15th Roster Spot?

[Kouki]

I really wish we could cut Jones and Miller. I appreciate that they are good lockerroom guys and may come around during the playoffs, but right now they are only playing because we have no one else to play. And their lockerroom influence seems to not be helping since we are in disarray right now between players and coaches. These guys are supposed to be extensions of the coach on the practice floor, outside the practice floor, and in games...I don't see any evidence of that though.

Don't know who we would pick up though, and I'm sure it would tick LeBron off. Maybe we can get them "jobs" in the organization...how many more "shooting consultant" positions are open?

 

[kookoo]

If we're truly going to make a run at an Eastern conference title, then I would like to see the following moves made.

Out = Joe Harris

In = Tayshaun Prince
In = Jermaine O'Neal or Dalembert


Something like that.

I like Harris, but he's not going to help us win this year.

Prince has had some ok games this year. I'm not saying he would be with the team next year, but I would rather have Prince playing perimeter defense than someone like Miller or Jones.

Getting O'Neal or Dalembert (or someone similar) means we don't have to rely on Tristan as a backup center and we can have some real height/bulk and shotblocking on the court at all times.

None of LeBron's guys is going to be cut or waived. So that eliminates Jones and Miller. We have one roster spot open now, and if we offload Harris that becomes two spots.

We also could use another point guard but that might have to wait until the summer. I would rather have another center and another perimeter defender before getting another point guard.

If LeBron was fine with dropping James Jones, that's who I'd want out. Also, when Shumpert is healthy, we have a wing rotation of Shumpert, Smith and Miller. I think our immediate needs to make us a better team are a backup pg and a backup center allowing us to play guys at their natural positions. We can then send Delly and Harris to Canton, hope they develop and have them as our young rotation guys next season. Also, get Delly to do some plyometrics, I mean damn...

 

[Cayman13]

Delly's not improving - he is what he is. Another wasted roster spot, IMO. At least, when you have 3-4 OTHER wasted roster spots.

 

[Caffegy]

Personally, and I've said this before but I want Kendall Marshall on this team. If there is anything this team is lacking its a pass first point guard. He would be a good backup point guard as well and could be the Ricky Rubio to Kevin Love. Would get him some good shots. Lebron is the only playmaker we have who creates for others.

Marshall will be a free agent next summer and is making about 900k which is Delly territory.

 

[kovanovich]

I think one of the overlooked failures of the Cavs' 4 year rebuild was the near complete inability to find even one decent player via the secondary market (unsigned free agent, small trade, etc.). I think the player the team picked up who came closest to being a "success" was Alonzo Gee, and that pretty much tells you all you need to know. I thought Delly was going to be that guy, but now it doesn't look like it. I thought we should have been trying out more players on the margins during those years in the wilderness in the hopes of uncovering someone rather than bringing the Samardo Samuels of the world back year after year, presumably because we were "developing" him.

I mean, success stories of the sort I am talking about don't grow on trees, but every year there are a few examples of players in the scrap heap who somehow surface and perform well. Hassan Whiteside is the guy who is emerging pretty much as I type. Small sample size for him, but who foresaw that?

I'm not saying the Cavs should be trying to find that diamond in the rough in their efforts to fill that 15th roster spot, but part of me thinks it makes more sense to bring in a Quincy Miller type player, who at one time (before injuries) was viewed as major prospect and who may be figuring things out, than a retread like Tay Prince.

EDIT: One point maybe in Miller's favor is that he has been playing mostly PF in the D League, and blocking a huge number of shots. Now maybe he can't play significant minutes right now at PF against a front line like, for instance, Chicago or Washington, but he is showing the ability against lesser competition, and maybe he can grow into a legitimate NBA combo forward.

The other thing is that I think we can hope that next year the roster will be deeper with legitimate players throughout the depth chart if we can cut ties with James Jones (Mike Miller has a player option so he will likely be back), maybe Delly if he doesn't turn things around, and of course Haywood. Cavs will have to keep Varejao on the roster till he is healthy (if he ever is again).

 

[kovanovich]

A backup PG possibility, if the Cavs want to go in that direction:

ESPNSteinLine Marc Stein
Clippers, I'm told, will also waive PG Jordan Farmar today

Also, Celtics will be waiving Chris Douglas-Roberts. Don't think there would be any interest there.

 

[mds]

Farmar has been awful in LA, for whatever that is worth.

 

[MoFlo]

View: https://twitter.com/SpearsNBAYahoo/status/555871414532587521

 

[Caffegy]

yay, yet another chucking player in the backcourt who can't play defense.

 

[I.K.W.T]

Cannot force me to root for JR AND Nate. Not a chance.

 

[wuck]

When they let go of Price, Griffin talked about finding a PG replacement. So I guess that part is not a surprise. But he's not the kind I had mind.

 

[Man Called X]

I'd take Farmar long before I'd ever think about Nate Robinson.

Again, NO MIDGETS.

 

[mds]

I love Nate kind of like I how love JR, pure entertainment. I agree that if we sign another PG it should be one of the great passing and defense variety, not a monster chucker.

 

[wuck]

I'm going to be an optimist and say this news is being floated in order to convince an agent of a player I like more to decide that player needs to get moving and sign with the Cavs before the spot is filled.

 

[Randolphkeys]

If healthy Nate were available, I would be interested. I don't think Nate is healthy enough to play at the level we saw in Chicago.