The Cleveland Cavaliers’ Off-Season is going to be an exciting one. The team has the Top overall pick, salary cap space, a bunch of expiring contracts and a few extra picks in future drafts. The Cavs could draft #1 and sign a few players or could trade everything. We presented one perfect scenario last week (Click those words for article in new window) and this week we present another. Obviously no scenarios are perfect but for ours we will see the Cavs add shooting, depth and shot blocking as the priority for perfection.
With the #1 Pick…
The Cleveland Cavaliers draft Joel Embiid. Embiid, if his back is healthy can be a dynamic 2 way player that the Cavs can build around in the low block. he has post moves and can step out and hit a 10 to 12 footer with relative ease. The Cavs will need to limit his playing time, foul trouble might accomplish that on its own, as his body develops and he learns the game. With Kyrie Irving and Embiid the Cavs would have the best point-center combo in the league. Dion Waiters provides wing scoring but the Cavs would still need a small forward and if possible a power forward to compliment the other 2 starters.
With Cap Space, Extra Picks and Expiring Contracts…
The Cavaliers trade for Chandler Parsons and Omer Asik from the Houston Rockets. In this scenario the Cavs help the Rockets get a 3rd star to put along side Dwight Howard and James Harden. Parsons, as we covered yesterday, is a 2nd level star in the making at the young age of 26. He is tall, at just under 6’10”, and can really shoot the ball. With Irving and Waiters driving to the hole, Parsons can be a spot up shooter who can kill the defense for cheating off of him. Embiid down low can clean up any garbage and take advantage of the trio of Irving, Waiters and Parsons who can all create for their teammates. Asik or Jeremy Lin need to be moved to help the Rockets have the space for Kevin Love, Carmelo Anthony, Rajon Rondo or whoever else the Rockets want for their triumvirate.
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Asik, far far more then Lin, would be the target for the Cavs. He would allow Embiid’s minutes to be limited while also providing the Cavs with a Twin Towers front court when needed. Both Asik and Embiid can protect the rim while Asik’s offense range is more limited. Asik could start giving Embiid more time to develop and less pressure. The Cavs can compete now with Asik while also developing their long term best interests with Parsons and Embiid.
David Zavac, another great follow on Twitter, put up an article proposing a trade where the Rockets-Cavs-T’Wolves move a bunch of parts. Adding Asik complicates things a bit. In general the Cavs would need to give up Anderson Varejao, Scotty Hopson and Alonzo Gee (their contracts mostly) along with a player that Wolves would want (not Waiters in our perfect scenario), so lets say Tristan Thompson. The Cavs would also have to move 2 or more first round picks to get the deal accomplished. The Wolves would get a player and picks, the Rockets get Love and the Cavs get Asik and Parsons. Other players would be involved but we can get into those details in another article.
Cavs Sign…
With any left over money the Cavs look to add to their depth. After adding 3 top of the line players in Embiid, Parsons and Asik the Cavs still have a need for playing making and shooting. The Cavs add Ryan Kelly, a 6’11” power forward with range, who is a unrestricted free agent. Kelly could quickly develop into a great floor spacing 4 as his NBA body develops. He will never be a star level player but for the Cavs he could be the perfect floor spacer. The Cavs also re-sign C.J. Miles. Miles can play both the 2 and 3 spots and is a quality shooter/playmaker. Miles really embraced the team and city in his 2 years here and may have been Chris Grant‘s best free agent signing.
Roster
With the additions the Cavs starting 5 is: Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters, Chandler Parsons, Ryan Kelly and Omer Asik
The Cavs bench is loaded with Matthew Dellevadova, Jarrett Jack, C.J. Miles, Anthony Bennett, Joel Embiid as the next 5.
While not as All-Star loaded as the last one, what do you think of this “perfect scenario”?