2020 Offseason

[Muffinalt]

J.B. Bickerstaff Offers High Praise for 'Uniqueness' of Dean Wade

One young prospect that has impressed so far is Dean Wade. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has nothing but praises for the 23-year-old rookie. Wade figures to be an important part of the organization moving forward. After going undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft, he was signed to a two-way contract by...

cavaliersnation.com

I kinda like the way JBB talks about the players. He seems to praise them for their clear personal strengths, probably good at identifying how they should be used and what their limitations are. Bodes well for future lineups. Also was evident very fast with the 3 big lineup.

 

[FrontPageNews]

Someone here proposed creative ways to draft FOUR guys in this draft!
Some others seem to have discovered Kawhi-2.0 in Okoro!

Look again. Take a few more days. I am sure you will find something.

I’ve been looking for months. There’s nothing special. Anyone who says okoro is the next kawhi just had an overactive imagination.

 

[Vipra]

Seems like Garland, Sexton, Windler, ........ all the way to Wade, looked exceptional in the camp!

Add to that the prospect we're gonna draft!!

The rest of the league will never know what hit'em!!!

 

[MirORich]

God this draft sucks the more and more I look at it. Is there any all star quality players in the last year of their rookie deal we can make a move for with the pick?

Every. Single. Draft. Of the past 15 or so years has ended up with at least 5-6 all star types and a few more good rotational types. Often at least half of those guys are not the ones assumed to have that level of success. The drafts heralded as great, good, average, below average, and horrible.

If the Cavs choose the stay at 5 they will absolutely be in a position to choose a guy(regardless of where he’s projected to go) who can be an all star at some point in his career. Will they take the right guy? Hard to know. But they are absolutely in this draft and the Cavs will be in a position to select one.

 

[Nathan S]

Kawhi/Okoro is a tricky comparison because they played such different roles in college. Specifically, Kawhi led his team in usage (even as a Freshman), but struggled some with efficiency. Okoro was just 4th on his team in usage, but was very efficient (at least inside the arc) within his modest role. That doesn't necessarily mean it's impossible for Okoro to follow Kawhi's trajectory, but his starting point coming out of college is very, very different.

 

[Cavatt]

Kawhi/Okoro is a tricky comparison because they played such different roles in college. Specifically, Kawhi led his team in usage (even as a Freshman), but struggled some with efficiency. Okoro was just 4th on his team in usage, but was very efficient (at least inside the arc) within his modest role. That doesn't necessarily mean it's impossible for Okoro to follow Kawhi's trajectory, but his starting point coming out of college is very, very different.

Even then, he looked like a complementary guy his first few years. After his rookie year, people were impressed, but I don't think anyone thought Kawhi would be a crunch time scorer or particularly efficient shooter. Guy who helps you win and can guard the best player for sure. Getting best player in the league kudos, I didn't think that even as the best player on the Spurs.

I do think Okoro has some star upside potential, but I also see him as very efficient 2 way player, who could probably be that 2nd or 3rd guy.

 

[sailfish]

Seems like Garland, Sexton, Windler, ........ all the way to Wade, looked exceptional in the camp!

Add to that the prospect we're gonna draft!!

The rest of the league will never know what hit'em!!!

Championship!
In all seriousness, I like the young core they are building. Hopefully they don’t rip it apart to add some overpaid veteran, like Ben Simmons.

 

[ansatsusha80]

Articles are old but it tells you how the defense improved under Bickerstaff.

The team was 17th in defensive rating under Bickerstaff(11 games).

Why J.B. Bickerstaff is the Coach the Cavs so Desperately Need

When John Beilein stepped down as the Cavaliers head coach, everyone thought it was another...

clesportstalk.com

Current Cavaliers who could help improve the team’s wing defense

www.fearthesword.com

 

[Nathan S]

Even then, he looked like a complementary guy his first few years. After his rookie year, people were impressed, but I don't think anyone thought Kawhi would be a crunch time scorer or particularly efficient shooter. Guy who helps you win and can guard the best player for sure. Getting best player in the league kudos, I didn't think that even as the best player on the Spurs.

I do think Okoro has some star upside potential, but I also see him as very efficient 2 way player, who could probably be that 2nd or 3rd guy.

I'm just saying, people ask "how could we have expected that Kawhi would develop into a franchise player?" and there's actually a pretty straightforward answer, which is that he was the clear #1 guy on a 34-3 team in college at age 19.

 

[daddywags]

I'm just saying, people ask "how could we have expected that Kawhi would develop into a franchise player?" and there's actually a pretty straightforward answer, which is that he was the clear #1 guy on a 34-3 team in college at age 19.

Unless I'm mistaken, there were a few folks on this site who wanted Kawhi to be in the conversation at 4 in that draft. I had never heard of him so don't think I had an opinion.

 

[Nathan S]

Unless I'm mistaken, there were a few folks on this site who wanted Kawhi to be in the conversation at 4 in that draft. I had never heard of him so don't think I had an opinion.

He was a clear star in the NCAA, but I think people (reasonably enough) wondered if his game would translate with his lack of shooting. 2nd team All-American and Wooden finalist at age 19, combined with high-level team success, usually spells high lottery pick.

 

[daytripper]

Who compared Okoro to Kawhi?

 

[Cavatt]

Who compared Okoro to Kawhi?

I think it is meant more as under the radar star power, buy Nathan is saying more under the radar than Kawhi because Okoro's usage is low.

He's a star for them, and their record with and without him points to him being important for winning, but the ball isn't in his hands all that much. It's one reason I like him, because he contributes to winning outside of scoring, and he creates his own offense on D. He's not taking the ball out of Darius and Collin's hands in other words.

 

[Lee]

Who compared Okoro to Kawhi?

I think he is more of a Paul Pierce type.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Jason Lloyd has a column in The Athletic about how the Cavs should try and emulate Miami in rebuilding. He noted it normally takes 7-12 years after a superstar leaves to get back to the Finals. He cited the Bulls after Jordon, the Celtics after Bird, etc. LeBron has been gone four years so Lloyd asks where will the Cavs be in 2024.

Lloyd: Six years post-LeBron, Miami's in the Finals. Where will Cavs be in 2024?

After James' second departure, Cleveland would benefit from emulating Miami's structure, stability, approach to player development.

theathletic.com

Here are a couple of excerpts. I bolded some key points:

For years, teams have tried to tank and accumulate high lottery picks, believing it was the best way to win long term in the NBA. The last two seasons have illustrated alternative paths, particularly in the weakened Eastern Conference.

Good scouting and player development are proving more effective than simply drafting higher than everyone else.

The Heat selected Tyler Herro 13th overall and Bam Adebayo 14th in separate drafts. Justise Winslow, who was traded away in the deal that brought Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill to Miami, was drafted 10th, and Duncan Robinson was an undrafted free agent. In case you think that’s an anomaly, the two teams left standing in the East last year, Toronto and Milwaukee, were built much the same way.

The Raptors won a championship last year with Kawhi Leonard, who was acquired by trade, but was nonetheless the highest-drafted player on the team at 15th overall. Half of Toronto’s roster went undrafted. They beat a Bucks team led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was also chosen 15th overall. The Bucks, like the Raptors and now the Heat, are filled with guys who developed into great players. They weren’t drafted as elite...

“You need three things,” former Jazz GM Kevin O’Connor told me a few years ago. “You need the ability to sign free agents, and that means money under the cap. You need draft picks, and you need the ability to get lucky once in a while on players.” [The column noted that Miami signed Jimmy Butler - the right free agent at the right time]....

Where will the Cavs be in four years?

That depends on the development of guys like Collin Sexton, Kevin Porter Jr., Darius Garland and whomever they select fifth overall in this draft.
I’ve written for a year how the Cavs have been thrilled with Porter, whom they snagged with the last pick in the first round last year, and believe he could have the highest ceiling of anyone on the team. It was a great job of scouting and the right time to take a chance on a young kid with high upside. Now it’s on them to continue developing him.

Player development is more than just getting lucky in the draft. It starts with hiring the right people and letting them do their jobs. The Cavs haven’t had the same coach/GM combination for six consecutive years since Wayne Embry paired with Lenny Wilkens and then Mike Fratello. [Lloyd contrasts the Cavs with the Indians who have stability in the front office (Antonetti has been there since 1999 and Chernoff since 2003)].

Where will the Cavs be in four years?

See how many times the leadership positions turn over or if Koby Altman and J.B. Bickerstaff are still here. That’s always the first indicator for any hope at sustained success.

Miami mastered that long ago. Cleveland is still learning.