Today I am going to run down my top 5 list of things the Cavaliers need to do for this upcoming season to be a moderately successful one, so let's not waste any time on a preamble and get right into it.
5.) Run the ball more! I know the saying is that "defense wins championships" and that was the mentality of the Cavaliers during Mike Brown and LeBron James' tenures. However, this team is, realistically, no longer competing for a championship right now. Byron Scott has a history of running the Princeton style offense with his previous teams, a strategy that involves using a short shot clock and quick ball movement in the half-court game. It's a team style offense which utilizes back door screens heavily with the goal to get a shot off every 10-20 seconds. Honestly, Coach Scott and the Princeton style offense is EXACTLY what this post-LeBron Cavs organization needs. To be honest, the Cavaliers have probably suffered their biggest loss ever in losing LeBron James, and if we're now competing for a low seed in the playoffs and not an NBA Championship, we might as well be fun to watch, right?
4.) Sign and Trade Shaq. Look, as much as I would love for Shaq to finish his career as a Cavalier (he is my all-time favorite player), Shaq does NOT want to finish his career playing for a middling Cleveland franchise. This is a man on a mission, with that mission being to chase as many rings as he can in the short amount of time he has left in this league and (hopefully) acquire more rings than arch-nemesis Kobe Bryant when it's all said and done. Most of the top contenders in the league are out of salary cap space, which is an advantage for the Cavaliers. We have plenty of cap space available to sign and trade Shaquille O'Neal to any team that views him as that missing piece to a championship, and we should try to get at least something in return for him, maybe an expiring contract and a few draft picks.
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| Yes, that is indeed Donyell Marshall in the background. |
3.) Play "Boobie" Gibson!! I don't get it. I mean, I get it, but I didn't like it. Boobie didn't play much at all these last two years under Mike Brown because he was "too small" to play in a guard rotation that already featured Mo Williams and Delonte West. But this kid can shoot the ball and I love watching his funny hair-do's, something that is significantly less enjoyable when he's on the bench. Now that Delonte is gone, Boobie is going to be a perfect fit in Coach Scott's Princeton-style offense with his ability to shoot the ball. Look, I know Boobie can't really run an offense too well while Mo Williams is taking a breather but that's why we traded for Ramon Sessions, right? Let Boobie back up Anthony Parker at the Shooting Guard position and watch him drain threes like it's his job. Wait a minute.... it IS his job.....
2.) Start Antawn Jamison at Small Forward. I've been saying this a lot lately, and that's because I honestly believe it is the way to go! Coach Scott absolutely has to start JJ Hickson this year and give him the bulk of the PF minutes. Considering that Anderson Varejao is almost a lock as our starting Center, where does that leave 'Tawn? He could come off the bench in the sixth-man role and provide instant offense in the second unit, but the Cavaliers have a huge gaping hole at the Small Forward position that they need to fill. Don't let the recent signing of Joey Graham fool you, as neither he nor Jamario Moon are starting-caliber players in this league. Plus, Antawn would help stretch the floor with his three-point shooting (something Graham nor Moon could do), which would allow JJ room to work (read: beast) down low.
1.) Play JJ Hickson - A LOT! I'm a huge fan of this kid - JJ Hickson can really ball. For instance, last year he averaged 8.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Sure, he started 72 games for us last year, but he only played 20.9 minutes per contest and had to defer to LeBron, Mo, Shaq and 'Tawn. Give this kid some minutes and watch him not only put up numbers but continue to grow by leaps and bounds! I am of the humble opinion that JJ Hickson is the future star of this Cavaliers franchise but this is a make-or-break year for him. He's going into his third year as a professional athlete and he has huge potential but he needs to be given the opportunity to show what he has, and he needs that opportunity right now. Give this kid 35 minutes per game and watch him not only average something close to 17 and 9, but give Cavs fans everywhere a reason to be optimistic.
Honorable mention: Change those darn jerseys.
So LeBastards, what do you think? Is your list a little different? Give me your top 5 things the Cavs need to do next season in the comments below!
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