coaches in college football!

Speaking of stupid, you could argue the Browns front office is just that after firing head coach Rob Chudzinski after only one year on the job. From everything that was said all season long and even before that, in last year’s off season, the team was supposedly building for 2014 and trying to establish continuity and stability. Instead Chud gets canned after one season and Jimmy Haslam, Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi are back to drawing board of yet another coaching search.  In order to fire Chud, this next coach they hire better be the second coming of Bill Belichick and what scares me is that the guy they reportedly have the most interest in, Josh McDaniels, they feel is the second coming of Belichick. Only time will tell if getting rid of Chud was a good move or if indeed the “Three Stooges” are running the Browns!

I have a bad feeling that after winning 24 games in a row, Ohio State is on the verge of losing its second game in a row in the Orange Bowl versus Clemson. The Buckeyes defense, which gave up a combined 75 points and over 1,000 yards in its last two games to Michigan and Michigan State, will be without two of their best defenders against the Tigers in cornerback Bradly Roby and defensive end Noah Spence.  How is that defense supposed to stop Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins if they couldn’t shut down the less explosive Wolverines and Spartans with a healthier defense? Add to that Braxton Miller has been very pedestrian in throwing the football in his last four games and this has the makings of another BCS Bowl disappointment for OSU. I expect it to be a shoot-out and the team that has the ball last will probably win the game, so let’s hope it’s the Buckeyes have the pigskin last.

If Johnny Manziel and Blake Bortles join Teddy Bridgewater in this year’s NFL draft, it’ll be interesting to see who is ranked highest on the QB list by the media and more importantly by NFL teams.  I don’t see a slam dunk in any of those three like I did with Andrew Luck. Will Manziel’s backyard, crazy legs style fly in the NFL? While Bortles has the size, does he have the experience and the smarts? Bridgewater looks to be the most complete of the three, but the lack of competition he played against in college; does that move him down in the rankings? I want to see these guys at the combine, hear about their interviews and see them with Jon Gruden at his quarterback school before I give my final rankings, but for now I have it 1) Bridgewater 2) Bortles and 3) Manziel.

Here’s the dilemma the Cavs have right now after a (10-21) start. If they make a trade for a player like Pau Gasol will that really impact their chances of making the playoffs in the weak Eastern Conference this year and how much will that benefit them in the long run? On the flip side, if this season is headed in the wrong direction and it’s going to take another year for this team to be a legit playoff team, would it benefit them more if they ended up in the lottery one more time for what is considered to be one of the deepest NBA Drafts in recent history?   That’s the decision owner Dan Gilbert and G.M. Chris Grant have to make. The team has been healthy all season and with the off season moves of Bynum and jack they are still a lottery team as of today. Would adding Pau Gasol via a trade with the Lakers really make that much of a difference and gain them valuable playoff experience or would they be better suited to take their chances back in the lottery and maybe land so-called future stars like Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins, Julius Randle or others?