I thought Bennett was a bust before he ever played a game...soooo, 5 games really means nothing to me.

You can't tell me they didn't reach like crazy for him. And I'll take Oladipo over Waiters or Jack all day.

They have four top 4 picks, including two #1s, including a no brainer who a lot of people think has become a top 5 player in the nba.

combine all of that, and if lebron doesn't save by the day by returning I would give this core a 0% chance of being a title contender. That's all that needs to be said, in my opinion.

im curious now... How would you guys grade this team positionally? Give them a letter grade at pg, sg, etc.

Brown isn't a horrible coach but he's not a championship coach. And he's a horrible offensive coach.

PG
Kyrie, Jack, Dellavedova
Grade: A. Doesn't get much better in the league. Kyrie is definitely a top PG and has lots of room to get better still. Jack is a very good backup.

SG
Waiters, Miles, Felix
Grade: B-. Barely above average IMO. I think Waiters is solid, definitely has room for improvement as well but I don't think he's special--his potential is the only reason this is slightly above average. Miles is kind of the same way, a little more established. Both serviceable players, neither great.

SF
Gee, Clark, Karasev
Grade: D. Nothing much to see here. Clark can have his moments, but he's largely average at best. Gee is the same way but has even fewer moments.

PF
Thompson, Bennett
Grade: B. Thompson is a baller and has plenty of room to keep improving. I do not like Bennett but he could certainly prove me wrong, like sleeper says the jury is still out. Thompson is good though.

C
Varejao, Bynum, Zeller
Grade: B. If Bynum stays healthy, it's an A. I love Andy's game. I think Zeller can give you some solid minutes and Brown will have him turned into a defensive stopper. Bynum is one of the best in the game if he's healthy, but clearly a big if.

Overall: B-. If Bynum is healthy all year, a solid B. They have a pretty good team in Cleveland right now.

Pick6;1531321 wrote:Maybe they should have drafted Noel LOL. Or Oladipo even though we have Waiters and Jack. Makes a ton of sense. I didn't like the Bennett pick either, but in hindsight it looks like the best move at the time. If you paid any attention to The Cavs in the preseason, you would know Bennett showed a ton of potential. He was rushed back from his injury and is still not in shape.
LMAO at labeling him a bust after 5 games. It's a good thing the t-Wolves didn't give up on Love after his first year where he averaged like 5pts.

Wow I agree with everything said here. Bennet preformed very well in the preaseason actually. It's not showing up yet in the reg season but give the guy a chance. I dont think anyone thought we had the next Durrant, but I expect him to be a solid player for the Cavs for years to come.

I know some ppl wanter Porter, I wouldn't have QQ'd over him as the pick, and he has yet to see the floor for the winless Wizards. I don't see their fans calling him a bust yet.

Others wanted McLemore, and he's hardly setting the world on fire yet either. Olidipo is playing on a horrible team, and while after 5 games he looks legit, let's revisit him at at the end of the year.

I think Oladipo would have been a better fit, regardless of Waiters. I know how that feels, we just got Waiters and he's been pretty solid, but that isn't how the league works. The best guy plays. I like Kyrie, Oladipo, Clark, Thompson, Varejao/Bynum much more than Kyrie, Waiters, Clark, Thompson/Bennett, Varejao/Bynum. I don't really think Bennett will be that great, as I've already said he could prove me wrong--I've certainly been wrong before. But I almost definitely don't think Bennett will ever be better than Thompson.

Commander of Awesome;1531449 wrote:Wow I agree with everything said here. Bennet preformed very well in the preaseason actually. It's not showing up yet in the reg season but give the guy a chance. I dont think anyone thought we had the next Durrant, but I expect him to be a solid player for the Cavs for years to come.

I know some ppl wanter Porter, I wouldn't have QQ'd over him as the pick, and he has yet to see the floor for the winless Wizards. I don't see their fans calling him a bust yet.

Others wanted McLemore, and he's hardly setting the world on fire yet either. Olidipo is playing on a horrible team, and while after 5 games he looks legit, let's revisit him at at the end of the year.

Maybe we can get along, CoA

Mulva;1531348 wrote:They have four top 4 picks, including two #1s, including a no brainer who a lot of people think has become a top 5 player in the nba.

combine all of that, and if lebron doesn't save by the day by returning I would give this core a 0% chance of being a title contender. That's all that needs to be said, in my opinion.

im curious now... How would you guys grade this team positionally? Give them a letter grade at pg, sg, etc.

Can't pick Wiggins if he's not there Mulva. You can QQ all you want, but just like in the NFL, you need star potential to win. Kyrie considered a top PG, well look around. CP3 has won how many rings? You need a stud STAR top 3 potential type player to win the NBA. Not the cavs fault that that player wasn't there. KD, Tim Duncan, LBJ, Kobe weren't in any of the drafts. Considering the picks/players and how young our team is, I absolutely think in a season or 2 that we can be a top team in the east. You didn't really bring up anything that you didn't like that they did other than QQ about not having a LBJ on the team.....

Honestly can't believe you're QQing so hard after 5 games. Young team, new coach give them a bit.

If you're going to bring up critiscim of the front office I'd bring up TT over Klay Thompson. Klay can really stroke it, but lacks on def. Also shoots a poor FG% and is inconsistent game to game. TT is really starting to come into his own. I'm sort of up in the air on that pick. I can understand the pick either way.

Then Waiters over Barnes/Andre Drummond. That's probably the biggest one that I'd like to have a do over on. Barnes had a monster postseason but was quiet during the regular season. Then GSW brought in Iggy to play his position. That should tell you want you need to know right there.

Drummond, was considered a lazy POS in college, but has been anything but since he's been int he NBA. Waiters though, hasn't been terrible and I expect him to play more like he did last night for the rest of the season. I don't think we'll end up hating that pick. Haven't blown a pick yet, that fans will QQ about for years they way they did under LBJ, Luke Jackson anyone?

All Cleveland franchises could win 5 straight titles and Mulva would find something to bitch about.

Me?;1531376 wrote:PG
Kyrie, Jack, Dellavedova
Grade: A. Doesn't get much better in the league. Kyrie is definitely a top PG and has lots of room to get better still. Jack is a very good backup.

SG
Waiters, Miles, Felix
Grade: B-. Barely above average IMO. I think Waiters is solid, definitely has room for improvement as well but I don't think he's special--his potential is the only reason this is slightly above average. Miles is kind of the same way, a little more established. Both serviceable players, neither great.

SF
Gee, Clark, Karasev
Grade: D. Nothing much to see here. Clark can have his moments, but he's largely average at best. Gee is the same way but has even fewer moments.

PF
Thompson, Bennett
Grade: B. Thompson is a baller and has plenty of room to keep improving. I do not like Bennett but he could certainly prove me wrong, like sleeper says the jury is still out. Thompson is good though.

C
Varejao, Bynum, Zeller
Grade: B. If Bynum stays healthy, it's an A. I love Andy's game. I think Zeller can give you some solid minutes and Brown will have him turned into a defensive stopper. Bynum is one of the best in the game if he's healthy, but clearly a big if.

Overall: B-. If Bynum is healthy all year, a solid B. They have a pretty good team in Cleveland right now.

I would say...

PG: A
Kyrie and Jack is the best in the league, in my opinion

SG: C-
Below average. Miles has been off to a very good start, but he'll most likely eventually regress to the mean and shoot closer to 40% than 50. When Waiters was drafted I thought he was an inefficient chucker who needed the ball in his hands to be successful. After 1+ seasons, I think he's an inefficient chucker who needs the ball in his hands to be successful. Would be much better suited coming off the bench as a 6th man.

SF: F
Probably the worst collection of small forwards in the league. Can't give them anything but a failing grade, especially when the position is so strong league wide.

PF: C-
This is probably generous. Thompson would get a C, and at this point you can't give Bennett anything other than an F. He obviously isn't going to shoot 5% all season, but he clearly isn't ready. And I don't think he has any chance of living up to a #1 overall pick.

C: B
This could be an A if Bynum ever got back to old form. I don't think that's very likely though. Andy is solid enough, though.

Overall: C-, maybe a C+ by the end of the year

What should the Cavs have done Mulva?

like_that;1531471 wrote:All Cleveland franchises could win 5 straight titles and Mulva would find something to bitch about.

Strangely, the teams I've bitched about keep losing, and then the people I bitch about get fired. It's called being a realist, chief. I'm capable of taking the blinders off and saying a team sucks when they suck.

This team doesn't suck, but they aren't anywhere near as good as they should be with four top 4 picks in 3 years.

Commander of Awesome;1531625 wrote:What should the Cavs have done Mulva?

That's an impossible question to answer, because the moves you make 1 year impact the moves you make the following year(s). I liked Jeremy Lamb in 2012, and Ben McLemore this year. Obviously I wouldn't have drafted both of them, though.

The Baron Davis trade was great. Not screwing up the Kyrie pick was smart. And I like the Bynum and Jack signings this year. I can't think of anything else they've done since 2010 that I've really liked at the time the moves were made, and they haven't done anything to make me change my opinion.

Well if you don't like what they've done in the draft, then you need to provide other options. For the record I liked Lamb as well, doesn't look like he's set the world on fire though. Nor has McLemore.

I think Bennet will turn out to be fine, but I dont think any player was "worth" the #1 pick this year. Really a bad year. I think any player we took #1 overall we would have been disappointed in.

I hate SF/PF tweeners. Bennett might not be terrible, but I doubt he ends up a top 5 player in the class.

Also, you'll have to explain to me how TT is really coming into his own. It's only been 5 games, but his numbers are pretty much all down from last season. If you're an advanced stat guy, his PER is 10.3 so far this year, and he's 220th in the league in win shares/48 min right now. His rebound rates are way down. His ORB% went from 14.4% as a rookie, to 13.2% last year, to 8.6% through the first 5 this season.

Not saying it can't or won't go up, but he hasn't really shown the improvement so far.

Playing alongside Andy will do that do your rebounding numbers. TT didn't break out last season until Andy was hurt. I mean Thompson is averaging nearly 12 and 8.5 right now..is that really that bad? Its higher than the "great rebounder" Kenneth Faried.


Once again, 5 games into a season with a team with developing talent as well as new, important pieces is way too early to be doom and gloom. 2-3. Realistically, they should be 3-2. Big deal.

Pick6;1531656 wrote:Playing alongside Andy will do that do your rebounding numbers. TT didn't break out last season until Andy was hurt. I mean Thompson is averaging nearly 12 and 8.5 right now..is that really that bad? Its higher than the "great rebounder" Kenneth Faried

TT is putting up those numbers in 35 minutes. That isn't very impressive. Faried is averaging 23 minutes.

You're twisting what I said though, so your bad point is irrelevant anyway. I didn't say it was "that bad". He just hasn't done anything to show he's "coming into his own", which was CoA's statement. I said I would give him a C. C is average.

McLemore's coming on...19 and 15 in the last 2 games.

Thought the Cavs should have taken him.

SportsAndLady;1531711 wrote:McLemore's coming on...19 and 15 in the last 2 games.

Thought the Cavs should have taken him.

Not me. As much as it pains me because I can not STAND VO, with mike brown as coach, he probably made the most sense.

But I do think bennett will be fine. Hes still out of shape and is rushing his shots. But I think he will be fine.

Midstate01;1531797 wrote:Not me. As much as it pains me because I can not STAND VO, with mike brown as coach, he probably made the most sense.

But I do think bennett will be fine. Hes still out of shape and is rushing his shots. But I think he will be fine.

I still dont understand how someone could not like that kid.

I've read tons of excuses for Bennet. Time will tell if it comes through, but I'm not ready to write him off yet, and neither should you. Don't listen to BSPN tell you how terrible he is.

I have been fairly impressed with Bennett's defense so far, especially for a guy who never played it at UNLV. But the national media (and fans) will never comment or notice this, because all they want to talk about is his low FG% after 5 games. If that's all people focus on they ignore all the other good little things he's doing. He's gotten in noticably better shape since the first preseason game (shows hard work/dedication) he's coming off of an injury 1 yr removed from HS, some kids it takes longer than others to adjust. And he played at freaking UNLV, where he played 0 defense. Everything I've read was that they focused on def for him.

Now he still looks like shit NEXT year, sure we can start the bust talk. But to discuss it 5 games into the season is a joke, I feel like I'm talking to Cleveland radio for christ's sake.

Commander of Awesome;1531839 wrote:I've read tons of excuses for Bennet. Time will tell if it comes through, but I'm not ready to write him off yet, and neither should you. Don't listen to BSPN tell you how terrible he is.

I have been fairly impressed with Bennett's defense so far, especially for a guy who never played it at UNLV. But the national media (and fans) will never comment or notice this, because all they want to talk about is his low FG% after 5 games. If that's all people focus on they ignore all the other good little things he's doing. He's gotten in noticably better shape since the first preseason game (shows hard work/dedication) he's coming off of an injury 1 yr removed from HS, some kids it takes longer than others to adjust. And he played at freaking UNLV, where he played 0 defense. Everything I've read was that they focused on def for him.

Now he still looks like shit NEXT year, sure we can start the bust talk. But to discuss it 5 games into the season is a joke, I feel like I'm talking to Cleveland radio for christ's sake.

This. Especially the bolded part. We just have a lot of very smart folk on here who are already writing him off. Whatever.

smh http://deadspin.com/andrew-bynum-contemplates-retirement-1460758832/@barryap

Glad I've been flipping between college hoops instead of the Cavs so far tonight. Would be pulling my hair out.

Won the first quarter 28-14.
Lost the second quarter 29-12.