The Cleveland Cavaliers Need To Solidify Their Core Group Of Players
Image: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
What do the Cleveland Cavaliers need to do for the rest of the season? We know they aren’t making the playoffs. The idea is to build up the young players, and showcase the veteran talent for trade. Can the team get this right, or do they once again mess things up?
Tanking isn’t a strategy the Cavs should adopt. Purposely losing games to acquire a player is ridiculous. We don’t even know that Zion Williamson is a star in the NBA. Let’s throw the idea that tanking is what the organization should do out the window.
The Cleveland Cavaliers need to win as many games as possible to send the young guys into the off-season with momentum. Colin Sexton, Cedi Osman, Larry Nance Jr., all of these players should be the ones the team wants to invest themselves in. Players like Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, and Jordan Clarkson, just showcase them for trade.
It’s Sexton who the Cavs really need form develop. He was the team’s first round pick. So far this year he’s been a tad disappointing. His 15.9 points rank him 4th among rookies. And while his 2.9 assists place him 5th among rookies, he’s a far distance from Trae Young (5.6 assists per game) And Luka Doncic (7.6 assists per game).
The real key for the Cavaliers will be helping Sexton look for the pass rather than the shot first. He’s got a bad habit of forcing shots against multiple defenders. That’s a habit he’ll need to defeat if he’s to be a successful NBA PG.
Osman, one of the NBA’s Rising Stars during All-Star Weekend, is a player who has all the right stuff. His biggest problem is consistency. One game you’re getting 25 points, the next it’s only 10. He’s been better as of late, and that’s due to some impressive shooting. The volume is there for Cedi. He just needs to make the shots.
Nance Jr. isn’t the youngest player on the Cleveland Cavaliers, yet, he still oozes with promise. Lately he’s been a rebounding machine. Larry Drew has some pretty whack rotations. It’s hindered the performance of Nance a bit. His biggest improvement needs to come on the offensive end. The jump shot needs a lot of work.
That’s who the Cavaliers need to spend time developing this season, what about the future?
A lot of the Cavs future will depend on who they take in the Draft. A lot of analysts will say Zion Williamson. That’s the logical choice. Given the Cavs commitment to Kevin Love (assuming Love isn’t traded) and Larry Nance Jr., it’s not exactly the right fit for Williamson. That would mean Nance continues a bench role. Again, not where he should be. If Love is traded at sometime soon it’s a non-issue and you draft Zion.
Assuming Zion is gone, and they will draft him if he’s there despite not being a position of need, the Cleveland Cavaliers might take R.J. Barrett or Cam Reddish to improve the scoring punch. Barrett makes the most sense given his position at SG. With Osman as the team’s SF, Reddish might not start or could be moved to SG.
The Draft will be a huge turning point for the Cleveland Cavaliers. A lot of the team’s future depends on the next few. What the Cavs can’t do is fail to develop the current roster. The core of Sexton, Nance, and Osman are who the team need to focus their attention on. Hopefully the newest 1st round Draft picks (Cavs have two in the 2019 Draft) fit in with the direction the Cavs wish to go in.
If all goes according to plan, Cleveland should have a playoff team in 2 or 3 years. Kevin Love might be on his way out, but, a young core could be enough to get them out of the NBA cellar. The next few years will be interesting for the Cleveland Cavaliers, indeed.
Daniel is a guru of baseball and basketball prospects. He’s a very experienced Amusement Park traveler as well. Follow him and his hot takes on Insta @dgentleman9288
