Cavs: Tacko Fall signs with Cleveland despite team’s need for wing players
By Chad Porto
The Cavs have decided to sign Tacko Fall.
The Cavs have decided that they need more big men. The team signed 7’5 center Tacko Fall to a non-guaranteed contract, more than likely to see what he can do in training camp which actually starts in less than four weeks on Sept. 28.
Fall, who spent last season with the last two seasons with the Boston Celtics, is known for his height. He’s arguably the tallest player in the NBA currently, and his ability to play defense is one of his key selling points. While it’s only a 26 game sample, Fall has been a positive defender at all times, with a +1.0 as a rookie in ’19-’20 in limited action, and a +4.9 in nine minutes of action over 19 games in ’20-’21.
These are extremely small sample sizes but they give you an idea what Fall can be if used properly. The problem is that he’s just too slow to run the court that effectively. The best bet would be to use him in limited minutes like the Celtics did or the Mavericks do with Boban Marjanovic. If Fall can deleop as a Kevin Love-like-full-court-passer, then Fall could be highly useful not only on defense but helping faciliate the fast break.
Tacko Fall on his own is fine but where is the wing help for the Cavs?
Everyone knows the team needs wing players, and while some fans really think Evan Mobley can play on the wing defensively, they’re among the only ones who think that’s a reasonable idea. Mobley is quick, for a guy his size, he’s not quick enough to get in front and stay in front of an elite, or even good, wing player.
The team still needs help there, but the entire offseason, save for the Ricky Rubio trade, the Cavs have only focused on bigs.
They re-signed Jarrett Allen, they traded for and extended Lauri Markkanen, they drafted Mobley, and now they signed Fall.
Any help on the wing, at this point, would at least give the Cavs a passing grade for the move. Not even if its a bad signing, like Denzel Valentine, will the Cavs get anything lower than a C-. Why? Becuase most people don’t think the Cavs even know what wing players are anymore.
They either aren’t interested in some of the wing players out there, or they are seriously considering someone like Cam Reddish (Isaac Okoro with a worst jumpshot) for the team.
The Cavs need to make a move eventually, and they need to make sure the player they get can play defense and shoot. Garrison Mathews is our pick.