I'm not sure you can overstate the importance of this move. If the Cavs beat the Bulls in the playoffs its going to be because they acquired Mozgov.
Worth two late 1st picks, no doubt. Regardless of record, we may have to go through the improved version of the Cavs.
damn it damn it damn it damn it that being said, i'll take Gasol/Noah/Gibson/Mirotic down low over Mosgov. But, big signing. Good news for Love.
I might be in the minority here, but I think the Cavs look a little desperate. Their record isn't what it was supposed to be, their team morale looks fairly low, and they just punted on a decent rookie on his first contract and a bunch of draft picks for players that are adequate for what they need, but mediocre. I'm more worried about the Hawks, Raptors, and Wizards at this point.
The Cavs are 1-5 with LeBron inactive. That would make them 18-12 with him and Waiter and without the new players. That's a .600 win pct. They are 2-7 without Varajao. That would make them 17-10 with him and LeBron and Waiters and without the new players. That's a better .630 win pct. So the question is whether a 6th man of the year candidate who maybe needed this change of scenery and the addition of a very good young center (double double machine) make them better. As far as playoffs go, they have the rest of the season to get healthy and learn to play with one another. Once the playoffs start, everyone's record is reset to 0-0.
I don't know if they win the championship. The Heat didn't in their first year. On paper, the Cavs are better, but less experienced. I am pretty sure I suggested they need the rest of the season to learn to play together and get healthy. If they do, then they may be unbeatable. If LeBron isn't the alpha player he was in Miami and the team clicking on all cylinders, they might get bounced in the first round. From what I've seen so far, they probably needed front court depth before the trade and Varajao went down.
Losing Waiters and getting shumpert and mosgov makes them better. Perhaps Smith gives them offense off the bench as well. They went from having 0 rim protectors to a decent one, so its step up. The question is has Lebron taken a real step back. If no, then yes, the Cavs should be worried about again after these trades.
I think people underestimate the difficulty of acclimating a bunch of players into a rotation midseason. I don't think it's a coincidence that the two teams with the best winning % in each conference also have the highest assist %. Championship teams seem to be really good at moving the ball these days. I don't think the Cavs have that or very much interior defense.
They can't get worse. They had a gaping hole at C, now they have a guy who at least can be tall and stand there.
Agreed. Its a move of desperation, IMO. The current group wasn't going to get it done and both Lebron and Love can leave next season. A legit rim protector, if that is was Mosgov is, will help the Cavs and perhaps take some pressure off Love, so he can start playing at the level he needs to. JR Smith can give you a lot of what Waiters can and Shump could be a decent "3 and D" guy. I agree about the Cavs though. They don't move the ball or defend, and Lebron seems like he's taken a bit of a mental (and perhaps physical) step back this season. Of course, he might be able to turn it on in the playoffs and be the old Lebron and then you might have a problem on your hands.
My sense is that LeBron wants to enable his teammates and not be the guy they all stand around and watch make all the offense.
From what I've seen / read..... Kyrie wants to be a scoring PG. He needs the ball in his hands. Love isn't a "big" 4. He's a stretch 4 and is having a hard time on defense and getting less touches. Lebron's motor doesn't look like what it once was, especially on D. This team didn't "gel" before the Lebron injury so adding some more pieces and taking another crack at it in the 2nd half doesn't seem like a bad idea. Why the Cavs would make all of these investments and moves and then hire a rookie / unproven euroball coach seems like a curious decision in hindsight. It seems like a hot mess right now, but if it clicks, I would not want to run into them in the playoffs.
My memory of the first year he was with the heat, it was tough for them to figure out how to involve both LeBron and Wade as primary ballhandlers. They really couldn't share the duties well and LeBron eventually became the primary ballhandler and playmaker. Cleveland is in the same spot with Irving. One of the two has to become THE guy and the other has to let him run the team. LeBron lost weight over the summer and took a physical beating for all his seasons with the Heat. I bet he wants to let Irving be the primary guy and take over when necessary, but I don't think that's going to work (you play in games how you practice). It's interesting that LeBron left Miami. Great management and coach and weather and a championship contender. The two things that make sense are that 1) he wanted to do right by his home town of Cleveland after having done it all, and/or 2) he doesn't want to have to carry the team and felt the Cavs have the balance and depth to allow him not to.
