The Cleveland Cavaliers would be wise to look at the buyout market for some late-season improvements.
We are well past two-thirds of the NBA season, and with the All-Star break upon us, every team in the NBA is looking at finalizing their roster for the home-stretch. Many teams will be looking to add talent but some teams will be looking to rid themselves of talent. They’ll still eat the cost of the contracts but they’ll be able to clear space and allow younger players a chance to play some ball.
Plus, if they’re older, they may not like the idea of being part of a rebuild, and won’t be happy wasting away on the bench while others jump to contenders. So everyone, including the Cleveland Cavaliers should be pretty active at this point in the season.
The Cavs already brought in Danny Green, who was traded from the Memphis Grizzlies to thet Houston Rockets at the NBA Trade Deadline and was subseuqently bought out. His arrival was m meant to bolster the team’s peremiter defense, which has been its one weakness defensively.
He can only do so much, as a lot of the issues stem from Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland’s inability to properly guard threes when on the court together. But adding one or two other pieces may help negate those issues, at least when the stars’ minutes are staggered.
These are the three best options the Cavs can take a flyer on, in no particular order. There may be a name on here who isn’t a free agent yet, but they’re expected to beo. So we’re counting him.
Alex Len
Alex Len isn’t a game-changer by any means and he’s a ‘last guy on the bench’ type of player, but let’s be very honest about what Len is and what Len isn’t. Len isn’t someone you want to rely on for 35 minutes a game at this point in his career. He’s good enough offensively around the basket that he can score 10 or so points, and he’s even skilled enough as a rebounder that he can pull down 5-8 rebounds per game. He’s even a solid defender, historically.
He’s not going to do anything to earn more play time over guys like Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, or Dean Wade, however. So why would the Cavs be interested in Len? Well, simply put if one of those three go down the Cavs need someone to fill in, and with Kevin Love on his way out, he can’t be relied on any longer. And you certainly don’t want to lean on Robin Lopez for big minutes at this stage in his career.
Especially Lopez on offense. Lopez on defense can hold his own but if you’re looking to work inside-out, as the Cavs have done with Mobley and Allen, you need a guy like Len who can work around the basket.
Serge Ibaka
While Alex Len is a good upgrade at the back of the bench, Serge Ibaka could actually be a viable veteran. He’s only 33, and it’s not like he doesn’t have the skills to keep playing. Yes, he fell out of favor in Milwaukee but that’s because he played a similar style to Brook Lopez, brother of Cavalier’s center Robin Lopez. Brook Lopez is longer, bigger, and a better shooter at this stage in his career as opposed to Ibaka.
What makes Ibaka of interest isn’t the fact he’s only two seasons removed from dropping 11+ points per game, it’s the fact that he fits the Cavaliers’ scheme pretty seamlessly. He can play defense still, at a pretty high level, and if you couple him with Jarrett Allen, and -or Evan Mobley, and-or Isaac Okoro in a lineup, then Ibaka may be pretty useful.
Plus he’s not far off from his career three-point average at this point in his career. He’s not going to be the difference maker on a team, say like Donovan Mitchell’s arrival was, but he is someone who can provide enough action off the bench should Mobley, Allen, or Dean Wade go down with an injury.
That’s his best fit currently.
Patrick Beverly
Patrick Beverly is not going to be a guy you rely on for many if any points. That said, that isn’t new. That’s who he’s been since he entered the league. What Beverly brings to the table is tenacious and unrelenting defense. He’s a three-time NBA All-Defensive team member and someone who can still cause havoc on the peremiter at 34 years old.
The Cavs don’t need much help at guard as a whole, as Ricky Rubio has mostly returned to his old form, at least on defense, but with how bad the Cavs guard situation is defensively, Beverly could be a realistic option. After all, the team went out and got Danny Green to help shore up the peremiter.
Despite being the best-rated defense in the NBA, at least in effeciancy, they’re the 11th worst team in the league in three-point precentage against. ESPN has the Cavs 11th in opponents hooting percenage against for three-pointers. Though the Cavs rank best in the league in 30.8 three-pointers attempted per game. So they’re rank of 3rd best in the league for converted shots, 11.3 seems great. Until you realize that people are actually convertingn far more than most at that rate.
So if NBA teams get smart and start shooting more three’s, then the Cavaliers could be in trouble. That’s why you bring in someone like Beverly in. To help cover up a clear issue.