Cleveland Sports Forum

Choose your own adventure: With Cavs in limbo, a few different draft strategies make sense


By David Zavac 3h ago 1
The​ Cavaliers, by​ all accounts,​ are not aware of​ the plans LeBron​ James has for​ next​ season. By​ most of​​ the reporting, it doesn’t seem as though James has it figured out himself. With the NBA draft on Thursday night, that presents some complications for the Cavaliers. It also presents opportunity. After all, the Cavs roster remains woefully deficient. James dragged the team to the NBA Finals for a fourth consecutive season, but they’ve never been this far away from having a roster ready to compete for a title since his return.

Thursday night might be the start of that changing.

It also might be the start of a transition toward a lengthy rebuild.

How Koby Altman handles the balance between making Cleveland a place James wants to be, while also putting the team in a position to avoid a Brooklyn Nets-type foray into NBA hell (purgatory just doesn’t seem like a strong enough word for what Nets fans have had to go through the last few years), will ultimately be the story of the next couple of months. He’s got options, and we aren’t in the room to know exactly what they are. We do know, though, that the team has the eighth pick in what most people seem to think is a pretty good draft. So let’s take a look at four possible routes the Cavs could go.

The Cavaliers could trade up for Luka Doncic
Doncic was the best player on the best team in the second-best professional league in the world, at the age of 19. And if ESPN’s Jonathon Givony is to be believed, he’s sliding in the draft. Paraphrasing comments made during his appearance on the Lowe Post, the good teams all seem to value Doncic. The bad teams, not so much. Just a few months ago the idea of Doncic falling out of the top three would have been unthinkable. He’s produced at a high level, operates like a point guard at 6-foot-8 and was named MVP of both the Spanish professional league and Euroleague.

There are whispers that the Hawks love Trae Young, but believe the third pick would be too high for the diminutive point guard. Perhaps they’d be willing to move down in exchange for Cedi Osman or Larry Nance Jr. The Grizzlies, too, might be willing to move down if salary relief were granted or, again, Nance Jr. was on the table. I have no idea if those teams would find those players appealing, or if they’re ready to move down.

Doncic helps the Cavs with or without James. He’s a foundational piece if James leaves. He’s valued at a high level by teams around the league should the team need to move him to keep James happy in Cleveland. This scenario doesn’t feel all that likely, but it might be a good one.

The Cavs could trade the pick for a guard
Kemba Walker and C.J. McCollum are the names that come to mind right away. Both are young-ish and can operate in a Cavs world with or without James. The Hornets have Walker under control for only one more year and face some difficult decisions in terms of where they are in terms of contention and what they want to spend on a team that struggles to make the playoffs. Walker is legitimately very good, and the Cavs have struggled to address the position since Kyrie Irving left a season ago. Either guard would give the Cavs some offensive playmaking they sorely need, even if neither move the needle to help the team defensively.

Trades to make this work could involve multiple teams or any number of players, or perhaps not even be on the table. Walker and McCollum hover near star status. They aren’t final pieces to make the Cavs a title team, but they’d nudge the team further along and provide decent selling points to James.

The Cavs could select a point guard
James has a tendency to fall in love with young guards. Sometimes it works out; Mario Chalmers and Matthew Dellavedova played off James and were key pieces of title teams. He pushed the Heat to select Shabazz Napier only to leave before ever playing with him. This year he likes Young. Collin Sexton and Shae Gilgeous-Alexander are also options. As discussed above, this is a big hole in the Cavs roster. Perhaps George Hill is healthier and more comfortable off James next season. I’m not sure the team can really afford that risk.

This is where I’d throw in a big warning: if you’re looking for that upgrade with the eighth pick in the draft, and expect it to happen next year, you’ll likely be sorely mistaken. Even the best rookies like Ben Simmons and Donovan Mitchell faced their limitations in the NBA playoffs. When you have James, and you know you’re going to be deep into the Eastern Conference playoffs, you aren’t counting on a scoring rookie point guard like Young to push you over the top. It just doesn’t happen.

Perhaps the Cavs take one of these guards with the knowledge they can trade him in either July or February if that’s what James wants. Perhaps they just really like Young, irrespective of James. That’s a roll of the dice, but Altman’s job is likely on the line either way.

The Cavs could select a wing
The league values guards and wings more than ever. A lot of ink has been spilled about a draft stocked with bigs in a league that’s moving away from them. If Jaren Jackson Jr. or a potential defense-dominating athletic center is around at No. 8, go for it. But if you don’t think Wendell Carter will be mobile enough to guard all five positions with some competence, what are you doing taking him that high?

Miles Bridges, Mikal Bridges and Kevin Knox all bring something to the table, even if there isn’t a ton of star potential. If you selected one you could feel good about taking a shot on a player with a skill set and body type tailor-made for today’s league. And the smart NBA teams you might be trying to poach a star from, say, San Antonio, might feel the same way about the player.

We’ve engaged in quite a bit of speculation here, and it’s part of what makes the NBA draft so much fun. It’s also what makes Altman’s job so hard.

LeBron James reportedly does not want to play in Houston next season.

The Rockets still haven't had an opportunity to make their pitch to James, but according to Steven A. Smith, Chris Paul has begun telling people that he doesn't anticipate James landing in Houston and that he'd prefer to play in Los Angeles.

The Lakers could realistically land Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and King James this summer, which would surround James with the sort of star power necessary to combat Golden State. There's still a lot that can happen here, but right now, the Lakers look like the early favorites in the James sweepstakes.

Cavaliers hope to keep Kevin Love regardless of LeBron James' decision
4:50 PM MT
Dave McMenamin
ESPN Staff Writer
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CLEVELAND -- The Cavaliers are not actively shopping All-Star forward Kevin Love heading into Thursday's NBA draft, multiple sources told ESPN on Wednesday. Furthermore, regardless of what decision LeBron James makes about his future in Cleveland, the Cavs have interest in keeping Love next season, sources said.

Love, who turns 30 in September, averaged 17.6 points on 45.8 percent shooting (41.5 percent from 3) and 9.3 rebounds in 59 games during the regular season for the Cavs, missing a chunk of time with a hand injury.

His numbers dipped in the postseason to 14.9 points on 39.2 percent shooting (34 percent from 3) along with 10.2 rebounds, as Cleveland advanced to the NBA Finals for the fourth consecutive year.

Heading into the playoffs, Love -- who was offered to the Indiana Pacers in a trade for Paul George last June -- acknowledged that it could be his last go-round with the team that traded its No. 1 pick, Andrew Wiggins, to the Minnesota Timberwolves for him in 2014, ushering the most successful era in team history.

EDITOR'S PICKS

Sources: Cavs won't renew 2 assistants' deals
The Cavaliers will not renew the contracts of assistant coach Jim Boylan and player development coach Phil Handy, multiple league sources told ESPN.
"It could be my last run, too, so you just never know," Love told ESPN in April. "The unknown is something that you try to just put out of your hands for a certain amount of time. But, just go out there and lose yourself in it and everything will fall where it needs to."

Cleveland, owners of the No. 8 pick in the draft, will make the selection without knowing James' intention for next season, multiple sources told ESPN. James is currently on vacation with his family, sources said.

The Cavs are entering into the draft with the intention of making a selection that they will keep on their team next season. There is interest in finding a young playmaker to add to their veteran core and Cleveland believes it will have the opportunity to choose from an available player pool that will include the likes Collin Sexton, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Trae Young, Michael Porter Jr., Kevin Knox, Mikal Bridges, and others.

Cleveland has made a call to inquire about the availability of San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard, but the franchise does not believe it has the realistic assets to convince the Spurs to deal them the former Finals MVP considering what other teams on the market can offer.

After the Cavs' Game 4 loss to the Golden State Warriors in the Finals, Love addressed the uncertainty surrounding his and James' futures with the team.

Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
Among the teams still active in trying to trade higher into lottery: Dallas, Chicago, Cleveland and the Clippers, league sources tell ESPN. Philadelphia’s No. 10 pick is in play, a target for teams pursing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Otherwise, he could go No. 11 to Charlotte.

-

Sam Amico @AmicoHoops
#Cavs, #Bulls, #Mavs and #Clippers making push to move higher in lottery. #NBA

All the we want Kevin Love no matter whether Lebron stays or goes talk may be just that. Talk....... No reason to make that statement unless teams feel that you are trying to get rid of him and are devaluing him.

Collin Sexton NBA Draft 2018: Scouting Report for Cleveland Cavaliers' Pick
JONATHAN WASSERMAN
JUNE 21, 2018

PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 15: Collin Sexton #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the second half of the game in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 15, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Rob Carr/Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have selected Collin Sexton in the 2018 NBA draft with the No. 8 overall pick.

An explosive scoring guard, Sexton averaged 19.2 points as a freshman at Alabama, showing off his signature attacking style and fierce competitive nature. He'll now look to channel the offensive firepower and passion toward becoming a starting NBA point guard with more responsibility.



Quick hitters

Size: 6'1 ½"

Weight: 183 pounds

Wingspan: 6'7 ¼"

Reach: 8'2 ½"

Pro-player comparison: Eric Bledsoe



Offensive strengths

Sexton is at his best driving downhill. He puts heavy pressure on defenses with his ability to turn on the jets and get to the basket. Sexton ranked in the 87th percentile as a pick-and-roll ball-handler generating his own offense. He got to the free-throw line 10.2 times per 40 minutes. He also showed he can score without a screen, ranking in the 67th percentile out of isolation while ranking in the 80th percentile on jump shots off the dribble. As a playmaker, Sexton still needs work, but his ability to break down defenses naturally led to kickout assists and open shots for teammates.


Offensive weaknesses

His 3.6-2.8 assist-to-turnover ratio is poor for a projected NBA point guard. He was one of the best in the country scoring out of pick-and-rolls, but he only ranked in the 29th percentile as a passer. Sexton struggled to finish at the rim, shooting just 47.2 percent around the basket. As the season went on, his jumper fell off too. With a low-arcing, flat shot, Sexton only made 1.3 threes per game at a 33.6 percent clip. He shot 28.6 percent from 17 feet to the arc.




Defensive outlook

When Sexton locks in, he's tough to escape. He's quick and strong and able to lock up opposing ball-handlers. He shows good recovery speed, and if he gets screened, he's capable of getting back to his man to contest a shot or pass. Sexton does have the tendency to give up early on plays, but with NBA coaching in his ear, it shouldn't be a worrisome concern. However, after measuring 6'1 ½" in sneakers, he may be limited to guarding point guards.




Rookie-year projection

Expect an inefficient rookie season from Sexton, who's still finding his shot and isn't likely to register a strong assist-to-turnover ratio. He'll still get his baskets and go through stretches where his confidence starts to pump, resulting in points in bunches. But in 2017-18, Sexton will be more of a scoring spark than a well-rounded lead guard.



Projected role: Starter

Sexton will produce—he's too fast, athletic and skilled off the dribble not to score. If given the chance to be a primary ball-handler, his assist rate will rise with better teammates and a faster-paced league. But the point guard position is too competitive to realistically project Sexton as a future All-Star. Between the questions about his jump shot and passing, Eric Bledsoe (in his prime) is the most likely best-case scenario.

User avatar rusty2
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Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
Postby rusty2 » Sat May 19, 2018 12:18 pm

Look for Collin Sexton in the draft if he is available.

Thing I like about Sexton is he’s tough. Cavs need some toughness in a bad way.

Tom Withers @twithersAP
Altman on catching the #Warriors. “Dan Gilbert will spare no expense and is committed to winning championships.”

Altman said when he called Sexton, “he wanted to run here. That’s meaningful to us.”


Sam Amico @AmicoHoops
GM Koby Altman says #Cavs took a lot of calls on pick used to draft Collin Sexton. “Nothing approached the level of franchise-changer. ... Collin is explosive, can get to the paint. The playmaking and athleticism really drew us to him.”

Is Collin Sexton going to fit alongside LeBron James? Is he going to the Cleveland Cavaliers because he can take the reins if the world's best player leaves in free agency this summer?

Until we have clarity, it's hard to know exactly how we should feel about this particular selection. So with that in mind, let's grade the pick as if it's happening in a vacuum—only the value of this Alabama prospect at No. 8 matters.

That's good news for the Cavs, because Sexton can reasonably be considered one of the best players available at the time of his march across the stage for his first official meeting with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. He's one of the leading figures of the second tier of point guards, thanks to his immense two-way potential.

To maximize that upside, this 19-year-old needs to improve his shot selection and become a more natural passer. But his aggression as a scorer from all areas of the court, both in transition and within the half-court set, is already a positive. So too is his relentlessness on the defensive side, where he seems to genuinely love serving as a pestilent presence on and off the ball.

Sexton could be a complementary figure to an all-time great. He could be a take-no-prisoners leader. And that means he's getting high marks.

Grade: A-

So this kid won a slam dunk contest, averaged 26 points per game in the tournament (19 points per game as a freshman in the SEC) , averaged a 4.0, and played for Avery Johnson, an excellent ex NBA point guard.

Checking a lot of boxes there.

An interesting take:

8. Cleveland Cavaliers: Collin Sexton, PG, Alabama

The Cavs seems to have accepted the inevitable with this pick by drafting a ball-dominant point guard who would not fit well next to LeBron James.

Cleveland is the perfect situation for Sexton, who should be able to thrive in pick-and-rolls with Kevin Love. He’s going to have a huge role in the offense right away, which should put him right at the front of the Rookie of the Year race. The key for Cleveland is to not let him develop too many bad habits on a team without many other ball handlers.

Collin Sexton’s arrival means a new type of business for Cavs

By Jimmy Watkins Jun 22, 2018 5
The​ Cavaliers are​ back in​ the player development business.

Both Koby Altman​ and Ty Lue​ uttered​ that exact​ phrase when​​ introducing Collin Sexton, the franchise’s only first-round draft pick since 2015, and by all appearances the first who will suit up for the franchise since Anthony Bennett in 2013 (Andrew Wiggins and Tyus Jones looked in great in those Cavs hats on draft night, though). To this point in his tenure, Lue’s primary regular-season challenge has been to wade through the drama and malaise that accompanied his veteran-laden teams — it’s been a grind.

But now he’s coaching players with unrealized potential. That grind will evolve into a canvas on which his young players will explore their limits.

“We haven’t had a lot of chances to develop guys,” Lue said. “Now having (Sexton) and Clarkson and Hood and Cedi and (Ante Zizic), now we got guys we can develop and help try and mature. I’m very excited for that challenge.”

Sexton seems up for the challenge, too. He looks the part of a franchise point guard. His 6-foot, 7-inch wingspan enables him to guard either backcourt position. He opted not to have his vertical leap or speed measured at the combine, but that’s probably more because of Sexton’s confidence in his athleticism. We’ve seen quick-twitch first step and dynamic finishing ability translate to the NBA before through players like John Wall, Russell Westbrook and Eric Bledsoe — all players whom Sexton believes he emulates.

Sexton had the confidence to commit to a football school as a top-10 recruit because he believed he could change that culture. His nickname is “Young Bull,” given to him at a young age because of his unceasing competitive nature, and he played his best in college when Alabama needed to string victories together to make the NCAA Tournament.

The knock against him is his questionable jump shot, but he says he’s identified his shooting deficiency — the way the ball rotates off his fingers — and has a plan to correct it. He shot 78 percent on free throws last year, which suggests he can improve as a shooter. But of course, that improvement and his theoretical ceiling are just that: theoretical.

And the adjustment he described as his biggest challenge has nothing to do with his physical prowess or the hundreds of jump shots he’ll shoot this summer.

“Coming in, I would say you have to make sure the guys around you are all together in one,” Sexton said. “That’s the biggest thing because everybody has egos, everybody is older. Vets do certain things certain ways, so just building that relationship with your teammates, that’s’ the biggest thing.”

For the Cavs, hopefully that entails building rapport with LeBron James. Sexton attended Game 4 of The Finals and said Tuesday that he could envision himself playing on that stage. James’ camp was reportedly a big fan of Sexton during the pre-draft process.

But the Cavs didn’t just draft Sexton for that reason. They acquired Clarkson, Nance and Hood at the trade deadline for reasons beyond the need to shake up a dysfunctional locker room.

Altman and the rest of the front office are building a roster with two paradoxical goals in mind: appease James’ need to win now while ensuring there’s enough of a young core to stay competitive in a post-James future. Drafting Sexton is the latest step in that tricky and delicate dance.

“Winning championships is still our goal and will always be our goal,” Altman said. “But through that process we wanted to focus on long-term success, sustainability.”

— Reported from Independence

CLEVELAND.COM

LeBron James' four likely landing spots as a free agent
By Joe Vardon, cleveland.com | Posted June 26, 2018 at 02:37 PM


LeBron James leaves The Q on June 8 after meeting the media following the Cavs' Game 4 loss to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. What jersey will he wear in 2018-19? (Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The time is near when LeBron James must act on a $35.6 million option on his contract to stay with the Cavaliers next season. If he doesn't pick up that option by 11:59 on Friday night, he's a free agent.





James is close to a decision on that, and the Cavs are generally aware of his thinking. He is widely expected to decline the option, and, according to numerous reports, is not expected to take meetings personally with other teams.

When it comes down to it, the Cavs, Lakers, Sixers and Rockets are his most likely destinations as a free agent. They are the four teams that could:



A. Realistically pay James a maximum salary;

B. Reach an acceptable level of competition for him;

C. In two cases (Cleveland and L.A.), satisfy his family concerns;

D. Have some combination of these three things and an allure for him to play there.


The San Antonio Spurs would probably be the fifth team on this list. They have no cap space, but if James wanted to go there they could pull off a sign-and-trade to acquire him.



Here is a look at James' probable free-agent destinations, in no particular order.


Getty Images
LOS ANGELES LAKERS


How: They have the cap space ($45.3 million) to sign LeBron to a max contract right now ($35.3 million).

Contract offer: Up to four years, $152.3 million.



Roster challenges if they sign him: None, so long as he's OK with playing with a core of Lonzo Ball (pictured above), Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle and Kyle Kuzma.




If he wants a second star like Paul George ($30 million salary next season for a max deal), they'd have to renounce Randle's rights ($12.5 million cap hold) as a free agent and either trade Luol Deng ($18 million), waive him and stretch his salary, or make a trade or two to clear space.

Sounds more complicated than it is.

If the Lakers want two players on max contracts, they can do it on their own.




Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
CAVALIERS


How: They own his "Bird rights," which means they can go over the salary cap to pay him a maximum salary.

Contract offer: Up to five years, $207.4 million.



Roster challenges if they sign him: None. Whether James returns or not, the Cavs will be over the $101 million salary cap next season, so his signing has no downside.

However, because Cleveland is so cash-strapped, the only way it can add to its roster beyond James is with its $5.3 million salary cap exception for a free agent, its $5.8 million trade exception, or through a trade.



Mitchell Leff, Getty Images
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS


How: They have $26.2 million in cap space, which means they'd need to clear $9.1 million to sign him.

Contract offer: Up to four years, $152.3 million.



Roster challenges if they sign him: First, the Sixers need to clear the space, which would be no problem. They can trade Jerry Bayless' expiring contract ($8.6 million) and one or two additional assets.



Or they can waive Bayless and make a trade to clear the remaining space. Not hard.

The challenge is, Philadelphia could not bring back free agents JJ Redick or Marco Belinelli if they sign James. They are shooters -- the exact kind of player you'd want surrounding him.

James would be able to join young star Ben Simmons (pictured above).


Ronald Martinez, Getty Images
HOUSTON ROCKETS



How: They have roughly $20 million in cap space, which means they'd need to clear more than $15 million.

Contract offer: Up to four years, $152.3 million.

Roster challenges if they sign him: Just clearing the space would be almost impossible. They'd need to trade Ryan Anderson ($20.4 million), which they haven't been able to do for more than a year, and even then the problem isn't solved.

Chris Paul ($35.3 million cap hold), Trevor Ariza ($12.8 million) and Clint Capela ($7 million) are all free agents. They couldn't come back.

Or the Rockets would have to deal Eric Gordon ($13.5 million) and PJ Tucker ($8 million).

League MVP James Harden (pictured above) is locked up long term.

By far, the more palatable option for Houston (and LeBron, if he wants to go there) would be to work a sign-and-trade with Cleveland so the Rockets could bring Paul back as a free agent.

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Sam Amico

Random dribbles on the Cleveland Cavaliers as their biggest offseason since 2014 awaits.

1. It’s no secret the Cavs general manager Koby Altman and owner Dan Gilbert are busy pursuing trades to try to improve the club with LeBron James expected to opt out of his contract Friday.

2. As ESPN reported, the Cavs even picked up the option on Kendrick Perkins’ deal to help facilitate a trade.

3. According to league sources, the Cavs are “beyond busy” exploring trades and are “deep” in scenarios to add a dynamic player or two.

4. And yes, among the ideas is to clear cap space to land Oklahoma City Thunder star Paul George and/or Houston Rockets free-agent Chris Paul, as ESPN also reported. Nothing is close, but nothing has been shot down, either.

5. Dave McMenamin of ESPN shared similar news earlier. “Team sources told ESPN that the Cavs ‘continue to explore all options to improve’ heading into LeBron James’ decision about his future with the franchise,” he wrote.

6. Meanwhile, the Cavs have indeed been in touch with LeBron’s camp, as Altman mentioned on the night of the draft. Sources told Amico Hoops that LeBron’s team has done nothing to ensure LeBron is staying — but the Cavs have not been discouraged, either.

7. In fact, the front office seems to not only believe the Cavs are squarely in the mix for LeBron, but perhaps the team to beat.

8. The Los Angeles Lakers also believe they stand a good chance because … well, they’re the Lakers. But despite some reports that LeBron has already reached a decision, many around the league feel he is merely leaning one way — and waiting to see if anyone can put together a great reason for him to leave Cleveland.

9. Granted, it won’t be easy for the Cavs to land a George or a Paul. Because of they’re already so deep into the luxury tax, they can’t receive players in sign-and-trade arrangements. Instead, the Cavs will have to find a way to miraculously clear cap space with trades, then convince George and/or Paul to join in free agency.

10. One side note to all that: The Cavs believe it’s possible.

11. ESPN reported San Antonio Spurs star Kawhi Leonard could be a big player in all this, and that sure sounds right. The Lakers want Leonard, with or without LeBron. Apparently, like George, Leonard wants the Lakers, too. But without at least one, it’s hard to envision LeBron landing in LA.

12. Finally, yes, the Spurs are among the teams being called on by the Cavs. Other than the Cavs trying to pry away Leonard, there’s no information on who else is being discussed. If a deal ever happens, you can bet it will cost the Cavs at least Kevin Love or first-round draft pick Collin Sexton — or both.