Power Moves By Cleveland
The Cavaliers front office pulled off some sorcery Thursday afternoon, revamping their entire roster, putting themselves in prime position for not only a fourth consecutive run to the Finals, but also to re-sign LeBron James this summer. The Cavaliers made a handful of trades. Here is the summary:
Cavaliers Trade Away: Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye, Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose, Jae Crowder, Iman Shumpert, 2018 First Round Pick
Cavaliers Receive: Rodney Hood, George Hill, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr., 2nd Round Pick.
Five Quick Thoughts:
1. Switchable Defense. Now in clutch situations, I anticipate that George Hill, Jordan Clarkson, Rodney Hood, LeBron, and Kevin Love will be manning the floor. That is a potent five-some. They have astounding offensive firepower, but more importantly they have the ability to switch 1-4 defensively. If they so choose they can also insert JR Smith into the lineup, moving LeBron to the five, and then they can switch across all positions. Doing so is necessary to guard Golden State.
2. Two-Way Players. It seemed like prior to this trade the Cavs had players who were skilled, but just on one end of the floor. Jae Crowder was a stout defender, but couldn’t hit the ocean from a boat at sea. Isaiah Thomas was supposedly a walking bucket, but he couldn’t guard a trash can. Hood, Hill, and Clarkson can all play both ways. They can score, creating their own shot and opportunities for other, and they can guard across multiple positions. I cannot emphasize how important that trait will be in the postseason.
3. Brooklyn Pick. This is Cleveland’s insurance policy against a potential LeBron exit this summer so improving their roster while not having to surrender this coveted pick was huge!
4. I’m happy that D-Wade is back in Miami. Seeing him in Chicago seemed wrong, and seeing him in Cleveland felt weird. He belongs in a Heat uniform; he put that franchise on the map. Seeing him have a prominent role on a surging Heat team will be encapsulating to watch.
5. Channing Frye will be a significant loss. First of all, he’s a lethal shooter and at nearly seven feet, that is so valuable. But where his loss might be felt most is in the Cavaliers locker room. Frye was a favorite among his teammates. Often times chemistry is underrated in pro sports and Frye was a calming presence in an often chaotic locker room.
Overall, the Cavaliers got better on Thursday; substantially better, but will it be enough to take down Golden State? I don’t know, Cleveland has to get through the Eastern Conference first, but I like their chances. I really do; and oh yeah, they still have The King.
