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Addressing the hole at center

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Assuming we do bring Tristan back next season, I can't be the only person that is worried that we will have 20+ million dollars a season tied up in centers that don't provide a modicum of what we desperately need at that position.
 
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KLove14 said:
Interesting article about rim protectors so far. Don't know if it has been posted

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on...ol-beasting-among-best-brook-lopez-struggling
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According to this both our centers are better than Anthony Davis at protecting the rim.

I really don't think center is our main problem. It truly seems like effort and focus. When the team is locked in they seem to get multiple stops. Yeah a shot blocking center could erase a couple mistakes, but he would not erase the drive penetration that is simply killing the defense. Gotta do that work early and cut off the drive.
 
Dion and TT for Mayo and Sanders and throw in a couple draft picks? I also keep going back to Dion for Noel since Dion is from Philly
 
I know they probably won't trade him but I would love to have Brandon Wright on this team.
 
If we end up missing out on getting a rim protector this year, I'm beginning to warm up on the idea of JaVale McGee. While I think we should first swing for the fences and go for Hibbert, McGee would give us the size and shot blocking we need while still letting us run the floor.

If we could get him straight up for Haywood's contract, I think it would be a pretty solid deal. And since I know that everyone's biggest concern with McGee is that he can be an idiot at times, we would only be locked in for one year. We can easily move on if he proves to be a problem.
 
Jason Lloyd chimed in on the trade targets.

Below are the Centers he listed that fit inside the trade exception. Doesn't have to be a trade exception I guess. I wonder if a Waiters for Biyombo deal would fly? But then, with the way Biyombo has been playing, it might make sense to just see if the MLE is enough to get him away from Charlotte next summer.

http://www.ohio.com/sports/cavs/jas...that-fit-within-cavs-trade-exception-1.545438

Bismack Biyombo, Hornets, $4.1 million (restricted next summer)

A relative disappointment since being selected seventh overall in 2011, Biyombo is still only 22. Incredibly athletic, but awful offensively. His strengths are supposed to be rebounding and defense, but he has struggled with that this season and can’t find a consistent spot in Steve Clifford’s rotation.

Samuel Dalembert, New York Knicks, $3.9 million (unrestricted)

Dalembert, 33, is an effective rim protector (averages 3.7 blocked shots per 100 possessions) starting for the struggling Knicks. This is his fifth team in as many seasons and he could very well be on the move again at the deadline.

Kosta Koufos, Memphis Grizzlies, $3 million (unrestricted)

Also high on the Cavs’ wish list for big men is Koufos, who is still only 25 and figuring out how to play in the NBA in this his seventh season. But the Grizzlies have the league’s best record right now and have no motivation to trade one of their best reserves.

Timofey Mozgov, $4.65 million ($4.95 million team option 2015-16)

The name that keeps surfacing as a potential rim protector, but the Nuggets still aren’t really interested in moving him. The Cavs are hopeful that changes by February if/when the Nuggets’ playoff odds have faded.

Zaza Pachulia, Milwaukee Bucks $5.2 million ($5.2 million 2015-16)

The Bucks have been an early surprise, but it probably won’t last. Pachulia, 30, has great size (6-foot-11), but has never been considered a great shot blocker or rebounder.

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Biyombo's season is looking curious. He's having a Rodman level year as rebounder, looks like the best defender on that team, has a 20 PER, and his adjusted +/- is as close to positive as it's ever been in his career, and he just turned 22. But Biyombo is deep on the bench with Jefferson (32min/g), Zeller (24 min/g), Williams (24 min/g), & Maxiel (12 min/g) in the rotation. The Hornets also want to find playing time for their rookie Vonleh.

Seems like he'd be the kind of guy that might become available in a trade during the season. Hard for the Cavs to make a really aggressive trade offer here though. Biyombo would still only get limited minutes behind Love (35), Thompson (25) and Varejao (24). Doesn't make sense to give up real talent for a guy you only plan to play 12 minutes a game unless you are totally sold on his upside. Cavs could target him as a free agent next summer using the MLE if they were still interested.

But Charelotte is in the middle of a huge losing streak. Maybe they are desperate.
 
crowned1 said:
Dion for Gobert :)
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That would have actually peaked my interest if LBJ hadn't come back. But switching out a player who doesn't fit with a player who's too raw to really contribute on a winning team doesn't really move the needle.
 
Rich said:
That would have actually peaked my interest if LBJ hadn't come back. But switching out a player who doesn't fit with a player who's too raw to really contribute on a winning team doesn't really move the needle.
Click to expand...

I'm very interested in Gobert. Not sure the Jazz would give him up, though. I think they like him quite a bit.

Some rim protection stats so far this season, taken from here: http://nyloncalculus.com/stats/rim-protection/

RwV2D1a.png


Gobert does a couple of things well -- block/alter shots and get garbage rebounds/putbacks, with some lobs thrown in there. That's about all we'd need him to do, too. I think he'd be perfect for this team.

Just don't see the Jazz parting with him, though.
 
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