2021-2022 Cavaliers General Discussion: Trade Deadline Edition

[Wham with the Right Hand]

From John Hollinger's week in review:

In 2002-03, the Detroit Pistons went 50-32… and that record, unbelievably, was good for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. It’s the lowest 82-game win total and lowest winning percentage to garner the top seed in either conference since the mid-1970s.

That honor may have some competition this year. With just over half the season completed, most projections show a win total in the low 50s being enough to claim the East’s top seed — 51 here, for instance, or 52 here. That figure may end up on the low side — surely somebody will have a hot streak, right… right? — it speaks to the meh-ness of the East’s contender class this season. While Phoenix streaks to 60 wins and the league’s best four records all reside in the West, the top of the East is a six-car pileup of good-not-greatness.

Does anybody want to be the top seed in this conference? Will the playoff seedings be a complete mess? Will we end up with Milwaukee and Brooklyn meeting in the first round? Has a conference ever had an eight-way tie at 47-35 before?

And this:

As the No. 3 seed, Brooklyn could have “road-court advantage” in the second round and conference finals with [Kyrie] Irving eligible for four games rather than three.

And finally he gets to the Cavs:

All of which leaves the Cleveland Cavaliers — yes, Cleveland, fresh off a 22-win season and basically operating with only one healthy player who can dribble — as the team with the conference’s best point differential (+5.1) and best schedule-adjusted net rating (+5.7). At 27-18, the Cavs are only 1.5 games out of the top spot in the East and have the easiest remaining schedule of any contender by a wide margin.

Cleveland also won Monday, over Brooklyn, again fueled by a dominant interior defense that has the Cavs third in defensive efficiency. Alas, they are now operating without both Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio, both out for the season with knee injuries, and offensively seem desperate for some guard help. Can they seriously keep winning with Darius Garland having to carry this kind of load for 40 minutes? And what, pray tell, happens if Garland should miss a game or two? As a result, the Cavs are another team that seems to need trade-deadline upgrades (more serious ones than applying a Rajon Rondo tourniquet to the backcourt) to cement a high seed.

In conclusion:

All of which leaves us with much intrigue for the second half of the season in the East … even if it’s for the honor of being the conference’s least-imposing top seed in years. With six flawed teams bunched drum-tight in the standings, seemingly any order of finish is on the table. Stay tuned, because this could get wacky.

 

[CavsKermit]

The smart play is to wait until the deadline for three reasons: (1) If Garland should have a serious injury, the season will be lost, so if you're thinking about trading a first round pick, wait until the last minute. (2) A lot of the players the Cavs have been linked to E. Gordon, CJ McCollum, and LeVert (yuck), are players those teams don't want on their rosters after the deadline. Whatever compensation those teams are asking for now will be greatly reduced, probably to fire sale levels, when the prospect of bringing those players, and their salaries, back next summer gets closer to reality. (3) A Ben Simmons trade could morph into a three or four team deal and you never know when an opportunity to snag an unexpected guy like Allen will arise.

 

[Lee]

Kyrie pretends to be above it all. He really isn't.

Its hard to be above it all because you are afraid of flying because you dont want to fall of the edge of the Earth.

 

[Prof123]

All of which leaves the Cleveland Cavaliers — yes, Cleveland, fresh off a 22-win season and basically operating with only one healthy player who can dribble — as the team with the conference’s best point differential (+5.1) and best schedule-adjusted net rating (+5.7). At 27-18, the Cavs are only 1.5 games out of the top spot in the East and have the easiest remaining schedule of any contender by a wide margin.

That is a good point -- Brooklyn may try to avoid the top seed. They won't lose on purpose, of course, but they certainly won't wear their guys out in regular season games just to secure home-court advantage. The 3 seed would be perfect. They probably figure they can win against the 5 seed with Irving only playing on the road but in the 2nd and third round, they would have him for an extra game.

As for the Cavs, it really is true -- Garland is the only rotation player who can dribble. We need Rondo and/or Goodwin to be serviceable or he is going to get worn out. If I were another team, I would run fresh guys at Garland all game, pressing him full-court, nonstop. It is physically and emotionally exhausting to play against such defense. When that happens, we need to let someone else bring the ball upcourt.

 

[FrontPageNews]

I don’t know what this means but Kevin love dominates this chart.

 

[Heat Check]

Speaking of Love... he's now shooting 29% from the perimeter over his last 7 games (11-38).

Over those same 7 games, Lauri is shooting 42% (16-38). I think we can say his slump is over. I think it's about time to give him a pick and pop now and then.

 

[Dr. Claw]

Celtics are putting Josh Richardson (6'6" G/F) on the block. Makes $11.6M this year, 12M the next

A guy who can play in the usual spots as Okoro, who can also ball handle, score on his own and defend (usually opposing guards).

Possible cheaper option than the Gordon/Levert talk. Has bounced around from team to team but Celtics are showing signs of retreat.

 

[foucault87]

Celtics are putting Josh Richardson (6'6" G/F) on the block. Makes $11.6M this year, 12M the next

A guy who can play in the usual spots as Okoro, who can also ball handle, score on his own and defend (usually opposing guards).

Possible cheaper option than the Gordon/Levert talk. Has bounced around from team to team but Celtics are showing signs of retreat.

J Rich has been riding high from that short stint near the end of his tenure in Miami. The issue with him is he does a lot of things almost okay but nothing well. There are better pieces we can pursue that will cost less.

 

[SVC]

Well Garland has to be ON… If Garland has a poor game for whatever reason there’s really nothing else in addition to him that will put the Cavs over the top…

Feel like that’s the case every night. I just autobet them this year. I’m only like 5 miles from the border. I was just laughing at how setting my alarm 20 minutes early on game day has become part of my routine. It’s worked out far more than it hasn’t. Caruso scares me a little and they’ve got smoked like 3 straight., so they’ll come to play. Just think we are a lot better than their present team.

 

[Larry hughes]

 

[GeorgesNiang]

I don’t know what this means but Kevin love dominates this chart.

lmao i was looking at this for a few minutes thinking how can you confuse Markkanen's mug with Love? Then I saw Love way out there

Also, how do you even read this? Is Portis doing better than Boogie or is it the other way around?

 

[Futuredome]

Got our comeuppance tonight. 2 off days to stew.

 

[CavsKermit]

Celtics are putting Josh Richardson (6'6" G/F) on the block. Makes $11.6M this year, 12M the next

A guy who can play in the usual spots as Okoro, who can also ball handle, score on his own and defend (usually opposing guards).

Possible cheaper option than the Gordon/Levert talk. Has bounced around from team to team but Celtics are showing signs of retreat.

Yeah, I'm very interested in J. Rich as a trade target. Far more interested than in some of the other names that have been mentioned.

 

[bleedwineandgold03]

I feel like we’ve played like 7 games in 10 days lol to have the record we have shiiit I’m happy as fuck even yesterday we fought back until the the end I love this team

 

[weepinwillow]

Think that was as much a schedule loss as any. In fact, I was sure we'd get the schedule L vs the Nets, but they found their mojo there. Hopefully we take it out on OKC in a way that makes old Sonics fans proud.