Would Mike D’Antoni give the Cleveland Cavaliers the needed boost offensively?

The Cleveland Cavaliers would be wise to consider Mike D’Antoni.

Sometimes an idea is so good that it slaps you in the mouth, calls you a crude name, and forces you to write this up at 5:44 AM. That’s exactly what happened when I read a suggestion that would see the Cleveland Cavaliers hire Mike D’Antoni as an offensive coach, probably to run the team’s offense. The idea is so good I’m now attempting to create several universe-changing devices in order to make this idea come to fruition.

I originally saw King James Gospel pitch the idea of Mike D’Antoni coming in and coaching the offense for the Cleveland Cavaliers and I gotta admit, that’s a great idea. I mean, the idea of the offseason. The thing that needs to happen.

He’s currently a coaching advisor for the New Orleans Pelicans, but if D’Antoni wants to keep coaching, why not the Cavs. They’re literally built to be that mid-2000s Phoenix Suns team that he saw so much success with. All they need to do is get Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert flipped for a three-and-D wing, and you’re money. Or even just a perimeter spacer like Gordon Hayward. Someone for Darius Garland to reliably kick it out to.

Mike D’Antoni could give JB Bickerstaff the offensive system to complement his defense

Now, the best way to describe the Cavaliers’ half-court offense is akin to the old Memphis Grit and Grind. There’s a lot of attacking in the paint, and a lot of utilizing of the team’s bigs to score. There’s a lot of play similarity between how Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley play, and how Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol played.

At least offensively.

Allen and Mobley are far quicker than Randolph and both have shown to be surprisingly very quick in any fast-break attempts. That’s key for a D’Anotni offense. That’s why they played so small, often having Amar’e Stoudemire at the five and Shawn Marion at the four. Now, Mobley and Allen aren’t as athletic as those two men, but they’re athletic enough to make the Suns’ fast-paced, seven-second offense work.

Garland is a good enough passer that he could excel in that offense, and it may even make him far more effective than it appears. Bickerstaff’s defense was a top-ranked one in the NBA last year. In fact, they’re the only team in the Top 10 that didn’t make the playoffs.

Bringing in D’Antoni’s offense and helping him implement it into Bickerstaff’s defense would make the Cavaliers a juggernaut.