Cleveland Cavaliers preview by Amar Panchmatia
1. What can the Cavs learn from the 2006-07 season to help them improve their 2007-08 campaign?
This is a group that was able to advance to the 2007 NBA Finals out of a very weak conference, and that too due to the 48-point explosion from LeBron in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The front office and coaching staff (especially the former) need to realize that this team isn't as good as it appeared last year, since there are three or four teams in the West that are better. Daniel Gibson was a nice surprise, and a lot of us (including yours truly) saw his breakthrough coming from a mile away, but is he a point guard or an undersized shooting guard? There are still questions at the PG position, something that has plagued the team since they traded Andre Miller for Darius Miles the year before LeBron arrived.
2. What was the Cavs' best and/or worst move during the offseason, either by free agency, trade, or draft?
Zzzzzz...zzzzz...oh, were you talking to me? Sorry, I was asleep at the wheel - JUST LIKE DANNY FERRY HAS BEEN ALL FREAKING OFFSEASON!!! What moves? What offseason? What's this draft and free agency you speak of? Ferry has done nothing to improve a clearly flawed team that has many holes, all of which were put on full display for all to "witness" during the Finals. They tried to get Mike Bibby from the Sacramento Kings at the trading deadline back in February, but that didn't happen. Then they tried again in the middle of July, but that didn't happen. Still, there were reports during the offseason that the Cavs still have an offer for Bibby on the table from Sacramento if they are willing to part with Drew Gooden. Bibby would be exactly what this team is looking for, and a deal involving Gooden, Eric Snow, Ira Newble, and David Wesley for Bibby and Kenny Thomas would be give both teams what they need. Cleveland gets Bibby and a big man to replace Gooden in the rotation. Sacto gets a young PF who is a beast on the boards and has a deep offensive arsenal, as well as $5 million in expiring contracts next summer.. Forget about trades like this - Ferry hasn't even re-signed his own free agents. Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic remain unsigned as restricted free agents.
3. Who is the Most Important Player on the Cavs? The MIP is not necessarily the most talented, but the one that makes the biggest difference in his TEAM doing well each game.
If there is one team to whom you should never ask this question, it's the Cavs. We know it's Mr. Cavalier himself, LeBron James. Ever since Carlos Boozer's controversial defection three years ago (I'm still ticked about that and wish a lightning bolt strikes him every second of the day), the Cavs have had serious difficulties finding LeBron a second scoring option. If Cleveland can get a perennial All-Star as their second scoring option, they'll be a threat to win 60 games and be a legitimate Finals opponent for anyone coming out of the West. Until then, though, this one-man act can only take them so far.
