Article--Ranking The Cavs Roster

Posted on Sun, May. 16, 2004

Ranking the roster Order of the Cavs' importance, from James to what's-his-name

<font color="Blue">By Terry Pluto</font>

Source

Suppose you had to rank the Cavs' roster simply in terms of the player's importance to the franchise. Make your list and compare it with mine:

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">(1) LeBRON JAMES: Who did you think, Michael Stewart?

(2) CARLOS BOOZER: He won't be 24 until November. He averaged 15.5 points and 11.4 rebounds, shot 52 percent from the field and 77 percent from the free-throw line. Few power forwards can match those numbers. His man-to-man defense can be weak, but his rebounding and surprising soft touch on mid-range jumpers make him a force.

(3) JEFF McINNIS: The Cavs' front office and some fans might disagree. They'd probably say it's easier to find a point guard than a good center, so Zydrunas Ilgauskas should be No. 3. But the fact is, the Cavs were a much better team with him at point guard, as in 20-11 vs. 1-8 when he didn't play. Or another way is to say they were 20-11 when McInnis played, 15-36 without him. He's not a great player, but he's perfect for this team -- assuming he keeps his excellent attitude. It's just as difficult to find an impact point guard as it is a center. Remember how the Cavs suffered when Mark Price was hurt and they couldn't find someone to replace him?

(4) ZYDRUNAS ILGAUSKAS: Once he bought into the defensive schemes of coach Paul Silas and really hit the boards and blocked shots, Z emerged as one of the premier centers in the pivot-barren NBA. The once injury-prone center has missed only two games in the last two years (both suspensions). After the All-Star break, he averaged 17.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.0 blocks while shooting 50 percent. Thank goodness the Cavs fought off the temptation to trade him when he struggled early.

(5) TONY BATTIE: That's the problem, this team's lack of depth. There is no clear No. 5 player. Battie gets the nod because someone has to, and the 6-foot-11 veteran can play center and power forward. He likes to defend and block shots, but angry knees prevent him from consistently playing major minutes.

(6) ERIC WILLIAMS: He's a free agent who is not expected to be back. He averaged only 6.0 points and shot 31 percent after the All-Star break. The Cavs desperately need an upgrade at his small-forward position. Brent Barry would be a nice addition.

(7) IRA NEWBLE: I've ranked him this high, and I don't even like his game. He was supposed to be a defensive specialist, but he has balky knees and rarely delivered the defense that was promised. Offensively, he's a yawner. Under contract for four more years.

(8) DAJUAN WAGNER: Can he stay healthy and finally have his first training camp? He certainly won't be able to play point guard, no matter how much the Cavs talk about it. He has some scoring ability, but his outside shot is unreliable. Bet he's playing elsewhere next season.

(9) JASON KAPONO: His outside shooting makes him valuable, even if he still needs to learn to consistently get off that shot in the faster tempo of the NBA. On one list, I had him seventh.

(10) KEDRICK BROWN: I thought he deserved more time as a backup point guard. He can make a 3-pointer from the corner. He can defend man-to-man. How a natural leaper such as Brown played 561 minutes for the Cavs and took a mere 14 free throws is a mystery. Kedrick, take the ball to the basket!

(11) KEVIN OLLIE: One of the most disappointing players. I really thought he'd bring stability to the point, but he seemed uncertain much of the season. Can make a free throw (83 percent), but shot only 37 percent from the field. He looked more like a veteran on a 10-day contract trying to earn a guaranteed deal than a guy who signed a five-year contract at the start of last season.

(12) LEE NAILON: A small forward who can score a little bit. I probably have him ranked too low. I'm not sure he's any worse than Ira Newble. That's the problem with this team. After the Big Four, I really don't know how to rank 'em.

(13) DeSAGANA DIOP: In a moment of delirium, I wrote that he still wasn't worth a lottery pick, but the kid was turning into a ``useful'' NBA player. I was wrong. But he'll probably play in the league for several more years, as teams will want him because of his size.

(14) RUBEN BOUMTJE BOUMTJE: Bet you didn't even know he was on the team. You never saw him on the court. Didn't look bad in a suit on the end of the bench. At least, you can say he didn't miss a shot or make a turnover this season.</div>