15th Roster Spot?

[LeShaq]

Sir John, you gotta watch them play. You can't just go off of their stats, especially for these two players, and make these kinds of conclusions. It's an incomplete argument.

I agree with this assessment.

 

[SteelSmack]

Where can I look up how well Nelson shoots "wide open" vs. how Delly does. I imagine Delly shoots so well because no one guards him. I doubt Nelson has the same luxury, which could be a reason for the discrepancy in shooting between them.

And ultimately this is fairly irrelevant, I don't want Nelson because he's a better shooter than Delly. I want Nelson because I'm still convinced Delly is more SG than he is PG, and Nelson is more PG than he is SG, and when Kyrie and LeBron are off the court, we need someone that is more PG than SG running the offense. They can both coexist on our team, and I think they'd complement each other nicely.

 

[gourimoko]

Where can I look up how well Nelson shoots "wide open" vs. how Delly does. I imagine Delly shoots so well because no one guards him. I doubt Nelson has the same luxury, which could be a reason for the discrepancy in shooting between them.

Delly doesn't take enough midrange shots per game to make a case either way, that's the problem.

And ultimately this is fairly irrelevant, I don't want Nelson because he's a better shooter than Delly. I want Nelson because I'm still convinced Delly is more SG than he is PG, and Nelson is more PG than he is SG

Which is exactly why the Cavs want him too. Personally, I'd rather go a different direction. But Nelson and Delly aren't similar players more so for this reason than any other.

, and when Kyrie and LeBron are off the court, we need someone that is more PG than SG running the offense.

Or even when both are on the floor. LBJ has been extremely turnover prone when running the point, and Irving is still very very good when playing off-the-ball. Makes sense to play them alongside another point guard if possible.

But again, I'd still rather have a big. And I'd still rather have Delly than Nelson.

They can both coexist on our team, and I think they'd complement each other nicely.

I dunno... this is hard to say.

 

[SteelSmack]

To clarify, I'd want Nelson if he were to get bought out, he cleared waivers and then we paid the vet-minimum for him. I wouldn't actually send anything out to get him. I do like him better than most (if not all) of the FA PGs that are out there, though. Bobby Brown intrigues me some, but truth be told I know virtually nothing about him.

I'm not sure I'd say I prefer a big to a PG. Kyrie or LeBron gets hurt, and our lack of ball handlers will hurt. Moz or Love get hurt and our lack of size will hurt. They're both pretty equal needs, to me.

If we can a solid contributor that fills one of those needs with Harris + Haywood, I'm not going to complain, but I don't think Nelson fits that description. If I'm dumping assets at this point, I'd want it to be for someone that I'd consistently play over Delly or Marion, and I don't feel like I could say that about Nelson with any certainty.

 

[LeShaq]

Sanders is a free agent. He's been bought out.

Get him, Griff!

 

[Lumthemad]

Woj just killed any hope with his tweet on Sanders. Sounds Sanders is spending the remainder of his season searching his soul.

 

[Kypus]

Not that Ray Ray was going to happen once we signed Perkins anyway...now with Kyrie possibly out, everything's up in the air...

View: https://twitter.com/ESPNCleveland/status/571304951261073408

 

[ajz20]

Not that Ray Ray was going to happen once we signed Perkins anyway...now with Kyrie possibly out, everything's up in the air...

View: https://twitter.com/ESPNCleveland/status/571304951261073408

The major concern right now is PG. I really wish we could have gotten a guy like Cole. If you saw the Peilcans, Raptor game last week we see why he is a good PG as a backup.
Can push tempo, run the offense and defend and score enough.

 

[Dribble]

Windhorst doesn't know squat anymore, he just making up stories now. he is not a reliable source anymore, he is more of a fiction writer/storyteller right now .

 

[wuck]

From Lloyd's final thoughts:

---

3. The Cavs did try to upgrade the backup point guard position prior to the trade deadline, but couldn’t execute a deal. That means Delly will remain the backup, but Shumpert could be looming as a wild card.

8. Since they were unable to make a trade, the Cavs will have a hard time now finding a point guard on the free agent market. There will be options available, such as Will Bynum returning from China within the next couple weeks, but the Cavs are out of roster spots.

9. In order to add anyone now, the Cavs would have to cut some bone. They won’t release Joe Harris because he’s a good shooter on a cheap contract under team control for the foreseeable future. That’s valuable both to the Cavs and as a trade chip this summer. They won’t cut Brendan Haywood because his unique contract is too valuable in trade this summer.

10. See where this is headed? That leaves guys close to James such as James Jones and Mike Miller. But Jones started tonight in place of James and Blatt loves how he keeps himself ready to play and can remain effective despite sporadic playing time. Miller has fallen completely out of the rotation and at times looks like he’s struggling to move up and down the court, but holds a player option for next season that automatically becomes guaranteed if he’s released.

11. Miller and Jones are both tremendous influences in the locker room and both have a wealth of postseason experience. The Cavs are prepared to have some difficult conversations if the right opportunity presents itself, but that seems highly unlikely at this point. And by “right opportunity,” it would have to be a point guard that is clearly and dramatically an upgrade over Dellavedova. The Cavs don’t believe Bynum fits that, at least not at the opportunity cost of who they would have to lose off this roster.

 

[kovanovich]

Lloyd's point about Harris is interesting because it flatly contradicts Windhorst, who said in his Friday radio show that if the Cavs felt the need to sign another player, Harris would be waived.

This would mean the Cavs would have to eat his $800K guaranteed salary for next season.

Personally, I agree with Windhorst on this. Can't see the Cavs waiving one of the vets, for a whole range of different reasons. As Ben has said, ultimately it just seems unlikely Harris is anything other than a dime a dozen player who is easily replaced down the line.

 

[kookoo]

I still think the best option if Miller is just a cheerleader at this point is to drop him, then hire him as a shooting coach. It's really between him and Jones right now. I can't wait for next season, when we trim some of the fat off this filet mignon.

 

[wuck]

I still think the best option if Miller is just a cheerleader at this point is to drop him, then hire him as a shooting coach.

It's good in theory, but if they waive Miller (as Windhorst mentions), his contract for next year automatically becomes guaranteed. It's kind of hard to convince a guy to take one for the team by asking him to retire...

 

[KilgoreTrout]

From Lloyd's final thoughts:

---

3. The Cavs did try to upgrade the backup point guard position prior to the trade deadline, but couldn’t execute a deal. That means Delly will remain the backup, but Shumpert could be looming as a wild card.

8. Since they were unable to make a trade, the Cavs will have a hard time now finding a point guard on the free agent market. There will be options available, such as Will Bynum returning from China within the next couple weeks, but the Cavs are out of roster spots.

9. In order to add anyone now, the Cavs would have to cut some bone. They won’t release Joe Harris because he’s a good shooter on a cheap contract under team control for the foreseeable future. That’s valuable both to the Cavs and as a trade chip this summer. They won’t cut Brendan Haywood because his unique contract is too valuable in trade this summer.

10. See where this is headed? That leaves guys close to James such as James Jones and Mike Miller. But Jones started tonight in place of James and Blatt loves how he keeps himself ready to play and can remain effective despite sporadic playing time. Miller has fallen completely out of the rotation and at times looks like he’s struggling to move up and down the court, but holds a player option for next season that automatically becomes guaranteed if he’s released.

11. Miller and Jones are both tremendous influences in the locker room and both have a wealth of postseason experience. The Cavs are prepared to have some difficult conversations if the right opportunity presents itself, but that seems highly unlikely at this point. And by “right opportunity,” it would have to be a point guard that is clearly and dramatically an upgrade over Dellavedova. The Cavs don’t believe Bynum fits that, at least not at the opportunity cost of who they would have to lose off this roster.

Ugh.

 

[kookoo]

It's good in theory, but if they waive Miller (as Windhorst mentions), his contract for next year automatically becomes guaranteed. It's kind of hard to convince a guy to take one for the team by asking him to retire...

I see it as a similar situation to us trading Big Z. It's something we didn't want to do, but it was for the greater good of the team and he ultimately made his way back to the team. Delly has been really good over the last few weeks, in limited minutes. But if something does happen to Irving in the playoffs, I'm nowhere near convinced Delly can step up and play the minutes Kyrie does.

An alternate to signing a point guard is developing Shumpert, but then Miller or Jones would have to step up as a 2/3 off the bench.