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NLL Insider - Team by Team: Cleveland Cavaliers

by vt, updated on Sunday, October 10 2010, 06:18 pm EST

Team by Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
2009-2010 Finish: 49-33

What went well

Yes, I know that Lebron James doesn’t play for the Cavs but this photo could represent the jersey of any of Cleveland’s overpaid players. After a disastrous 2008-09 where injuries more or less destroyed the team, the Cavs and GM Alejandro really needed to re-think things to get right with 2009-10. This is a team that the Insider has derided for a long time for hoarding large contracts. Was dumping some of these guys a possible key to success?

The offseason began with Trevor Ariza and Rodney Carney bolting for free agency. The team could do not much else but sign minimum players like Marcus Haislip, Juwan Howard and Kareem Rush. Nope, Alejandro wasn’t going to make a trade until injuries forced him to do so.

Gone first was Kevin Garnett, sent to the Pistons for Carlos Boozer and Rasheed Wallace. This deal really made no sense financially, but then again nothing GM Alejandro does makes sense in a fiscal way. Boozer joined the highly paid Chris Kaman and Al Jefferson but I guess based on that pair’s injury history, he wanted assurance down low. A few weeks later, Alejandro flipped Sheed and Haislip in a three player deal that netted him Randy Foye and Patrick O’Bryant.

The Cavs played well with not many injuries nagging at them this season. They finished tied for the fourth seed with the Washington Wizards, the team they would be face in the first round…
What went worse

….and lose to. The Wizards ran roughshod over the Cavs, knocking them out four games to one. Another early vacation for Cavs players to go home and count their money.

Stars

- Al Jefferson, FC -

After sitting most of last season with injuries, Jefferson returned to put up good numbers and play in 73 games this time around. However, Alejandro brought Jefferson off the bench for some games. Still, he scored a respectable 15.1 points per game and brought in 7.8 rebounds. Though a long way from that magical 2007/08 season, Jefferson is still dominant and still awesome…if Alejandro just utilized right.

- Monta Ellis, G –

Though Ellis again missed a good chunk of games due to injury, there is no question that he is really awesome. Stats like 26.7 ppg on 50% shooting are impossible to argue with. If this guy could ever get his act together, he could turn into one of the elite NLL players like LBJ or Kobe.

Goats

- Andrei Kirilenko, F –

Another season, another craptacular performance from Kirilenko. Sure, he scored more than 16 ppg, but the guy earned more than $16 million and only showed up for 57 games. In six years in Cleveland, he’s averaging less than 65 games per season. That kinda sucks if you’re making money like Kirilenko makes: more than most of the league!




Looking to the future

The Cavs went big in the draft with French center Kevin Seraphin falling to them at pick 25. Seraphin is one of those strong and tough players Alejandro loves but with Kaman and Jefferson still hanging around, he will be pressed to see significant court time. He’s still also really, really raw. At pick 39, the Cavs reached for Oklahoma sophomore Willie Warren. The combo guard’s stock fell severely leading up to the draft but he is good at creating his own shot. However, he shoots at the wrong time. It will be interesting to see if he reverts back to form or just washes out in the NLL. The Cavs also bought the rights to UConn senior Stanley Robinson on draft day. We’ll see if he makes the team.

Going into next season, the Cavs are still in the same boat as every year: too much money tied up in too few guys. They only have six players signed and they are already over the salary cap. The luxury tax will be much, much higher this year too. Finally, Boozer has asked for a trade. We here at the Insider bet he will trade him for one player who makes $10 million or more.

Boozer is a good opportunity to get some more good bodies out on the floor, but based on Alejandro’s track record, that isn’t going to happen. The team should also move Kaman or Jefferson as well. Jonny Flynn is a stud and is a good choice for starting point guard. And if the team can dump AK-47’ expiring contract, now may be a good time. Cleveland: too few players, so little cash.

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