by Rafael Bandayrel
After suffering yet another double-digit loss to a non-playoff team (The Los Angeles Lakers), the defending Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers look vulnerable, more than ever since LeBron James’ second coming.
The Cavs will have to make a decision to determine their status for the years to come. The only thing sure is that they can’t have it all.
Stick with LeBron
The Cavs’ best chance at staying relevant is try and convince LeBron to stay in Cleveland. To achieve that, two tricks could get it done.
If the Cavaliers were able to overcome the Golden State Warriors in a hypothetical finals match-up, James would surely consider staying. LeBron has proven he can carry the Cavs through the East although the NBA finals is an entirely different scenario.
If the Cavs are serious about winning a title this season, general manager Koby Altman and team-owner Dan Gilbert should realize that a one-two punch of James and Love will not be enough against Golden State’s four-headed monster.
Altman did a phenomenal job getting rid of old, unproductive veterans, and replacing them with young guns. However, that solves only part of the problem. The Cavaliers still need a capable rim-defender to improve their defense.
Only a few centers are available to the Cavs at the moment. The only reasonable big-men to consider are ironically former Warriors. Andrew Bogut, also an ex-Cavalier, and Festus Ezeli are options that can help boost the Cavs roster. The catch is that signing either will require moves to free-up some cap space.
The second option is to get LeBron a secondary scorer. Irving left a big void for the Cavaliers and acquiring another star to help “The King” may sway him towards re-signing. They could go after 2018 free-agents like DeAndre Jordan or Paul George. Standing in the way is the Cavs salary cap. Among the moves Cleveland could make include parting with Kevin Love.
They could also trade the pick they acquired from the Nets for a star like Damian Lillard or Kemba Walker. This is a big gamble. Then again, James is a once-in-a-generation talent and taking risks to keep him is a no-brainer.
Blow it up
The second option is pressing the restart button. This would mean allowing James to sign with another team once he hits free-agency. If Cleveland opts to tank, they need to dispatch Kevin Love as well.
Tanking may not be a bad idea especially if LeBron opts to jump ship. At the rate the Nets are playing, Cleveland’s pick could very well be in the top-five and certainly in the top 10.
The idea of tanking is risky. However, as the former Sixers GM Sam Hinkie said, you just have to “trust the process.”
