Cleveland Cavaliers
Jun 7, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) high-fives guard Kyrie Irving (2) during the third quarter against the Golden State Warriors in game three of the 2017 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
In order to close the gap on the Golden State Warriors and keep LeBron James happy, here's what the Cleveland Cavaliers need to do to upgrade the roster.
As long as the Cleveland Cavaliers have LeBron James, they will rule the Eastern Conference with an iron fist. Unfortunately, as long as this Golden State Warriors leviathan remains intact, the Cavs are just competing for second-best.
Coming off a one-sided five-game defeat in the 2017 NBA Finals, Cleveland is left wondering how it can possibly close the gap on one of the greatest teams of all time. The Cavaliers are no pushover, but they're not nearly good enough to threaten the new golden standard, and with LeBron James approaching his age-33 season, the clock is ticking.
No one will ever take that 2016 championship away from the Cavs, but it opened the door for the Warriors to sign Kevin Durant and usher in a new era of dominance. Aside from bad injury luck (which no one should wish for), only King James and his court stand in the way of Golden State cruising to the next 3-5 NBA championships.
LeBron is one of the all-time greats, but he only has a few years of peak performance left in him. The Cavaliers will be doing everything in their power to put an elite, championship-caliber roster around him before his prime finally ends — and to keep him in Cleveland after his 2018 free agency, since winning that 2016 title gave him the freedom to leave again one day.
The only problem is, with so much long-term money committed to a great-but-not-elite roster and a bunch of aging, washed up veterans rounding out the roster, there's no clear path for management to take.
The Cavs are already locked into $125.7 million of guaranteed money in 2017-18, and that's with Kyle Korver, Deron Williams, Derrick Williams, James Jones and Dahntay Jones all coming off the books as unrestricted free agents.
Without the tools, athleticism or youth to keep up with the Warriors, there's no time for the Cavaliers to back down, lest they risk King James seeking a new home for his next super-team. Bearing all this mind, here's a look at five steps for the Cleveland Cavaliers to upgrade their roster.
Honorable Mentions: Buy into the second round of the NBA Draft, re-sign David Griffin as general manager
Cleveland Cavaliers
Jan 30, 2017; Dallas, TX, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) and forward Richard Jefferson (24) and center Tristan Thompson (13) and guard Kyrie Irving (2) and guard Iman Shumpert (4) in action against the Dallas Mavericks during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeat the Cavaliers 104-97. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
5. Try to dump salary/trade for upgrades on non-essential pieces
The Cavaliers are shelling out a guaranteed $125.7 million for the upcoming season, and that number increases if they were to fully guarantee the $1.3 million and $1.5 million salaries for Kay Felder and Edy Tavares, respectively.
With the 2017-18 NBA salary cap projected to be $101 million and the luxury tax line at $121 million, it's pretty clear the Cavs are already WAY over both projections. And again, this would be without including the cap holds and price to re-sign bench pieces like Korver and both D-Wills.
Every dollar over that luxury tax threshold costs management millions for a roster not good enough to beat the Warriors, and in order to sign even fringe rotation players in free agency (outside of the $5.2 million taxpayer mid-level exception), the front office would need to cut massive amounts of salary.
Cavs front office in the off season
*Korver traded*, *Shumpert traded*, *Love traded* *Deron Williams traded* pic.twitter.com/p4epPhEfov— Alexander ???????? (@ZeusX_28) June 13, 2017
Unfortunately, it's not that simple.
The most obvious trade piece is Kevin Love, but a deal moving him would have to be for another integral piece to form a new Big Three, or for a couple of quality 3-and-D wings. Either way, trading Love wouldn't be a salary-shedding move, so we'll save him for later.
However, players like Richard Jefferson ($2.5 million), Channing Frye ($7.4 million salary next year), Iman Shumpert ($10.3 million in 2017-18 before an $11 million player option in 2018-19) and even Tristan Thompson ($16.4 million next year, $17.5 million in 2018-19, $18.5 million in 2019-20) would make sense as cost-cutting moves — if the goal is to create cap room.
Richard Jefferson is inching closer toward retirement and was obliterated by Kevin Durant whenever they were matched up. Frye played a grand total of 11 minute in the Finals, despite being a useful floor-spacer in the regular season, so he's expendable and could probably be moved to a team in need of frontcourt depth, veteran experience and three-point shooting.
Shumpert was one of the few players the Cavaliers could stick on KD outside of LeBron James, but his offense was so appalling it overshadowed any potential contributions he might have made on the defensive end. Unfortunately, his $11 million deal might be harder to move after averaging 3.6 points per game on .235/.222/.800 shooting splits in the Finals.
Thompson would be the hardest of the group to move, not only because he's owed $52.4 million over the next three seasons despite being an over-glorified rebounder, but because his value on the glass and being able to hold his own defending guards on the perimeter would be hard for Cleveland to replace — even with his hefty price tag attached.
Trading TT might be taking the salary dumping a bit far, especially since a potential Kevin Love trade would leave the Cavs severely outmatched on the boards. But if Cleveland could find a way to trade/dump R.J., Frye and Shumpert, plus drop Tavares, they'd free up $21.7 million in cap space — enough to drop them just $104.9 million in guaranteed money.
Mood towards Deron, Shumpert, Kevin Love, Korver, Richard Jefferson, Tristan Thompson pic.twitter.com/lDQwwLFGo0
— Bruh Report (@BruhReport) June 13, 2017
Unfortunately, that's not enough to get them under the salary cap, and that's assuming trades involving Jefferson, Frye and Shumpert weren't bringing back any additional salary. That means one of Thompson or J.R. Smith would have to be moved to get Cleveland under the cap and in position to sign legitimate difference-makers.
This would be a crucial step if the goal is contending with the Warriors, but as you can see, it's a long shot. Like, an Achilles-throwing-his-spear-from-100-yards-away-in-the-opening-battle-of-Troy kind of long shot.
At this juncture, the Cavs would be better off either keeping those players and looking to re-sign their own free agents, or trading those non-essential pieces for only slight upgrades — if they could even be found.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Jun 12, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyle Korver (26) reacts during the during the second quarter against the Golden State Warriors in game five of the 2017 NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
4. Re-sign Korver
Yes, Kyle Korver was atrocious in the Finals. He's not a lockdown defender, he's 36 years old and in the championship round, he averaged 4.4 points per game on 36.8 percent shooting from the field and 31.3 percent from three-point range.
But a poor five-game sample size shouldn't overshadow his career three-point efficiency (43.1 percent), and the Cavs might not have the luxury of being picky this summer in free agency, especially if they're unable to complete the previous steps of shedding serious salary.
Korver could probably make more money on the open market, but he won't command a massive contract after looking washed up in the playoffs. If he wants to contend for championships, re-signing on a discount deal is the play.
The Cavs need depth and three-point shooting, so although Korver laid an egg in the Finals against the very opponent they need him for, using his Bird rights to re-sign one of their own free agents is one of the more cost-effective moves they can realistically make this summer.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Feb 1, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph (50) and guard Vince Carter (15) in the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
3. Scrape up veterans willing to take discounts
If the Cavs use their Bird rights to re-sign Korver, they'll still have their taxpayer mid-level exception (projected to be worth $5.2 million) and minimum contracts to use to sign free agents.
We'll get to possible targets for that mid-level exception in a second, but suffice it to say that like all LeBron James super-teams, the Cavs will be counting on ring-chasing veterans willing to accept steep discounts to round out their roster.
Unfortunately, as we saw in this year's Finals, that line between "veteran ring chaser" and "washed up" can be difficult to navigate. Deron Williams, James Jones, Richard Jefferson, Andrew Bogut even Kyle Korver…none of them worked out particularly well.
However, perhaps with all this talk about a Warriors dynasty, the league-wide respect for what LeBron James just did in the Finals and even NBA commissioner Adam Silver saying the rest of the league needs to catch up, maybe — juuuuust maybe — a few notable veterans will consider taking a minimum deal if it means aiding Golden State's greatest threat.
A defensive-minded big man like the San Antonio Spurs' Dewayne Dedmon would be great, but he just opted out of his $3 million contract to earn a well-deserved pay day, so don't count on him taking less, even to play for another title contender.
Nick Young is a fun name to consider, if only because him and J.R. Smith being on the same team would create an inescapably entertaining black hole of irrational confidence, but with a $5.7 million player option, the soon-to-be 33-year-old could make more by opting in and remaining with a Los Angeles Lakers franchise he loves, or earn more money elsewhere by opting out.
A guy like Taj Gibson would give the Cavs a little more defense and frontcourt versatility, but even if the Oklahoma City Thunder let him walk as an unrestricted free agent, the soon-to-be 32-year-old is far from washed up. He earned just under $9 million this year, and even with career earnings of $38.5 million, he might prefer the last big contract of his career before ring chasing.
So who else is available? A couple of more realistic options might include Memphis Grizzlies free agents Vince Carter and Zach Randolph.
The 40-year-old Vince Carter seems like a prime candidate to ring chase at this stage of his career, and although he'd be a concern for looking completely washed up by season's end, he shot 37.8 percent from three-point range off the bench and has said he wants to play another two years. This would be a great addition…you know, assuming the Dubs don't snatch him up first.
Z-Bo is more of a fan favorite for the Grizz, and there's a possibility they re-sign him this summer just to make sure he finishes his career there. But entering his age-36 season, and with Memphis looking to transition into the next chapter past the Grit-N-Grind era, this might be the best time for a split between the two parties.
Z-Bo couldn't hang with all these perimeter shooters in Golden State, but he'd be a nice bruiser off the bench if he were willing to accept a minimum contract. That's definitely not a given though, after he averaged 14.1 points and 8.2 rebounds in just 24.5 minutes per game this season.
Taking such a massive pay cut would be like David West and Zaza Pachulia taking their shocking discounts to join the Warriors, only times 10, since Z-Bo is still good for his age.
Finally, if the Cavs aren't over the moon about the idea of retaining Deron Williams after his 2-for-16 performance in the 2017 NBA Finals, an alternative playmaker could be Sergio Rodriguez. He didn't exactly live up to his reputation as a long range sniper with the Philadelphia 76ers this year, but he still shot a respectable 36.5 percent from deep.
With Ben Simmons and Jerryd Bayless returning healthy, the Sixers are unlikely to re-sign Rodriguez, and with league-wide interest in the 31-year-old feeling pretty lukewarm, he could be a player willing to take a discount to be the Cavs' third playmaker and a threat from downtown.
Again, the options aren't great here, and some of them seem unlikely to even come to fruition. Looking back though, you could say the same about the veteran hodgepodge the Cavaliers used to round out their roster in 2016-17, so they might as well give it a try with some new faces.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Jan 4, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Thabo Sefolosha (25) dribbles the ball against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Amway Center. Atlanta Hawks defeated the Orlando Magic 111-92. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
2. Sign a 3-and-D wing
That mid-level exception is basically the Cavaliers' only saving grace this summer outside of blockbuster trades (more on this in a minute). It's important they put it to good use on a versatile, athletic defender who can occasionally knock down open three-point looks.
Those types of players are in high demand, so snagging one that would A) fit that $5.2 million price range and B) actually help the Cavaliers against the Dubs seems highly unlikely.
However, it's not impossible, and stranger things have happened. Assuming Cleveland doesn't use its MLE on one of the aforementioned veterans, three wings that immediately come to mind in this year's free agency class are P.J. Tucker, Thabo Sefolosha and Gerald Green.
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Tucker is probably the least likely target of the group, especially after being such a force on the defensive end and the boards for the Toronto Raptors. Now that teams got to see he's an NBA All-Defensive team kind of defender in the playoffs, he'll be getting a hefty payday from someone.
With only $18.6 million to his name over his NBA career, it seems more probable for Tucker to take a lucrative contract from a competitive team over a $5.2 million deal with a King who's still looking up at gods.
After playing the 2016-17 season on a minimum contract with the Boston Celtics, Green is probably closer to veteran-the-Cavs-could-sign-on-a-minimum-deal status. He's not a great defender either, but his microwave scoring — unreliable though it might be at times — would be a welcome addition.
After all, one adjustment that helped save the Celtics' first round series against the Chicago Bulls — aside from Rajon Rondo getting hurt — was inserting Green into the starting lineup. That wouldn't be the case in Cleveland against the Warriors, but some wing scoring and positional versatility would be nice.
The happy medium between these two MLE candidates would have to be Thabo Sefolosha, one of the league's most underrated wing defenders. Though his three-point shooting leaves something to be desired (34.2 percent this year, 34.5 percent for his career), at least he'd be better than Iman Shumpert on both ends of the floor. He'd also save LeBron the physical hassle of doing what he does on the offensive end and trying to guard Kevin Durant on the other end.
However, with wing defense and veteran experience becoming premiums in this league, would Sefolosha accept a $5.2 million contract to team up with the guy who used to defend in Oklahoma City and Atlanta? It's hard to say, but he feels like the most realistic 3-and-D wing for the Cavs to target with their MLE.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Apr 17, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) and guard Iman Shumpert (4) double team Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) during the second half in game two of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavs won 117-111. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
1. Trade Love for PG-13…and maybe Kyrie for Jimmy Buckets
Barring some kind of gift from the heavens, the Cleveland Cavaliers have no realistic way to make up ground on the Golden State Warriors. They don't have the cap room to sign a Chris Paul, Blake Griffin or Gordon Hayward, and even if they did, would any one of those players close the gap?
The same could be said of a potential Carmelo Anthony trade, even if the Cavs have the assets to pull that kind of deal off. A Banana Boat reunion isn't happening in Cleveland.
Their only hope this summer is to pull off a blockbuster Kevin Love trade…and maybe even one for Kyrie Irving too.
As The Ringer's Jonathan Tjarks already laid out, a trade of Kevin Love for Paul George might be mutually beneficial. The Indiana Pacers are rightfully concerned about losing PG-13 to free agency next summer, and with those Lakers whispers rising to a dull roar, other teams aren't going to give away the farm if they're afraid of being unable to re-sign him.
That means the Pacers may have to take what they can get for fear of losing him for nothing in 2018. A former face of a franchise like Love wouldn't be the sexiest return for a legitimate two-way star, but it might be as good as Indiana can realistically expect. Love and Myles Turner would form a pretty impressive shooting frontcourt as well, and Love is locked in for another two seasons.
Don't forget, in his final season with the Minnesota Timberwolves as "the guy," Love averaged 26.1 points, 12.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. He's coming off his best season yet with the Cavs and he's still only 28 years old.
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As for the Cavs, they'd be getting one of the best wing defenders in the league who could take the pressure off LeBron to guard KD in a seven-game series. With Klay Thompson on Kyrie and KD guarding George, that would force Draymond Green off of Tristan Thompson and onto LeBron. Unless he found a playable center, Steve Kerr would be forced to play small with Andre Iguodala.
On the other end, George is already a solid scorer, but having playmakers like LeBron and Kyrie to take the attention off him would elevate his offense to a new level.
PG-13 shot 39.3 percent from three-point range this season, so spreading the floor wouldn't be an issue. LeBron playing the 4 is always dangerous, and though it takes a physical toll, the Cavaliers would only need him to do so in the playoffs.
If George is looking to finally get over that King James-sized hump in the East, perhaps the best way is to join him.
PG-13 leaving for Los Angeles in free agency would be a legitimate concern, especially with LeBron also being a free agent and there being a good chance that adding George still isn't enough to prevent another Finals defeat. But if the goal is to assemble a better team around the King and compete with Golden State, this is the first step.
Another step — though nowhere near as vital as a George-for Love swap — might be trading Kyrie Irving to the Chicago Bulls for Jimmy Butler.
The Bulls have gone back and forth on Butler's availability, most recently saying he's not on the block. However, this is the same front office that said the team needed to get younger and more athletic and then went out and signed Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo.
If Chicago did consider a deal, getting a franchise point guard who's two and a half years younger than Butler would make sense. He's nowhere near as prolific on the defensive end, but the Bulls have been unhappy with Butler's leadership and could prefer a fresh start.
As for the Cavs, having three two-way wings like LeBron, PG-13 and Butler might seem superfluous, but that's the kind of positional versatility and defense it'd take to challenge the Warriors. Cleveland also doesn't have a huge need for a point guard who is a mediocre facilitator, since LeBron handles most of the playmaking anyway.
While trading Kyrie would feel heartless, and the Cavs would definitely miss his insane shot-making when he enters heat check mode, they'd also be replacing his and Love's lackluster D with two more elite wing defenders.
Is that enough to beat Golden State? It's hard to say, especially since the Cavs would need to bank on Butler or someone else defending Stephen Curry. However, it'd make them a more well-rounded team, and even if Kyrie-for-Butler is taking it a step too far, a Love for PG-13 swap is the first legitimate step toward closing the gap.
