Tag Archives: Andrew Wiggins

1 ON 1 WITH FRED McLEOD FROM LAS VEGAS ON LEBRON, WIGGINS, BENNETT AND BLATT

Posted: Jul 15, 2014 by . Filed under Feature Articles, Podcasts | 39 Comments

Cavs play-by-play man Fred McLeod joined me from “Sin City” to talk LeBron returning to Cleveland, how Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett look and David Blatt.

Fred McLeod Vegas Summer League 2014

(photo courtesy of NBA.com)

CAVS #1 OVERALL PICK UPDATE FROM THE 2014 VEGAS NBA SUMMER LEAGUE

Posted: Jul 14, 2014 by . Filed under Blog Posts | 40 Comments

2013 Number #1 Overall Pick – Anthony Bennett

Game #1   –  15 points – 7 rebounds  –  5-8fg  –  1-3(3fg)

Game #2   –  13 points – 14rebounds  –  6-16fg  –  1-5(3fg)

Game #3   –  14 points – 4 rebounds   –  5-12fg  –  0-3(3fg0

Totals   –      42 points   –   25 rebounds   –   16-36fg   –   2-11(3fg)

Averages  –  14ppg  –  8.3rpg  –  44%fg  –  18%(3fg)

 

 

2014 Number #1 Overall Pick – Andrew Wiggins

Game #1  –  18 points – 3 rebounds – 1 block – 1 steal    –  7-18fg   –   1-8(3fg)

Game #2  –  13 points – 3 rebounds – 2 blocks – 1 steal  –  3-11fg   –   1-3(3fg)

Game #3  –  10 points – 3 rebounds – 2 blocks – 3 steals  – 4-8fg   –   0-1(3fg)

Totals   –   41 points   –   9 rebounds   –   5 blocks   –   5 steals   –   14-37fg   –   2-12(3fg)

Averages  –  13.7ppg  –  3rpg   –   1.7blksg   –   1.7stg   –   38%fg   –   17%(3fg)

NO PAIN NO GAIN

Posted: Jul 12, 2014 by . Filed under Audio, Feature Articles, Podcasts | 39 Comments

My thoughts on the city of Cleveland’s pain over the last four years, and now it’s gain over at least the next four years. The King Has Come Home!

LeBron Powder Toss Photo

(photo courtesy David Richard)

KENNY RODA ON THE DAN DAKICH SHOW TALKING LEBRON 7-10-14

Posted: Jul 10, 2014 by . Filed under Audio, Current Interviews, Feature Articles | 125 Comments

Had a blast talking about LeBron’s possible return to Cleveland with my buddy Dan Dakich on his Indianapolis radio show on ESPN 1070 The Fan.

A SIX PACK OF POSSIBLE REASONS WHY LEBRON HASN’T MADE AN OFFICIAL DECISION YET

Posted: Jul 10, 2014 by . Filed under Blog Posts, Feature Articles | 177 Comments

As I told talk show host Ken Carmen last night on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland, I can’t figure out what’s taking so long for LeBron James to make this decision.  It’s a two horse race. It’s either Cleveland or Miami. What’s the holdup LeBron?  You played for both teams, so you know both organizations. You’re a student of the game, so you see the two rosters and understand their cap space availability. So make up your mind already!

It’s being reported that he wanted to talk it over some more with his family. From everything I hear from my sources, they all want him to come back to Cleveland. So what is causing the holdup?

Here are a few reasons, and I know I may be reaching here, but what they heck we have time to kill, as to why maybe LeBron is still undecided, if he really is.

David Blatt Solo Photo 6-25-14 1. Since he’s in Vegas for his skills camp and if he doesn’t know too much about new Cavs head coach David Blatt, might LeBron want to check Blatt out in person on Friday as he coaches the Cavs summer league team in their first game against Milwaukee?

2. Maybe LeBron wants to see Cavs number #1 pick Andrew Wiggins in action going up against the player the Cavaliers passed on in Jabari Parker since the Bucks and Cavs are playing each other to see if he feels new Cavaliers G.M. David Griffin made the right pick.Andrew Wiggins Jersey Photo 6-27-14

3. LeBron might also want to get a look at last year’s number #1 overall pick Anthony Bennett to gauge how much he’s improved from his disastrous rookie season, to see if he thinks the kid can play in the NBA.

4. Or “King James” could be waiting on the Cavaliers to swing a deal for Kevin Love, to prove to him that this new regime could follow through on the possible plans they laid out to his agent Rich Paul when the two sides met recently.

5. Is it possible, I guess anything is at this point, that James gave Pat Riley and the Miami Heat once last chance to pull off a major move like maybe bringing Carmelo Anthony to Miami to play with LeBron and D-Wade?

6. How about this one, Nike and the Cavaliers needed more time once they found out where LeBron is going, to get all their TV ads, billboards and other advertising avenues together so they can flood the media market with their new LeBron marketing campaign? And also, maybe LeBron and his team needed more time to get their website ready for the traffic that will be coming their way for when they do make the announcement on his site?

I have no idea if any of these are indeed reasons why LeBron has yet to announce his intentions, but for some reason he hasn’t made the “Decision” public yet, so these were my best guesses.  You got anything better?

LEBRON-A-THON YIELDS NO DECISION YET

Posted: Jul 10, 2014 by . Filed under Audio, Podcasts | 36 Comments

FoxSportsOhio.com’s NBA writer Sam Amico joined me after a long day of covering what was supposed to be “The Decison 2”. However after meeting with Pat Riley LeBron James did not make a decision on where he’ll play next year. Sam and I try to figure out why it’s taking LeBron so long.

Sam Amico Photo

FIVE PREDICTIONS ABOUT LEBRON JAMES

Posted: Jul 9, 2014 by . Filed under Blog Posts, Feature Articles | 127 Comments

Everyone else is making their prediction on where “The King” is headed, so I guess it’s time for the “The Great Rodini” to make his prediction on where he thinks LeBron James will be playing basketball next season.

After talking to old and new sources, in bars, stores, at the library, via Twitter, through e-mails and of course using my crystal ball, I have come up with these five predictions about LeBron James.

kenny_da_swami2

1. LeBron will choose to sign with Cleveland over Miami because of:

The Cavs younger, deeper roster, led by two-time All-Star Kyrie Irving who just committed long term. Add to that #1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins, Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson and LeBron’s buddy Anderson Varejao. This gives “King James” a chance to win now and in the future. The Cavaliers could also use some of that young talent in a trade to lure another All-Star like Kevin Love to C’Town. Plus G.M. David Griffin has salary cap and roster flexibility to go along with multiple first round draft picks to use in deals to improve the roster. Also, while they’re not the best of friends any more, LeBron knows that owner Dan Gilbert will pay money into the luxury tax if necessary to help the team win.

2. LeBron will announce this “Decision” via social media on his website at LeBronJames.com and on Twitter @KingJames.

“The Decision” TV show was a disaster and LeBron knows that and learned from that. As I’ve been saying for months now, he will use new media to announce this “Decision” and in turn, drive traffic to his website and add more followers to his Twitter account.

3. LeBron’s website headline – “Coming Home – Unfinished Business”.

The headline says it all. He returns home to Akron/Cleveland and fulfills his original promise of bringing a championship to the Cavaliers.

4. LeBron will switch from his old #23 he wore with the Cavs to his new number #32.

He’s returning to C’Town, but since a lot of people burned his old number #23 jersey, why not start fresh with a number he wore in high school his freshman year at St. Vincent St. Mary’s high school and at the McDonalds All American Game at The Q. Plus it forces those who did keep their #23 jersey’s to go out and buy the new #32 LeBron jersey. Just a smart business move.

5. LeBron will convince Ray Allen to come play for the Cavs.

The one area the Cavaliers still need to improve in is their outside shooting and why not bring in the greatest 3-point shooter in NBA history with him to Cleveland since Allen is a free agent.

There you have it, not one, not two, not three, not four, but five predictions about what’s next for LeBron James.

Welcome Home LeBron!

 

PS – On the slight chance “The Great Rodini” might be a little off and “The Godfather” of the NBA Pat Riley convinces James to stay in South Beach, expect it to be for just one or two years and then we’ll go through this all over again!

CAVS LAS VEGAS SUMMER LEAGUE ROSTER

Posted: Jul 8, 2014 by . Filed under Blog Posts | 122 Comments

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 2014 SUMMER LEAGUE ROSTER

 

# NAME POS HT WT DOB PRIOR TO NBA/HOME COUNTRY LAST TEAM YRS PRO
15 Anthony Bennett F 6-8 243 3/14/93 UNLV / Canada Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA) 1
56 Will Cherry G 6-0 185 2/8/91 Montana / USA Canton Charge (D-League) R
45 Jack Cooley F/C 6-9 246 4/4/91 Notre Dame / USA Trabzonspor (Turkey) R
8 Matthew Dellavedova G 6-4 200 9/8/90 St. Mary’s (CA) / Australia Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA) 1
57 Shane Edwards F 6-7 220 5/31/87 Arkansas-Little Rock / USA Canton Charge (D-League) 1
30 Carrick Felix G/F 6-6 201 8/17/90 Arizona State / USA Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA) 1
41 Steven Gray G 6-5 205 4/8/89 Gonzaga / USA BCM Gravelines (France) R
12 Joe Harris G 6-6 225 9/7/91 Virginia / USA Virginia (College) R
24 Scotty Hopson G 6-7 206 8/8/89 Tennessee / USA Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA) 1
10 Sergey Karasev G/F 6-7 208 10/26/93 BC Triumph / Russia Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA) 1
53 Alex Kirk C 7-0 245 11/14/91 New Mexico / USA New Mexico (College) R
21 Andrew Wiggins F 6-8 194 2/23/95 Kansas / Canada Kansas (College) R

Roster is as of July 8th and subject to change.

       

                     2014 SUMMER LEAGUE COACHING STAFF

                                                  CAVS  HEAD COACH      David Blatt (Princeton)

                               CAVS ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH     Tyronn Lue (Nebraska)

 

Cavaliers Preliminary Round Game Schedule

 

Friday, July 11       Milwaukee vs. Cleveland*  8pm local/EST    COX Pavilion     NBA TV

Sunday, July 13     San Antonio vs. Cleveland* 4pm local/EST    COX Pavilion     NBA TV

Monday, July 14   76ers vs. Cleveland*              8pm local/EST    COX Pavilion    NBA TV

*all three game will air live on NBA TV

      

     

WHO’S ROSTER WOULD BE BETTER, THE CAVS OR THE HEAT?

Posted: Jul 8, 2014 by . Filed under Blog Posts, Feature Articles | 43 Comments

LET’S PUT LEBRON JAMES ON BOTH TEAMS AND THEN COMPARE THE CURRENT ROSTERS.  WHO GIVES THE KING A BETTER CHANCE FOR MORE RINGS NEXT YEAR AND BEYOND?

Cavaliers                                                                             Heat

 

Kyrie Irving –6’3–193-22 (20.8p-6.1a-3.6r)       PG      Mario Chalmers –6’2–190-28 (9.8p-4.9a-2.9R)

 

Andrew Wiggins –6’8-200-19 (17.1p-1.5a-5.9r)    SG      Dwyane Wade –6’4–220–32 (19p-4.7a-4.5r)

 

LeBron James –6’8-250-29 (27.1p-6.9r-6.4a)         SF      LeBron James -6’8-250-29 (27.1p-6.9r-6.4a)

 

Tristan Thompson -6’9-238-23 (11.7p-9.2r-1a)   PF   Josh McRoberts – 6’10-240-27 (8.5p-4.8r-4.3a)

 

Anderson Varejao – 6’11-267-31 (8.4p-9.7r-2.2a)  C    Chris Bosh – 6’11-235-30 (16.2p-6.6r-1.1a)

LeBron Powder Toss Photo

Cavs Bench – Dion Waiters, Anthony Bennett, Tyler Zeller, Brendan Haywood, Sergey Karasev, Matthew Dellavedova, Jarrett Jack, Joe Harris and Carrick Felix.

 

 

 

 

LeBron Disgusted Photo 6-14-14

 

Heat Bench – Norris Cole, Shabazz Napier, Greg Oden, Udonis Haslem, Ray Allen, Chris Anderson, Michael Beasley, Danny Granger and James Jones.

ESPN INDIANAPOLIS RADIO HOST DAN DAKICH ON JOSH McROBERTS AND DANNY GRANGER GOING TO THE HEAT

Posted: Jul 7, 2014 by . Filed under Audio, Podcasts | 38 Comments

Since he saw them play while they were with the Indiana Pacers I figured I’d get the expert opinion of ESPN radio host and college basketball analyst Dan Dakich to see if he thought Pat Riley’s free agent signings of McRoberts and Granger would be enough to keep LeBron James in Miami.

Dan Dakich 2