Lebron is clearly whining a bit, but he isn't asking the Cavs to go out and acquire superstars. He is asking them to sign some vets to the bench so that he can coast a bit more in the regular season. Obviously if Smith and Anderson don't get hurt, I don't think Lebron is belly aching this much about back-ups. I mean the Cavs back-up PG is a 5'9" rookie that was the 54th pick in the draft. How many defending champions have someone like that as the only back-up PG on the roster?
This strikes me as James venting because he is playing a ton of minutes and he doesn't want to be out of gas come the NBA Finals.
Who can they sign though? Is there a playmaker that is out there that is an unrestricted free agent that would provide what James wants? Would the Cavs have to trade someone? Who?
Mario Chalmers and Jarret Jack are both unsigned. They went unsigned over the summer because they were hurt. Not sure their current injury status, but either of them would be a perfectly fine back-up PG if healthy.
Norris Cole is also available. There were reports that they are trying to trade for Rondo, I wonder if that is what Lebron is referring to. I'm sure the Bulls would be glad to move Rondo but can the Cavs make room for his salary?
It would be pretty interesting to see Rondo there. He does seem like a risk not worth taking for them though (unless the bulls cut him and he signs for waivers). Nobody has really come up with an asset they could trade for these guys aside from a 2021 first round pick or an injured smith (who the cavs probably need for the playoffs)
Jack was in camp with the Hawks and got cut for some pretty low profile options so it seems pretty doubtful he is the answer to me.
Chalmers was kind of a marginal player before tearing his ACL. Is he going to be playable as a backup for a team like the Cavs?
Chalmers was the starting PG for the Heat in their final 3 Finals appearances (he was a contributing rotation player in the first of the 4 straight). He would be fine as a back-up playing 15 minutes a night with the occasional start when Irving gets a night off. In the playoffs, when Irving is up to around 40 minutes a night, Chalmers playing 8 will be fine.
Jack was cut by the Hawks because he wasn't healthy enough yet. I mean right now he is basically just a year removed from an ACL tear. Stein from ESPN has a report a couple of weeks ago that Jack was nearing a return and would be trying out for teams in the near future.
Obviously health is the main issue with those guys, but when you are talking about such a limited role, they don't need to be as good as they were pre-injury to still be effective players on a team like the Cavs.
Would you describe a 34 year old jack coming off major surgery as a "playmaker" would you consider chalmers that? They don't seem to be the same thing that Lebron is referencing here (although perhaps they could help out in the conditions you are listing. It just sounds like Lebron wants more than that.
Read all of his statements in context and it is clear what James is getting at (it is below). Chalmers or Jack (if healthy) absolutely fit what he is saying. They are guys that can help the Cavs get to the playoffs and then will hardly play. I mean he specifically identified Raymond Felton and Michael Beasley. Felton is playing 22 mpg and averaging 7.6/2.6/2.5. Beasley is playing 16.5 mpg and averaging 8.8/3.6/1.1. James isn't talking about world beaters here. He is talking about someone that can play a few minutes here and there with the occasional spot start and that won't lose you a game. He specifically identified Felder and Liggins as young guys that are being asked to do to much before they are ready. It is clear he thinks the Cavs need a veteran back-up, which is what Williams would have been had he not basically retired (without actually retiring).
"We're not better than last year," he said. "From a personnel standpoint."
Meanwhile, James listed other free agents who could have been had -- Raymond Felton, who signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, and Michael Beasley, who was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks -- as players who could have helped the Cavs make it through the regular season.
"It's great to have bodies," James said. "Obviously, in the playoffs, you go down to what, eight max? And if somebody gets in foul trouble, you go to nine. You're not playing back-to-backs. You have two days in between. You're able to lock in."
"It's like when you don't have bodies. It's tough," James said. "The f---ing grind of the regular season. We're a top-heavy team. We have a top-heavy team. We top-heavy as s---. It's me, [Kyrie Irving], [Kevin Love]. It's top-heavy."
"I'm not singling out anybody," James said. "I'm not. Yeah, we won [the championship], but f---, you know what, let's see if we can do something."
He said he has already voiced his thoughts about the roster to general manager David Griffin face-to-face, and realizing how it could look to call for a point guard with Felder and DeAndre Liggins on the roster, James said it would not be fair to expect either of those young players to fill such a significant role on a title-contending team.
"We need a f---ing playmaker," James said. "I'm not saying you can just go find one, like you can go outside and see trees. I didn't say that."
"I don't know what we got to offer," James said. "I just know me, personally? I don't got no time to waste. I'll be 33 in the winter, and I ain't got time to waste. That's what I'm talking about.
"Listen, when I feel like physically and mentally, me personally, can't compete for a championship no more or I feel like I can't do it, then I won't have this problem. But until that happens, and it don't seem like no time soon ..."
I mean we can kind of agree to disagree on this if you think them signing a 34 Jack adds all that much more than them signing you personally to a contract. Jack was a below average over a year ago as a starter for the Nets. A year older and serious injury later how does he help them at all?
Chalmers I guess could offer more, but it seems like it took Rondo about 2 years to get back to being able to do anything and he was about the same age when he tore it as Chalmers.
He very well could be specifically referencing Rondo who has a little bit more a name factor and at least put up some good stats last year.
Jack and Chalmers would absolutely be fine as a backup PG you keep thinking that he is talking about a starter level player when he clearly wasnt. The guy they are going to add is going to take Kay Felder's minutes and that guy is not going to be in the playoff rotation.
please don't put words in my mouth buddy. I never said that. I don't think a 34 year old jack coming off a serious injury is a playable player. I would be surprised if chalmers was being he was average to start and probably is not fully recovered. It's. It that complicated.
Jack was having one of the better years of career last year having a career high of 35% for his AST% well above his 26% career average. He is a career 35% three point shooter and 86% from the line. He doesn't need to play 30 minutes, he would be playing in the 10-15 mpg. Jack is more than capable of doing that and you would expect his efficiency to significantly increase playing lesser minutes with better teammates.
Chalmers makes a bit more sense since he is 30 to Jack's 33, is a better 3 point shooter at 36% on his career, has come off the bench more in recent years, and most importantly has a relationship with James. Chalmers is not the passer Jack is though. Neither is what you would call a good defender, but they don't need that from that spot.
Remember these are regular season players, they aren't post-season players when the rotation shrinks to 8 or 9, this guy isn't going to play.
Topic: Lebron upset with lack of depth/playmakers on Cavs (Read 14663 times)