Re: Welcome Marreese Speights
Speights has completely changed this team. Too bad we didn't have him all year long, otherwise I seriously think we could have made the playoffs.
Unless we're getting a lottery pick, or a potential star in a package deal for him. I don't see why they should trade him. Speights makes this team better! The idea is to be better, right?
Speights is invaluable to this team now and in the FUTURE, I think he and Ellington have to kept IMHO....
It's going to be interesting to see how this situation plays out. The value he has added to this team is certainly undeniable. I would love to retain him as long as we can make it work and it doesn't hamstring us for future deals. The addition of Speights and Ellington as well as Tristan's development have significantly improved this team. Grant has made some really crafty moves this season to bolster the bench.
I think bringing back Livingston would be smart. He's played solid ball since he's been here, can play both guard positions, and even SF at times thanks to his length. Ellington has played tough D and shot the ball well. Speights has rebounded, scored, and played good D. His shot is a great asset for the penetration abilities of Irving and Waiters. I think the hope within the front office is probably that AV returns healthy next season and Zeller plays well enough to stay in the starting lineup. Ideally, they land Noel or Len to start at C. IF that can happen and we re-sign Speights, suddenly this team is deep going into next year, with a very good big rotation:
PG: Irving, Livingston
SG: Waiters, Ellington
SF: Gee
PF: Thompson, AV, Zeller
C: (Noel / Len), Speights
That'd be a really nice 10-man rotation already, and you'd still have the Lakers/Heat pick to add another young player in the mix. What's even better? Every player in that rotation is currently 25 or younger, aside from AV and Livingston (27). That, to me, is a playoff team next year with a ton of room to grow, a butt-load of future draft picks to continue to add young talent, and a plethora of cap-space to bring in complimentary players. If Waiters makes a simliar jump next season that we are currently witnessing from Tristan, look out.
I hate to reference per 36 numbers, but thought I'd take a look at Speights' per 36 since coming to Cleveland: 21.6 pts, 10.8 reb, 1.2 blk, 53% from the field, 83% from the line. Obviously not a true indicator of what he'd do if he truly played that much, but interesting to look at nonetheless.