Tag Archives: Anderson Varejao

THE CAVS STARTING FIVE RIGHT NOW

Posted: Jul 3, 2014 by . Filed under Blog Posts, Feature Articles | 69 Comments

There is plenty of time in this off season for this to change and hopefully G.M. David Griffin will make it happen, because in order to be a playoff team, moves need to be made to the Cavs roster. And we’re talking significant ones! A lot of teams in the Eastern Conference are already better than the Cavaliers and others are making moves to surpass them as we speak. But for right now, in my opinion, here’s what David Blatt’s starting line up would look like if no major moves were made to enhance the roster.

POINT GUARD – KYRIE IRVING

Kyrie Irving In Game Photo - Wide Shot

While his scoring average (20.8ppg) and shooting percentage (43%) went down last year, he did set a career high in assists with 6.1 per game and made the all-star game for the second straight year and won the MVP.  So not a bad year for “Uncle Drew”.  However his offensive production and efficiency did decline and some people feel it was because of Mike Brown’s system. I don’t buy it. I think Kyrie just missed open shots and continued to dribble the air out of the ball at times allowing the defense to get set and be in better position to guard him. Move the ball more via the pass and not the dribble, and make your open shots and the offensive numbers and efficiency should increase. Also if he wants to go from all-star status to being mentioned as a superstar in this league, he needs to get better on the defensive end of the ball. Max contract or not, that is still the major weakness in his game and it needs to be addressed by the new coaching staff, and more importantly, by Kyrie himself.

SHOOTING GUARD – DION WAITERS

Dion Waiters Interview Photo

For now it’s Waiters by default. I like Dion off the bench best because I don’t think he’s a true 2-guard. To me he’s closer to a point guard or as I like to call him, a “ball guard”. He needs the ball in his hands to be effective. He doesn’t come off screens well, nor does he move well without the ball. Also, we haven’t seen any compelling evidence that he and Kyrie play well together when they’re on the floor at the same time. Could that change? Sure, but that’s on Dion realizing when he and Kyrie are out there together, he’s got to learn to play without the ball. Another area of his game that has to improve is on defense.  He needs to understand defense better in the NBA so when he is on the floor he’s not a major liability to the Cavs on “D”. It’s great if he scores 20 points, but he has to realize it’s not great if he lets his guy score 23. Plus G.M. David Griffin got my attention on draft night when he said this about number one pick Andrew Wiggins, “If Andrew finds greatness in this league, it’s going to be as a very big 2-guard.” That tells me the Cavs are hoping to find a small forward, preferably a 6’8 – 260 pound 4-time MVP to play the 3, so they can slide Wiggins to the 2 and use Dion off the bench, or maybe even involve him in a trade. But because there’s nobody else on the roster right now with enough experience to play the 2, Dion Waiters is your starting shooting guard.

SMALL FORWARD – ANDREW WIGGINS

Andrew Wiggins Jersey Photo 6-27-14

 

 

 

I have always looked at Wiggins as a 3. His size, length and athleticism, to go along with his inconsistent jump shot from long range at this time make him a small forward in my eyes. Obviously the Cavs front office feels he will eventually improve that jumper to where he can start at the 2. But for right now, until they sign a free agent or trade for someone, Wiggins is your starting small forward. You don’t draft a player with his talents on both offense and defense first overall and sit him. He may the lack the physical maturity right now to guard some of the more powerful small forwards in this league, but based on your roster as it’s constructed today, he’s the best option you have at the 3. Again that could change if the Cavs make a significant move in free agency or via a trade.

POWER FORWARD – TRISTAN THOMPSON

Normally when you draft a player number one overall like the Cavs did last year with Anthony Bennett you expect him to start if not in his rookie year, at least in year number two. I can’t see that happening at this point with Bennett. He  had one of the worst rookie campaigns ever for a first overall pick (4.2ppg and 3rpg). He couldn’t shoot (35%fg), play defense or rebound consistently. While Tristan Thompson in my opinion is more suited to be a back-up 4 in the NBA, on this team right now, he’s your starting power forward. He did average 11.7ppg and 9.2rpg last year, so he doesn’t hurt you a ton at that position, but again I expected more from a player when you selected him fourth overall in a draft as the Cavs did with Thompson  in 2011.

CENTER – ANDERSON VAREJAO

Anderson Varejao photo

Varejao is one of the hardest workers not only on the team, but in the entire NBA. Andy gives you everything he has, night in and night out and unfortunately that comes back to haunt him because it’s led to so many injuries throughout his career.  Two years ago he was a 14 point/14 rebound a night guy, but he only played 25 games. Last year his game total went up to 65, but his numbers declined to just 8.4ppg and 9.7rpg. Again, he’s another guy on this team who would be better suited coming off the bench, but because you don’t have anyone else on the roster who is a starting caliber center, Varejao gets the nod. Like small forward, this is an area that David Griffin and the Cavs could address this off season in free agency or via a trade.

NBA FREE AGENCY AND THE CLEVLAND CAVS DEPTH CHART

Posted: Jun 30, 2014 by . Filed under Blog Posts, Feature Articles | 33 Comments

NBA Free Agency begins tonight July 1st at midnight eastern time. The Cavaliers have plenty of cap space to go after a big name free agent like LeBron James, or if G.M. David Griffin feels there’s no chance of bringing James back to Cleveland, he can direct his attention and dollars elsewhere on maybe one or two other free agents.

With that in mind here is a look at the Cavs current depth chart that new head coach David Blatt and associate head coach Tyronn Lue have to work with.

 CLEVELAND CAVALIERS DEPTH CHART

PG – Kyrie Irving (4th year)                Jarret Jack (10th year)            Matthew Dellavedova (2nd year)

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SG – Dion Waiters (3rd year)             Sergey Karasev (2nd year)       Joe Harris (rookie)

 

Andrew Wiggins Jersey Photo 6-27-14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SF – Andrew Wiggins (rookie)          Carrick Felix (2nd year)            Scottie Hopson (2nd year)

 

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PF – Tristan Thompson (4th year)    Anthony Bennett (2nd year)

 

Anderson Varejao photo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C – Anderson Varjao (11th year)       Tyler Zeller (3rd year)       Dwight Powell (rookie)                        Brendan Haywood(13th year)

WHAT THE CAVALIERS NEED MOST

Posted: Jun 15, 2014 by . Filed under Blog Posts, Feature Articles | 31 Comments

The Cavs biggest needs this off season via the draft, free agency or trades are very simple, they need a center and they need multiple wing players.

When you look at their roster they’re overloaded at point guard with Kyrie Irving, Jarrett Jack and Matthew Dellavedova.

While their shooting guards really aren’t shooting guards, they feel they have a young pair in Waiters and Sergey Karasev.  Waiters to me is a point guard, or at least what I call a “Ball Guard”. He needs the ball in his hands in order to be effective and that really doesn’t mesh well when he and Kyrie Irving are on the floor together. The Cavs may be willing to try one more season to see if Irving and Waiters can create chemistry on the floor together, but then again remember; David Griffin didn’t draft either one of them so he may be willing to pull the trigger on a trade of one or the other.  But for now let’s say Waiters stays.

Tristan Thompson and Anthony Bennett are their power forwards, while neither one of those guys excite meet, at least they have what is considered a starter on this team, in Thompson. So again that takes us back to small forward and center positions.

Anderson Varejao could be the team’s starting center if need be, but there’s the possibility they could trade him this off season. But if they do keep him, he’s really not a true center, he’s more of a power forward.  Tyler Zeller is a nice back-up center, but nothing more and Spencer Hawes is a free agent and he’s not your typical center either.  Hawes is a stretch 5, who prefers to play away from the basket and gives you no defensive presence around the rim at all, as well as no toughness.  So depending on what he’s asking for, the Cavs may not resign him.

After watching Luo Deng struggle to stay healthy all season and with all the NBA miles he’s put on his body, I have no desire to bring him back as the starting small forward, especially for what he’s going to be commanding in free agency dollars. Alonzo Gee is nothing more than the 8th, 9th or 10th player on this team.

So as David Griffin and Dan Gilbert prepare for the June 26th NBA Draft, they must decide where they are going to get their center and small forwards(plural) from. That’s what makes this draft so interesting and important. “G and G” have a chance to fill one of those major needs with the first overall pick and possibly another with the 33rd overall pick. If not there, then in free agency or with a major trade.

Joel Embiid would plug the hole at center and be an immediate upgrade defensively, athletically and physically. He’s a little raw on offense, but that’s because he’s only played basketball for about four years and considering his lack of experience, he has shown great improvement in his offensive game. However with Embiid it all comes down to the health of his back. If he cleared all the Cavs medical tests then I believe they should, and will take him number #1 overall. If his back did not pass the medical exams, then it comes down to Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins in the draft.

Parker is the more ready to play right now of the two both physically and mentally. His offensive game is more well-rounded and his outside shot is better at this point than Wiggins. However Wiggins in my opinion, has a higher ceiling and athletically and defensively he blows Parker out of the water. On top of that, Wiggins will still score the basketball from the wing position, just maybe not as consistently as Parker.

But luckily for the Cavs their biggest needs in the draft coincide with the best players in this draft. Meaning they really can’t wrong with whomever they pick. I would have gladly taken anyone of these three before the draft lottery, so they truly are in a win-win-win situation.  Now will one of the top three picks separate himself from the others eventually, probably, but you’re still going to get what many believe is an all-star caliber player no matter who you take.

My order of preference is Embiid first, but only if 100% healthy. Wiggins second because of defense and more upside and Parker third because unlike the other two, he’s more of just an offensive player.

Is it out of the realm of possibility that the Cavs maybe use the number #1 pick and a player to make a trade for an already established all-star caliber player? No it’s not, but I believe it’s unlikely considering the talent and potential that each of the top three picks possess.

So once the Cavs do make their selection with that first overall pick, that should tell us what direction they’re headed in as far as free agency and that’s when things could get even more interesting than the draft, depending on what you know who does in Miami.

PODCAST – ON THE CAVS NOT MAKING THE PLAYOFFS AGAIN

Posted: Apr 10, 2014 by . Filed under Audio, Podcasts | 32 Comments

Hear what Kyrie Irving, Anderson Varejao and Mike Brown told me about not making the playoffs   

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ANDERSON VAREJAO ON NOT MAKING THE PLAYOFFS

Posted: Apr 9, 2014 by . Filed under Audio, Current Interviews | 33 Comments

Andy Varejao on failing to make the playoffs

DECISIONS, DECISIONS, DECISIONS FOR DAN GILBERT

Posted: Apr 8, 2014 by . Filed under Blog Posts, Feature Articles | 37 Comments

It seems like we say this every year but I really believe this time it’s true. This upcoming off season for the Cavs will be the most important in team history. Owner Dan Gilbert needs to decide which direction he’s going to take the team.

Dan Gilbert Photo@CavsDan has many important decisions to make. Does he make David Griffin his fulltime General Manager or does he go out and bring in new blood? Will he hire a President of Basketball Operations type? If he does, there are rumors circulating that the names atop that list are former “Bad Boys” Joe Dumars, who reportedly will resign his position with the Pistons soon, or Isaiah Thomas. If either one is hired, it’s possible Gilbert could keep David Griffin as G.M. and have him answer to Dumars or Thomas.

Whenever this brain trust is finally put together their first decision will be to decide should they keep Mike Brown on as the team’s head coach? If not, who do you replace him with?

After that decision is made, next on the check list is do you offer Kyrie Irving the maximum 5-year contract? Do you believe in his brittle body, but made skills enough to make him the focal point of your team moving forward? If you do offer “Uncle Drew” the max and he turns it down and wants a shorter contract, then do you avoid getting burned again like you did with a former local high school star turned NBA MVP and try and trade him if he’s sending you messages he could leave ?  If Irving does accept the max contract then you have to figure out if he and Dion Waiters can co-exist on the same team. If you think they can, you don’t do anything. If you think they can’t, then you have to begin the process of trying to trade Waiters and get equal value in return.

After that determination is made, next up on the to do list is which of your own free agents or contract option players do you keep or trade to free up cap space. The important names on that list are free agents Luol Deng, Spencer Hawes and C.J. Miles and team option players Anderson Varejao, Alonzo Gee and Scottie Hopson.

What you do there, then leads into maybe your biggest decision of all and that is do you go after LeBron James in free agency if he opts out of his contract with the Miami Heat. If he doesn’t opt out, or you decide not to target him, then what is “Plan B” and who will you target with all of your cap space in free agency?  Do you go after Carmelo Anthony? Is Gordon Hayward your small forward of the future? Do you go after a veteran like Pau Gasol or Rudy Gay or Danny Granger?

LeBron and Kyrie shake hands at Z jersey Ceremony 3-8-14

You could also go another route and try and make a blockbuster trade to bring in an impact player like Kevin Love, but would you have to give up to get him?

And on top of all of that, unless a miracle happens, you once again will be picking in the lottery. As of now you would have the ninth most ping pong balls in the hopper. You better hope that Nick Gilbert’s bow-tie has a lot of luck left in it to get a top 3 pick if you want to land a projected franchise type player. If not, then your new front office will have to do a better job than they did last year in selecting the right player in the draft to help your struggling franchise. Even if it’s not a top three pick, you can’t afford to swing and miss like you did with Anthony Bennett.

So I think it’s safe to say that this “IS” the most important off season in Cavaliers franchise history and it falls squarely on the shoulders of owner Dan Gilbert to make all the right decisions to turn it around.

KENNY RODA 1 ON 1 WITH CAVS G.M. DAVID GRIFFIN 2-20-14

Posted: Feb 21, 2014 by . Filed under Feature Articles, Video Vault | 31 Comments

Watch my interview from “All Bets Are Off” on SportsTime Ohio with Cavs G.M. David Griffin, as we talk Spencer Hawes and the NBA Trading Deadline.

http://ow.ly/tRmvP

Cavs GM David Griffin

NBA TRADE RUMORS AND RODA RUMBLINGS

Posted: Feb 17, 2014 by . Filed under Feature Articles | 36 Comments

If I had to rank the Cavs players most likely to be traded before Thursday’s deadline, this is the order I would go with – number #1 being the player they’d like to get rid of the most- 1) Luol Deng, 2) Jarrett Jack, 3) Anderson Varejao,  4) C.J. Miles, 5) Dion Waiters. The only way I think they trade Dion now is in a blockbuster deal for a player of equal or better talent.

The two positions of need in my opinion for the Cavs as they head towards the trade deadline are a shooting guard who can score from long range and a legit starting center.

The chances of Luol Deng staying in Cleveland beyond this season are very slim unless the Cavs offer him a ridiculous contract and I can’t see that happening with David Griffin or whoever their G.M. might be. So with that in mind in the remaining days left until the NBA’s trading deadline (Feb.20th), Griff has to explore every team and every offer that could come their way. You don’t want to just give Deng away for nothing, but it would be nice to get something in return for him since you’re probably going to lose him. The other option is to keep Deng in hopes of making the playoffs and then just let him go as a free agent which gives you cap space this summer.

Playoff teams that could really use Luol Deng but may not have enough to give in return, or are unwilling to give up what the Cavs may be asking for are the Clippers, Thunder, Trail Blazers, Hawks,  Mavricks and Nuggets.

If I’m Cavs G.M. David Griffin I’m calling the Houston Rockets to see what they’re looking for in a deal for center Omer Asik.  He’s been hurt this season with a right knee/thigh injury and when healthy has played only about 15 minutes per game as Dwight Howard’s back-up, but last season as a starter for the Rockets the  7’0-255pd-27 year old center averaged 10.1ppg &  11.7rpg while shooting 54% from the field.  Then in 6 playoff games in 2012-13 he averaged 12.3ppg & 11.2rpg & shot 56% from the field. His big weakness is he is a horrible free throw shooter, with a career percentage of just 53%. According to Hoopshype.com Asik has 1 more year left on his contract at $14.9 million. His salary for this year is listed at $5.2 million. While playing sparingly this season in Houston, he’s only averaging 4ppg-6.5rpg and shooting a career low 46% from the field, but a career high 63% from the free throw line.

Also if I’m Griff, I’m talking with the Warriors about Harrison Barnes, but in order to possibly get Barnes, Golden State will insist you take David Lee and his remaining contract. The Warriors reportedly are looking for a shooting guard and a big.  Jarrett Jack and Anderson Varejao would fit their needs and salary wise it would work out in a deal. Plus Jack was a big part of their post-season success last year, so he knows the system. The downside for the Cavs is you really don’t have a legit starting center and you’re stuck with Lee’s contract of $30.5 million dollars over the next two seasons, but you get your young small forward you’ve been looking for in Barnes and control his rights for a number of years.

The teams that are rumored to be most willing to make trades are the 76ers, Bucks, Bobcats, Nuggets, Pelicans, Rockets, Kings and maybe the Warriors and Wizards. Ersan Ilyasova reportedly wants out of Milwaukee. Andre Miller doesn’t want to play for Brian Shaw again in Denver. Philly wants to get something in return for Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes instead of just losing them to free agency. Washington could be looking to dump salary and need a back-up point guard. New Orleans would love to dump Eric Gordon’s contract on someone. Same with Golden State and David Lee.

If the Cavs only want to make a minor move before Thursday, I’ve always liked Wizards shooting guard Martell Webster. He’s never reached his full potential, but if Washington is looking to dump some salary (he’s signed for 2 more years for $11 million, plus a team option) I’d inquire about him if I’m the Cavs. He would give Mike Brown another 3-point threat (40% this year and 42% last year).

Other players that could be, and I stress could be available in trades according to various reporst- Trevor Ariza, Taj Gibson, Danny Granger, Kenneth Faried, Arron Afflalo, Jeff Green, Javale McGee, Nicholas Batum, Greg Monroe, Kyle Lowery and Perry Jones.

Bennett’s Struggles Continue For Cavs

Posted: Nov 21, 2013 by . Filed under Feature Articles | 29 Comments

As I finished up my one-on-one interview with Anderson Varejao and the “Wild Thing” was heading out the door after last night’s 98-91 loss to the Wizards I looked around the locker room and noticed that I was the last reporter left and there was only one player left as well, Anthony Bennett. 

The number one overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft was still sitting at his locker, no shirt on, just shorts, staring at the wall. He looked dejected, confused and bewildered because of another night of ineffectiveness and very little playing time. The hometown fans had just booed him earlier in the night after he shot another air ball from long range. I’ve covered the NBA for over 20 years now, and yes they get paid a lot of money to play a game and it’s hard to feel sorry for them because of that, but as I made my way out of the locker room, that’s exactly how I felt for Bennett.

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I disagreed and was shocked when the Cavaliers selected Bennett with the first pick. I would have taken Ben McLemore or Otto Porter Jr. or Alex Len over Bennett and I have voiced my displeasure about it numerous times. So far it looks like a horrible selection by Cavs G.M. Chris Grant. Bennett is so bad through the first 12 games of this season, that undrafted players like Henry Simms and Mathew Dellavedova are playing more minutes now and averaging more points per game than the top “Lottery Pick”!

Bennett’s numbers are frighteningly bad – 1.3 points per game and 2.5 rebounds per game. His shooting numbers are even worse, a dismal 13% from the field, only 7% from 3-point range and just 50% from the free throw line. Those shooting numbers are all last on the team in every category. Hard to fathom from the top player picked in the draft.

Because of his struggles Mike Brown has pretty much taken him out of the rotation at this point, and it’s the right move.  This kid’s head is spinning right now. He’s working hard, trying hard, but nothing is going right. No athlete wants to fail, or wants to lose, so it’s not like he’s playing  poorly on purpose, he’s just not good right now and there aren’t any signs that he’s going to get better any time soon.

So what should the Cavs do with him? I talked to a few people last night to see if the D-League was an option, but everyone agreed that’s not the answer at this point. It may do more harm than good to his already fragile psyche. So all the Cavs can do is tell him how important practice is. Tell him to keep working hard. Tell him to get in better shape and that it’s going to get better. Hell, it can’t get any worse! There’s only one way to go and that’s up. Mike Brown needs to pick his spots for Bennett in games so he can have some success. Either in a blowout win or loss, make Bennett the focal point on offense in garbage time just so he can see the ball go through the hoop and maybe gain some confidence back.

There’s a long way to go in this season and in Bennett’s career, and while it’s not time to panic, it is time to be very concerned about the short comings so far of Anthony Bennett’s game. I really don’t want to say I told you so on draft night and maybe 12 games is too small of a sample size, but so far it’s looking that way. Here’s hoping that Bennett is just a slow starter and learner and will eventually figure this thing out for his sake and the Cavaliers sake. If not he’ll been mentioned forever with the likes of Kwame Brown and Michael Olowokandi and LaRue Martin as complete busts in the NBA. But more importantly he’ll set the Cavs organization back a number of years as they try and become relevant again and challenge for an NBA championship. If that happens, there’s no way anyone, including myself, will feel sorry for Anthony Bennett.

Anderson Varejao post game interview after Cavs 98-94 win over the Nets 10-30-13

Posted: Oct 30, 2013 by . Filed under Current Interviews | 30 Comments