December 11, 2013

FAILURE TO LAUNCH

NBA_Draft_Powell


We are perhaps a few years away before calling the 2013 NBA draft one of the very worst in history, but it's certainly headed in that direction. Feel free to play the "It's Only December" card if you wish. Go ahead and explain how two players taken in the lottery haven't even suited up yet, and at least a half-dozen others are dealing with injuries.

Defend, defend, defend and justify, justify, justify. It's your right to do so. And to a fair degree, you'd have a point. But the early returns are not encouraging -- and they're only getting worse.

Other than Michael Carter-Williams and Victor Oladipo, none of the drafted players are showing even the slightest hint that they might be All-Stars and Olympians one day. Of the 14 lottery picks, just four are starting. Some are barely cracking the rotation on lousy teams, a serious red flag. Others are bringing far less than what they promised. For example, take Ben McLemore, who's being groomed as a go-to player by the Kings. Before the draft, the scouts said his jump shot was "NBA ready." That jump shot is finding the net 36 percent of the time. It's not ready, NBA or otherwise.

Of course, the poster boy for the draft is the No. 1 guy, Anthony Bennett, a surprise selection who's looking very Kwame-like. Check that; Kwame Brown at least got off the bench for the Wizards as a rookie. Bennett is so bad the Cavs are doing their best to hide him and his 28 percent shooting and poor physical conditioning as best as possible.

Typically, first-round picks will spend their rookie season trying to remember when the bus and the plane leave. That, and enduring up-and-down stretches which can be quite drastic at times. Then they settle into a comfort zone that lets us know who they are and what they're capable of doing. This process takes about two years, typically. However, players who'll become stars are usually good right away, and then great by the end of their second season. You knew LeBron, Durant, Westbrook, Chris Paul, etc., etc., would be special almost from the start. They didn't need a learning curve or an extended look.

All that said, here's an early status report on the lottery picks of the 2013 draft:

1. Anthony Bennett. Not since Orlando in 1993 has a team with the No. 1 pick traded down in the draft, and Orlando did that for a solid reason: Orlando got Penny Hardaway (for Chris Webber's rights) to team with Shaquille O'Neal. There wasn't an overwhelming No. 1 in this draft and yet the Cavs stuck with their pick anyway. In hindsight, given Bennett's early struggles, and that he wasn't filling a need (the Cavs had Tristan Thompson), was this the right move? Couldn't they have moved down and gotten a pick in the 6-to-10 range, plus another pick or a player? The answer is yes.

2. Victor Oladipo. He's among the most reckless players in the league based on turnovers, but who cares? Some of the sloppiness comes from Oladipo playing the point guard spot, where he's probably out of place. Anyway, he's a very athletic guard with a blue-collar streak and developing skills. The more you see him in Orlando, the more you like him.

3. Otto Porter. Troubled since the summer by a hip flexor injury, Porter is just getting his reps in for the Wizards. He air-balled his first shot and traveled the first time he touched the ball. Who knew that teammate Glen Rice Jr., taken 32 spots lower in the draft, would have more starts at this point than Porter?

4. Cody Zeller. He has shown flashes that suggest he may one day develop into a decent enough player in the right situation. But it's not good when your high lottery selection is spending half his time setting picks. Does Zeller have the ability to be a star? That's what the Bobcats needed to get at the No. 4 spot. They have enough pick-setters on the roster.

5. Alex Len. He's still recovering from a pair of ankle surgeries since May. Lingering soreness, coupled with his overall rawness as a player and a weak upper-body, is keeping Len chained to the Suns bench.

6. Nerlens Noel. At this rate, should he continue to rehab from knee surgery and miss the Sixers season, he'll be eligible to win Rookie of the Year … in 2014-15. That's what happened to Blake Griffin, the top pick in 2009, who missed his "rookie" year after kneecap surgery and took the award the following year.

7. Ben McLemore. In the weeks prior to the draft, McLemore was firmly in the running for first overall pick until he tumbled. Aside from the so-so shooting, what's really scary is the Kings just traded for Rudy Gay, noted shot-gobbler.

8. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. He's a 36-percent shooter and the fifth or sixth option on the Pistons even though he's starting.

9. Trey Burke. He had a lousy performance in the summer league, then suffered a broken finger that forced him to miss the first 12 games, but seems to be rounding into form for Utah with averages of 13 points and 6 assists. The big question is whether Burke will ever be a point guard who sets up his teammates. He wasn't at Michigan.

10. C.J. McCollum. Still out with a fractured foot with no return date. The Blazers, leading the West, don't really need him now, anyway.

11. Michael Carter-Williams. OK, who blew it? Who needed backcourt help and let MCW slide to the Sixers? How much better off would the Kings, Blazers, Jazz and Pistons be had they taken MCW instead? For that matter, can you imagine if the Cavaliers traded down to get him and teamed him with Kyrie Irving? Carter-Williams is clearly the class of the draft because he's effective in so many areas: scoring, rebounding, passing, defending. You know a quadruple-double is in his future, maybe a few of them.

12. Steven Adams. One of the more intriguing big men among rookies, the New Zealander isn't polished because he's only been playing American basketball for about 20 minutes. But he might replace Kendrick Perkins in the OKC starter lineup fairly soon. That's progress, right?

13. Kelly Olynyk. He was a starter before suffering a sprained ankle, and in his absence, the Celtics started winning and took ownership of the Atlantic Division. He'll have to work his way back up the pecking order, and he might.

14. Shabazz Muhammad. He was poor in the summer league, kicked out of rookie orientation for rules violation and now finds himself locked on the bench by Wolves coach Rick Adelman, a no-nonsense guy. And nobody is surprised by any of this.

Omer Asik - C - Rockets

TNT’s David Aldridge stated that the Houston Rockets will trade center Omer Asik (bruised thigh) by next Wednesday or Thursday, and that the Cavs could be a potential landing spot.

It is rumored that the Rockets may be interested in a trade involving Omer Asik and Anderson Varejao. If Asik is traded to Cleveland he will likely be in a similar backup role that he is now in Houston, but behind Andrew Bynum.

Although given Bynum's injury history, it's not out of the question to speculate Asik could eventually take over the starting position. If you have a spot on your roster, and you're desperate for a center, it wouldn't be the worst idea to take a flier on Asik and see how this situation pans out.

Dec. 14, 2013. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter)

By Bob Finnan, The News-Herald & The Morning Journal

Posted: 12/15/13, 7:17 PM EST | Updated: 25 secs ago

After Saturday night’s narrow loss to the world champion Miami Heat, the Cavaliers are one-half game out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

If they continue to play like they have in the last week, they are going to be playing in the postseason in April.

The following are some observations on the 9-14 Cavs:

What’s to like
-- Mike Brown’s mindset: I don’t know why, but I have bought into what he’s preaching. Many of my contemporaries/friends weren’t fired up when he was re-hired. After what we’ve experienced in the previous three years, I was fired up.

He doesn’t just talk a good game. He lives it. He truly believes the road to success comes from playing defense. Is he obsessed with it? Absolutely. The Cavs’ defense is better by leaps and bounds from last season.

-- Dion Waiters’ style: My gosh, he is playing hard right now. He’s still error-prone, but the start of the fourth period in the Orlando game convinced me Waiters is the real deal. He scored the Cavs’ first 14 points in the fourth, which helped them upend the Magic. He gets to the basket at will, no matter who is guarding him.

Waiters’ play has seemed to pick up after trade rumors surfaced. I said it then and I’ll say it now: The Cavs would be foolish to deal him right now. By the way, I loved how he stood up for teammate Anderson Varejao in the Orlando game. He has an edge about him.

-- Pit Bull’s demeanor: I’ve become a Matthew Dellavedova convert. This guy has won me over. He’s lacking in many areas on the court, but the “Pit Bull” doesn’t back down from anyone. He exchanged words with Heat guard Dwyane Wade on Saturday. Wade probably doesn’t like to be guarded as aggressively as Delly was guarding him. Dellavedova changes the complexion of the game, at times, when he’s in there. Brown needs to keep finding minutes for him. I know he’s a street free agent, but there’s something about this guy that’s growing on me. He knows how to play.

-- Tristan Thompson’s development: The guy just works hard and will continue to work hard as long as he’s on the team. The transformation to becoming a right-handed shooter hasn’t been a rousing success. After all, he’s shooting just 43 percent from the field and 71 percent from the foul line.
However, he’s averaging a double-double with 11.4 points and 10 rebounds. How can you complain about that? There are only a handful of players in the league doing that.

What’s not to like
-- Cavs’ road record: Why is this team 2-11 on the road? They are the second-youngest team in the league behind Philadelphia. That’s part of it, but this team is too talented to be that bad on the road. They have figured it out at home, as their 7-3 record attests. That great record at home will be tested on Tuesday as Portland comes to town. But the Cavs play the right way at home. It’s time to take that on the road. Their win at Orlando and loss at Miami last weekend are a step in the right direction.

-- Playing hard: The biggest issue hasn’t been defense. It’s been intensity. Why coaches have to coax players to play hard is beyond me. The average salary in the NBA is about $4.2 million. Yet, there have been a handful of games in which Brown has done everything in his power to light a fire under his troops. Shouldn’t that be a given? Cavs guard Jarrett Jack said playing hard is a skill.
I disagree. Every player should play hard every practice, shootaround and game.

-- Small forward position: When is this team going to find a starting-quality small forward? It’s hard to not like Alonzo Gee as a person. He’s one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. He’s so limited offensively, and small forwards need to score points in bunches. I want him to shoot and get to the foul line. That’s not what Gee is all about. He’s a role player, one that defends and plays hard.
Any scoring you get out of him is a bonus. Why haven’t the Cavs found a scorer? I can’t figure it out. Yes, I know they signed Earl Clark, but he can’t even find his way to a starting job.

-- Shooting guard spot: While we’re talking about wing play, the Cavs aren’t getting much out of their “2” spot, either. C.J. Miles hasn’t done anything to warrant staying in the starting lineup.
We’re told he spaces the floor the right way. How about making a few shots once in a while? He had a great start to the season, but has fallen off the face of the earth after moving into the starting lineup in place of Waiters. Miles injured his calf a few weeks back and hasn’t been the same since.

-- No. 1 draft pick: Through the years, the Cavs have never missed on the player picked No. 1 overall. That dates to Austin Carr, Brad Daugherty, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. There’s a chance the Cavs have erred on drafting Anthony Bennett. He’s shooting 26.6 percent from the field and 17.4 percent from the 3-point line.

He’s still an infant in NBA circles and has shown a willingness to work. It’s time he starts producing on the court.

Tristan Thompson’s development: The guy just works hard and will continue to work hard as long as he’s on the team. The transformation to becoming a right-handed shooter hasn’t been a rousing success. After all, he’s shooting just 43 percent from the field and 71 percent from the foul line.

Really ????? What was Thompson's FT % before this season ?

2011-2012 - 55%

2012-2013 - 61%

2013-2014 - 71%

He scored the Cavs’ first 14 points in the fourth, which helped them upend the Magic. He gets to the basket at will, no matter who is guarding him.


Waiters can be a very good 6th man, playing 30+ minutes.

With Waiters and Andy coming off the bench, and throw in Jack, we probably have our 4th 5th and 6th best players on the second unit. That seems like a good thing since the talent doesn't drop precipitously when the second bunch takes over.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are determined to unload Andrew Bynum in a trade after their partnership with the former All-Star center has rapidly deteriorated, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Bynum has almost assuredly played his final game for the Cavaliers, a source with direct knowledge of the franchise's plans told Yahoo Sports after the team announced Saturday it has suspended Bynum indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team.

"He doesn't want to play basketball anymore," a league source told Yahoo Sports.

The Cavaliers believe Bynum has been a "disruptive" presence within the team and have lost hope the partnership can be salvaged, sources said. Bynum often expressed a lack of desire to play and practice and was convinced by the Cavaliers not to quit previously, sources said.

Other teams that met with Bynum during his free agency last offseason were concerned about his desire to play and commitment to continue the rehab needed for him to play in the NBA after repeated knee problems, sources said.

Bynum, 26, signed a two-year deal worth $24.8 million with the Cavs prior to the season. Only $6 million of the $12.2 million Bynum is due this season is guaranteed if he is waived before Jan. 7. He could be attractive to teams looking to shed some salary because they could acquire him for a player with a similar contract and save $6 million by waiving Bynum.

Bynum also could try to negotiate a buyout with the Cavaliers and seek to sign a contract for the veteran's minimum with a contending team if he clears waivers.

Bynum did not travel with the team to Boston for Saturday's game against the Boston Celtics. The Cavaliers said he has been excused from all team activities indefinitely.

Bynum has averaged 8.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 19.5 minutes in 24 games with the Cavaliers. He had four points and one rebound in 17 minutes in a 127-125 double overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday.

Bynum won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers but has missed repeated time throughout his career because of knee injuries. He did not play a single game for the Philadelphia 76ers last season after they acquired him from the Lakers.

OK, now I'd love to see them go after Asik.

I do not see that happening (Asik) but things may change if they can somehow get a wing player by trading Bynum's contract.

Will be interesting to see what, if anything the Cavs can get for Bynum. Have to bet he will be released. Paul Pierce or Danny Granger are the only guys that teams may be willing to give up to be able to cut Bynum and save money. Do not see the Bulls wanting to do that.

Terry Pluto-
Quick thought: If you're GM Chris Grant, And your owner has mandated that the team make the playoffs -- would you suspend Bynum on a whim? They bring back Luther Rackley and Walt Wesley if the Cavs thought it would get them to the playoffs.

Cleveland Cavaliers can't be shocked Andrew Bynum didn't work out - Bud Shaw's Sports Spin

Bud Shaw, The Plain Dealer By Bud Shaw, The Plain Dealer

updated December 28, 2013 at 5:30 PM



CLEVELAND, Ohio – The rush to christen Andrew Bynum the biggest free agent signing in Cavs history was always a Grand Canyon leap of faith and a suspension of sound logic.

Now it simply looks like the most ridiculous claim in the history of Cleveland sports.

With Bynum suspended indefinitely and likely getting traded or possibly waived, the temptation is to say, Andrew, we hardly knew ye.

Instead, we knew him too well. Or should have.

Well enough to suspect that the risk-reward -- while clearly appealing -- wasn’t just about the health of his knees but also about his head.

Six million dollars for a 7-0 post scorer is a good bargain. (The other $6 million is guaranteed if Bynum is on the roster after Jan. 7).

Even if it only costs you $1.50, though, it should at least buy a player who likes his job and who’s driven by more than collecting a check.

Bynum has made $22 million for playing 24 games over two seasons.

He only needed half that many games to admit his passion was ebbing, that his explosiveness was gone, that he was a shell of himself.

It wasn’t a good sign when he admitted all that on his return to Philadelphia in early November.

Philly fans didn’t have to hear it. They saw the lack of passion last year.

On a title contender, he might keep his chin up. But Sixers fans saw him for what he was last year when he practiced one day, didn’t play a single game and re-injured his knee.

Bowling.

Slam Magazine quoted an unnamed former teammate of Bynum’s saying, “I’ve never met another player in the league who likes basketball less [than Bynum].”

The Cavs talked him up all season, said he worked hard to get back on the court for the beginning of the season; and said they had to do a better job getting him the ball in the post.

Mike Brown, who benched him in L.A. for throwing up a mindless three in a game (Bynum said he would do it again), was Bynum’s biggest cheerleader.

Now, Bynum appears to be thanking him and the Cavs by forcing his way out of town. So he can go get propped up by a better team? So maybe somebody will shower him with more even more money down the road?

That’s the thing about this mess. It could happen. Bynum somehow still has trade value.

Because of that, the Cavs could decide to keep him after Jan. 7 and continue to try to deal him. What a warm, cohesive atmosphere that would create.

My guess was he’d break down physically before quitting on another organization but I always thought it would be close.

The signing made sense for the Cavaliers. Getting rid of him now makes even more.

And if there's another team in his future ... rinse and repeat.

1. I would REALLY hate to see him go to the Heat.

2. You have to wonder if Bynum saw Jan 7 as a date he would WANT to get cut on. He could use the first part of the season to show teams he still could function (at least, as a backup). Then move on.

Perhaps he has made up his mind he wants to be a backup on a championship team. He clearly would be that for any contender, especially the Clippers.

The Heat are a lightning quick team. He would not fit there, except as a backup as well.

CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers are nixing a giveaway for Sunday’s home game against the Golden State Warriors after the suspension of Andrew Bynum.

Saturday morning, the Cavs announced that Bynum was suspended for conduct “detrimental to the team.” He did not travel with the team to Boston Friday night for their game Saturday afternoon against the Celtics and has been excused from all team activities indefinitely.

Saturday evening, the Cavs said the promotional Andrew Bynum Fathead Tradeable would no longer be available for Sunday’s game. All kids 14 and under will receive a handout upon entering the arena with details on how to redeem a free Cavs Fathead Tradeable pack each week for the next five weeks at any Discount Drug Mart location.

In addition, kids 14 and under will receive a voucher redeemable for two free tickets to an upcoming home game in January.
There will also be information on how to receive 50 percent off Cavaliers Fathead products online through Fathead until January 4.

TFIR wrote:1. I would REALLY hate to see him go to the Heat.

2. You have to wonder if Bynum saw Jan 7 as a date he would WANT to get cut on. He could use the first part of the season to show teams he still could function (at least, as a backup). Then move on.

Perhaps he has made up his mind he wants to be a backup on a championship team. He clearly would be that for any contender, especially the Clippers.

The Heat are a lightning quick team. He would not fit there, except as a backup as well.

Jan. 7th is the day that all partially guaranteed contracts become 100% guaranteed.

This provision was just another good idea by Chris Grant. Bynum has very little actual value but his contract has some value.

Bynum had to go for this team to get better. At the same time it was worth the risk to give Bynum a chance.

I am starting to think this was the Cavs plan from day one unless he made some miraculous recovery.