I was surprised to read Blatt's comments relative to Mozgov's health and how it's effecting his production, as they seem to contradict themselves in logic.
It's no secret Mozgov did not heal 100% before seasons start from his surgical knee procedure in the offseason.
Instead of playing him through it in order to get there as Blatt alluded, wouldn't it make more sense to play him less, much less in fact, in order for he to heal properly and get back to 100%?
Now I'm not proposing to shut Mozgov down completely, he's obviously healthy enough to be on the floor for at least minimum minutes. What I'm proposing is to flip flop he and Andy's minutes, for a few reasons.
First off, the goal should be ultimately to get Mozgov 100%, both physically and mentally. Since Mozgov can't play 100% to his potential currently due to his health, I'm concerned of the mental residual effects potentially to his confidence as his overall production struggles to catch up with his increased health.
I suggest to still let him play minimum minutes to continue his in game conditioning, but vastly minimize the pounding he takes in the paint playing 20+ minutes. Get him completely healthy for the stretch run.
In playing Andy, you still have a viable center who will actually provide the team more offensively with an increased role than Mozgov, as he and James have mastered the pick and roll together.
What this move will cause as a lost probable negative is a lack of rim protection Mozgov provides, but it's not like Andy doesn't provide defensive production. He may not protect the rim like Mozgov, but he does hustle, dive for loose balls, and take charges better than anyone else on the team...besides maybe Delly.
I think for the team's long term well being, swapping these two's minutes may in deed be the best solution to further solidify Andy's role/niche on this team, and most importantly, get Mozgov 100% healthy.
This Cavs team is so versatile, it can go a 10 to 15, even up to a 20 game stretch if need be, and play more of a fast paced, small ball lineup, minus significant minute production from Moz during the same stretch.
This also will/would give James Jones more minutes I would believe at the stretch 4, as this small ball type of play is conducive to his skill set.
Lastly. and I've mentioned this before on here, a collateral move I'd make once Shump and Irving our back and the deadline to roster our 15th roster spot arrives for all non guaranteed deals (Cunningham)......I'd sign in addition and in a heartbeat bought out, free agent Larry Sanders for the 2nd half of the year. In fact, praying these wheels are churning behind the scenes as we speak!
Head case or not, the Cavs only have one true rim protector in Mozgov, and there's no guarantee he'll return to 100% this season. To be able to add an all star caliber talent in Sanders is already difficult enough for one thing, as only two teams currently sit in a position cap wise to offer Sanders anything bigger than league minimum (Philly and Portland).
But to be able to do so also as adding that type of talent strictly as a specialist/specific niche role in limited minutes.... well IMO it's just is too hard to ignore it's opportunity.
Sanders can come in and simply concentrate on protecting the rim when the Cavs play larger front court teams, and he won't be in a position to demand large minutes or a large role for any team, let alone a contending one.
Lebron could keep him on the straight and narrow and with little risk to the Cavs roster moving forward. If he's not a fit, he's the 15th guy off the bench who loves on next season a la Kendrick Perkins. If he's a hit, well them you just light have hit a grand slam using this type of opportunity at such a low risk in adding a player such as him.
The icing on the cake also relative to the Cavs roster flexibility is neither of the Cavs trade exceptions need touched to add Sanders, and if he decided he wanted to remain a Cav, they could sign him to the mid level each offseason until they own his bird rights. What's significant about this it's not only feasible, it's realistic.
Sanders already woke up one day and said no thanks to 30 million, I'm good... Money is obviously not the most important thing to this cat, what's comfortable to him is. If the Cavs treat him right with a return to the NBA, Sanders seems the type who would be loyal to the organization who have him a second shot. Especially an organization he knows pays it's star players, and will do he once they acquire his bird rights. Not only will he still be collecting between 2-3 million per season from the Bucks as part of his buyout, the mid level will be nothing to sneeze at as the cap is predicting to explode almost double In size by 2017. Today's 5-6 million mid level exception will incrementally become a 10-11 million dollar per year player! Add that to hi yearly buyout return, and now all of a sudden this becomes a plausible, realistic scenario from a financial perspective, as well as a personnel for the Cavs and Sanders. If I'm Lebron I'm starting the dialogue today with Sanders to get the wheels in motion.
As far as fit, this potential versatility and it's risk/reward potential can be referenced by looks no further than the the Warriors last postseason. They were so deep and so versatile that they could actually afford to sit Andre Bogut most of the finals against the Cavs, with their version of small ball. But they also had his 8 figure salary option to bring off the bench at any time.
The Cavs would arguably have a better, similar option this post season if this came to fruition, at league minimum cost and the option to move on elsewhere if deemed not a fit in the offseason. All without using or compromising any current or future assets to potentially further add to the roster.
To me it's a no brainer.
