2021-22 regular season thread

[KuruptedCav]

Screw the draft. The failure rate on picks is high, guaranteed contracts, like Windler’s can create issues, and there are never any guarantees. I have doubts that you are getting a more impactful player with #14 than the BAE.

Get into the playoffs and get the experience of what it looks like when a team gets to prepare for you for a week and when you get to prepare for them for a week.

The Cavs have young talent. Keeping the pick is fine, it going to the Pacers is fine. Personally, I’d prefer to clear the obligation so that we can package 2023/25/27 in a bid for a needle mover instead of guy just drafted/25/27 plus. Sure, the Cavs might not be picking that high for a while; that’s okay too.


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[jbk1234]

Screw the draft. The failure rate on picks is high, guaranteed contracts, like Windler’s can create issues, and there are never any guarantees. I have doubts that you are getting a more impactful player with #14 than the BAE.

Get into the playoffs and get the experience of what it looks like when a team gets to prepare for you for a week and when you get to prepare for them for a week.

The Cavs have young talent. Keeping the pick is fine, it going to the Pacers is fine. Personally, I’d prefer to clear the obligation so that we can package 2023/25/27 in a bid for a needle mover instead of guy just drafted/25/27 plus. Sure, the Cavs might not be picking that high for a while; that’s okay too.


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Windler makes $2M this year and will make $4M next season. They could easily find a team like OKC who would take a flyer on him if they wanted. A lot of good players have been picked late in the lottery over the last decade so I'm not sure that BAE is anywhere close in terms of impact. Even if the Cavs could just check off the backup PG box with that pick it would help tremendously.

I just don't think the Cavs are ready for the playoff experience to be meaningful yet.

As to the bolded, that assumes such an opportunity presents itself.

[KuruptedCav]

Screw the draft. The failure rate on picks is high, guaranteed contracts, like Windler’s can create issues, and there are never any guarantees. I have doubts that you are getting a more impactful player with #14 than the BAE.

Get into the playoffs and get the experience of what it looks like when a team gets to prepare for you for a week and when you get to prepare for them for a week.

The Cavs have young talent. Keeping the pick is fine, it going to the Pacers is fine. Personally, I’d prefer to clear the obligation so that we can package 2023/25/27 in a bid for a needle mover instead of guy just drafted/25/27 plus. Sure, the Cavs might not be picking that high for a while; that’s okay too.


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Windler makes $2M this year and will make $4M next season. They could easily find a team like OKC who would take a flyer on him if they wanted. A lot of good players have been picked late in the lottery over the last decade so I'm not sure that BAE is anywhere close in terms of impact. Even if the Cavs could just check off the backup PG box with that pick it would help tremendously.

I just don't think the Cavs are ready for the playoff experience to be meaningful yet.

As to the bolded, that assumes such an opportunity presents itself.

Malik Monk would look good in a Cavs uniform


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[toooskies]

Screw the draft. The failure rate on picks is high, guaranteed contracts, like Windler’s can create issues, and there are never any guarantees. I have doubts that you are getting a more impactful player with #14 than the BAE.

Get into the playoffs and get the experience of what it looks like when a team gets to prepare for you for a week and when you get to prepare for them for a week.

The Cavs have young talent. Keeping the pick is fine, it going to the Pacers is fine. Personally, I’d prefer to clear the obligation so that we can package 2023/25/27 in a bid for a needle mover instead of guy just drafted/25/27 plus. Sure, the Cavs might not be picking that high for a while; that’s okay too.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

Windler makes $2M this year and will make $4M next season. They could easily find a team like OKC who would take a flyer on him if they wanted. A lot of good players have been picked late in the lottery over the last decade so I'm not sure that BAE is anywhere close in terms of impact. Even if the Cavs could just check off the backup PG box with that pick it would help tremendously.

I just don't think the Cavs are ready for the playoff experience to be meaningful yet.

As to the bolded, that assumes such an opportunity presents itself.

It's very easy to think the Cavs aren't ready when their interior defense is decimated. Don't get me wrong, they still should have spanked Orlando, but just getting the reps of "in the playoffs, you have to find adjustments when they take away X and Y from you."

I mean, if Allen and Mobley were out for the season, I'd probably agree with you-- there wouldn't be answers to fix the reasons why we'd lose in the first round. But if Mobley and Allen can return to the court, they can at least find out what teams will try to do when they get to examine your habits and your typical options are taken away.

[jbk1234]

Screw the draft. The failure rate on picks is high, guaranteed contracts, like Windler’s can create issues, and there are never any guarantees. I have doubts that you are getting a more impactful player with #14 than the BAE.

Get into the playoffs and get the experience of what it looks like when a team gets to prepare for you for a week and when you get to prepare for them for a week.

The Cavs have young talent. Keeping the pick is fine, it going to the Pacers is fine. Personally, I’d prefer to clear the obligation so that we can package 2023/25/27 in a bid for a needle mover instead of guy just drafted/25/27 plus. Sure, the Cavs might not be picking that high for a while; that’s okay too.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

Windler makes $2M this year and will make $4M next season. They could easily find a team like OKC who would take a flyer on him if they wanted. A lot of good players have been picked late in the lottery over the last decade so I'm not sure that BAE is anywhere close in terms of impact. Even if the Cavs could just check off the backup PG box with that pick it would help tremendously.

I just don't think the Cavs are ready for the playoff experience to be meaningful yet.

As to the bolded, that assumes such an opportunity presents itself.

It's very easy to think the Cavs aren't ready when their interior defense is decimated. Don't get me wrong, they still should have spanked Orlando, but just getting the reps of "in the playoffs, you have to find adjustments when they take away X and Y from you."

I mean, if Allen and Mobley were out for the season, I'd probably agree with you-- there wouldn't be answers to fix the reasons why we'd lose in the first round. But if Mobley and Allen can return to the court, they can at least find out what teams will try to do when they get to examine your habits and your typical options are taken away.

Once I heard Allen wasn't coming back at 100% for the playoffs, my position only hardened. We could drop to 9, play a home game against the Hornets and win. Player the loser of the Hawks/Nets on the road. Lose and pick in the lottery. Getting two post season games and a lottery pick is better than playing in and getting swept IMO.

Next season, we'll have a fully recovered Allen, a second year Mobley, third year Okoro, and hopefully, a real backup PG. Maybe we'll even have Sexton back as well. If not, at least LeVert will have had enough run to see if he's workable on this roster. That's a team I'd be excited to see in the playoffs. This hobbled, worn out one, not so much.

[jbk1234]

Screw the draft. The failure rate on picks is high, guaranteed contracts, like Windler’s can create issues, and there are never any guarantees. I have doubts that you are getting a more impactful player with #14 than the BAE.

Get into the playoffs and get the experience of what it looks like when a team gets to prepare for you for a week and when you get to prepare for them for a week.

The Cavs have young talent. Keeping the pick is fine, it going to the Pacers is fine. Personally, I’d prefer to clear the obligation so that we can package 2023/25/27 in a bid for a needle mover instead of guy just drafted/25/27 plus. Sure, the Cavs might not be picking that high for a while; that’s okay too.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

Windler makes $2M this year and will make $4M next season. They could easily find a team like OKC who would take a flyer on him if they wanted. A lot of good players have been picked late in the lottery over the last decade so I'm not sure that BAE is anywhere close in terms of impact. Even if the Cavs could just check off the backup PG box with that pick it would help tremendously.

I just don't think the Cavs are ready for the playoff experience to be meaningful yet.

As to the bolded, that assumes such an opportunity presents itself.

Malik Monk would look good in a Cavs uniform


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At a fraction of the cost of LeVert or Sexton.

[ijspeelman]

Windler makes $2M this year and will make $4M next season. They could easily find a team like OKC who would take a flyer on him if they wanted. A lot of good players have been picked late in the lottery over the last decade so I'm not sure that BAE is anywhere close in terms of impact. Even if the Cavs could just check off the backup PG box with that pick it would help tremendously.

I just don't think the Cavs are ready for the playoff experience to be meaningful yet.

As to the bolded, that assumes such an opportunity presents itself.

Malik Monk would look good in a Cavs uniform


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

At a fraction of the cost of LeVert or Sexton.

He'd be good for like 10-12m/yr for 2-3 years (I have no idea how this would work with our salary situation, but seems we'd need to let go of Sexton this year or LeVert next year). I think he will go for slightly higher since he's been a bright spot for the Lakers. I do not like his defense and personally think he's one of the worst in the league. Maybe he has just been in the wrong system, but I don't like that chance.

I would love a Kyle Anderson, Gary Harris, RoCo, or Otto Porter Jr. I assume RoCo is not going to happen since he's a super hot commodity.

[LivingLegend]

Malik Monk would look good in a Cavs uniform


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At a fraction of the cost of LeVert or Sexton.

He'd be good for like 10-12m/yr for 2-3 years (I have no idea how this would work with our salary situation, but seems we'd need to let go of Sexton this year or LeVert next year). I think he will go for slightly higher since he's been a bright spot for the Lakers. I do not like his defense and personally think he's one of the worst in the league. Maybe he has just been in the wrong system, but I don't like that chance.

I would love a Kyle Anderson, Gary Harris, RoCo, or Otto Porter Jr. I assume RoCo is not going to happen since he's a super hot commodity.

I know the salaries probably won't work without looking but I would like to see something like LeVert and his expiring to Miami for Duncan Robinson. His skillet would be a breath of fresh air for this team who is completely devoid of elite shooting. With Herro's emergence he might be available.

Monk reminds me of a store brand Collin Sexton. Zero bball IQ and doesn't play defense. Collin is at least a much better consistent scoring option with some capability to run a offense if needed.

[JonFromVA]

At a fraction of the cost of LeVert or Sexton.

He'd be good for like 10-12m/yr for 2-3 years (I have no idea how this would work with our salary situation, but seems we'd need to let go of Sexton this year or LeVert next year). I think he will go for slightly higher since he's been a bright spot for the Lakers. I do not like his defense and personally think he's one of the worst in the league. Maybe he has just been in the wrong system, but I don't like that chance.

I would love a Kyle Anderson, Gary Harris, RoCo, or Otto Porter Jr. I assume RoCo is not going to happen since he's a super hot commodity.

I know the salaries probably won't work without looking but I would like to see something like LeVert and his expiring to Miami for Duncan Robinson. His skillet would be a breath of fresh air for this team who is completely devoid of elite shooting. With Herro's emergence he might be available.

Monk reminds me of a store brand Collin Sexton. Zero bball IQ and doesn't play defense. Collin is at least a much better consistent scoring option with some capability to run a offense if needed.

Adding a player like Robinson won't help unless JBB can be bothered to incorporate his movement in to our offense and players like Allen, Mobley and even Okoro learn how to set an effective screen including off-ball screens.

It would have been nice if Windler hadn't lost his confidence and forgot how to shoot, maybe JBB would have done something more with him than sit him in the corner.

[ijspeelman]

Adding a player like Robinson won't help unless JBB can be bothered to incorporate his movement in to our offense and players like Allen, Mobley and even Okoro learn how to set an effective screen including off-ball screens.

It would have been nice if Windler hadn't lost his confidence and forgot how to shoot, maybe JBB would have done something more with him than sit him in the corner.

Regarding the bolded, if JB cannot lightly figure this kind of offense out next year, we are in for a rough year. Our offense is too predictable and I think teams have figured out how to shut us down.

[JonFromVA]

Adding a player like Robinson won't help unless JBB can be bothered to incorporate his movement in to our offense and players like Allen, Mobley and even Okoro learn how to set an effective screen including off-ball screens.

It would have been nice if Windler hadn't lost his confidence and forgot how to shoot, maybe JBB would have done something more with him than sit him in the corner.

Regarding the bolded, if JB cannot lightly figure this kind of offense out next year, we are in for a rough year. Our offense is too predictable and I think teams have figured out how to shut us down.

I sure hope they continue to evolve their systems, but I could also see them convincing themselves we just need to get healthy and get our vertical spacing working again, and either bring back Rubio or find a better way to replace what he brought than Rondo and Goodwin.

The playoffs were supposed to be the ultimate test of whether what we're doing has a chance of working once an opponent locks in on us, but here we are limping our way in to them and may not even get the chance to play a full series.

My hope is Mobley and Allen are playing tomorrow and hit the floor running so we can go in to the play-in with some momentum and some hope of seeing what this team can really do. It also would have been nice if our first round opponent was more of a cupcake for us to get our feet wet, but we lost the chance of getting a higher seed and the East is just pretty darn deep this year.

We're probably the team other fan bases are circling as the "cupcake" in the East.

[jbk1234]

If you can't force the other team out of four defenders in or around the painted area sets, I'm not sure how much bringing in an offensive coordinator is going to help. At some point, you have credible threats to shoot from outside, besides your PG, or you don't. There are a lot of guys on our roster who opposing teams will live with taking a jumper from outside.

[ijspeelman]

If you can't force the other team out of four defenders in or around the painted area sets, I'm not sure how much bringing in an offensive coordinator is going to help. At some point, you have credible threats to shoot from outside, besides your PG, or you don't. There are a lot of guys on our roster who opposing teams will live with taking a jumper from outside.

https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/shots-closest-defender/?Season=2021-22&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&PerMode=Totals&CloseDefDistRange=6%2B%20Feet%20-%20Wide%20Open&sort=FG3_PCT&dir=1

Above is tracking data for all teams showing 3pt shooting attempts and percentages.

Our basic stats are 37.1% on 18.16 wide open attempts (opposing defender 6+ feet away). League average is 38.2% on 16.75 wide open attempts.

For example, if we shot league average from three instead of 37.1% on the same attempts we would increase our offensive rating by ~.6 (111.6 -> 112.2; league avg= 111.8).



As you can imagine, a better wide open 3P% correlates with a higher offensive rating, but you can have a top 10 offensive without an above average wide open 3P%. See Celtics, Nuggets, and Grizzlies.

[JonFromVA]

If you can't force the other team out of four defenders in or around the painted area sets, I'm not sure how much bringing in an offensive coordinator is going to help. At some point, you have credible threats to shoot from outside, besides your PG, or you don't. There are a lot of guys on our roster who opposing teams will live with taking a jumper from outside.

When teams did that early in the season, JBB would send in Rubio and he found ways to break it up.

Short of that, JBB can easily get at least 3 shooters on the floor in Garland, Markkenen/Love, and LeVert.

[jbk1234]

If you can't force the other team out of four defenders in or around the painted area sets, I'm not sure how much bringing in an offensive coordinator is going to help. At some point, you have credible threats to shoot from outside, besides your PG, or you don't. There are a lot of guys on our roster who opposing teams will live with taking a jumper from outside.

When teams did that early in the season, JBB would send in Rubio and he found ways to break it up.

Short of that, JBB can easily get at least 3 shooters on the floor in Garland, Markkenen/Love, and LeVert.

Sometimes Rubio was able to break it up. Sometimes he wasn't. But Rubio didn't play a lot of minutes with Allen and Mobley unless we we're trying to close out games and we were leaning heavily upon getting stops. It just seems to me that both Allen and Mobley are too important to our success for us to entertain notions of trading one of them, at least in the near future. You're going to have to get a good shooter on the floor with them and not one who's also playing PG.

[JonFromVA]

If you can't force the other team out of four defenders in or around the painted area sets, I'm not sure how much bringing in an offensive coordinator is going to help. At some point, you have credible threats to shoot from outside, besides your PG, or you don't. There are a lot of guys on our roster who opposing teams will live with taking a jumper from outside.

When teams did that early in the season, JBB would send in Rubio and he found ways to break it up.

Short of that, JBB can easily get at least 3 shooters on the floor in Garland, Markkenen/Love, and LeVert.

Sometimes Rubio was able to break it up. Sometimes he wasn't. But Rubio didn't play a lot of minutes with Allen and Mobley unless we we're trying to close out games and we were leaning heavily upon getting stops. It just seems to me that both Allen and Mobley are too important to our success for us to entertain notions of trading one of them, at least in the near future. You're going to have to get a good shooter on the floor with them and not one who's also playing PG.

Well, let's just say I was looking forward to these concepts being thoroughly tested.

Ultimately the Cavs are still in the business of developing talent for a few more years. So, IMO, the big question isn't what are they now, but what can they become and how can we best get them there.

[JonFromVA]

So, apparently the Cavs released Nembhard. Did they change their mind regarding who they want on the roster in the play-in/play-offs? Were they just trying to funnel him some extra cash?

[toooskies]

So, apparently the Cavs released Nembhard. Did they change their mind regarding who they want on the roster in the play-in/play-offs? Were they just trying to funnel him some extra cash?

Some possibilities:
- Postseason rosters. Maybe the Cavs expected Mobley/Allen back in time to play, but they won't be, so they need to sign Moses Brown (or some player not on the roster) to the regular roster for the postseason.
- Rewarding Nembhard a little bit. He was on the roster for 7 days-- I wonder if there was some kind of specific thing here, possibly regarding Players' Association membership or insurance or minimum salary calculation for Nembhard's benefit. The actual cash is probably irrelevant.
- Misbehavior. The Cavs wanted Nembhard on the roster, but apparently he was trash-talking the Magic the whole game. That's not exactly the Cavs' style, and JBB might have been put off by it.
- Oopsies. Maybe the Cavs didn't realize that two-ways were ineligible for the playoffs. Maybe someone got told to convert "that guy on the 2-way" and added Nembhard instead of Goodwin.

My guess is that Allen was presumed to be ready before the end of the regular season when Nembhard was initially promoted, but a setback has put him back into the dreaded "indefinitely" category and they're going to be forced to add Brown (and hope Nembhard is available).

[JonFromVA]

So, apparently the Cavs released Nembhard. Did they change their mind regarding who they want on the roster in the play-in/play-offs? Were they just trying to funnel him some extra cash?

Some possibilities:
- Postseason rosters. Maybe the Cavs expected Mobley/Allen back in time to play, but they won't be, so they need to sign Moses Brown (or some player not on the roster) to the regular roster for the postseason.
- Rewarding Nembhard a little bit. He was on the roster for 7 days-- I wonder if there was some kind of specific thing here, possibly regarding Players' Association membership or insurance or minimum salary calculation for Nembhard's benefit. The actual cash is probably irrelevant.
- Misbehavior. The Cavs wanted Nembhard on the roster, but apparently he was trash-talking the Magic the whole game. That's not exactly the Cavs' style, and JBB might have been put off by it.
- Oopsies. Maybe the Cavs didn't realize that two-ways were ineligible for the playoffs. Maybe someone got told to convert "that guy on the 2-way" and added Nembhard instead of Goodwin.

My guess is that Allen was presumed to be ready before the end of the regular season when Nembhard was initially promoted, but a setback has put him back into the dreaded "indefinitely" category and they're going to be forced to add Brown (and hope Nembhard is available).

It was just weird that we added Nembhard when we clearly still had problems at C and PG. It doesn't fit their MO, but another possibility is they're thinking of adding somebody off the streets who wasn't available before?

Maybe dust off Andy Varejao again ....

[toooskies]

So, apparently the Cavs released Nembhard. Did they change their mind regarding who they want on the roster in the play-in/play-offs? Were they just trying to funnel him some extra cash?

Some possibilities:
- Postseason rosters. Maybe the Cavs expected Mobley/Allen back in time to play, but they won't be, so they need to sign Moses Brown (or some player not on the roster) to the regular roster for the postseason.
- Rewarding Nembhard a little bit. He was on the roster for 7 days-- I wonder if there was some kind of specific thing here, possibly regarding Players' Association membership or insurance or minimum salary calculation for Nembhard's benefit. The actual cash is probably irrelevant.
- Misbehavior. The Cavs wanted Nembhard on the roster, but apparently he was trash-talking the Magic the whole game. That's not exactly the Cavs' style, and JBB might have been put off by it.
- Oopsies. Maybe the Cavs didn't realize that two-ways were ineligible for the playoffs. Maybe someone got told to convert "that guy on the 2-way" and added Nembhard instead of Goodwin.

My guess is that Allen was presumed to be ready before the end of the regular season when Nembhard was initially promoted, but a setback has put him back into the dreaded "indefinitely" category and they're going to be forced to add Brown (and hope Nembhard is available).

It was just weird that we added Nembhard when we clearly still had problems at C and PG. It doesn't fit their MO, but another possibility is they're thinking of adding somebody off the streets who wasn't available before?

Maybe dust off Andy Varejao again ....

Yeah, it does end up paying Nembhard the same as being on the 2-way deal for the rest of the season. I just don't know who's out there that we'd want. Jahlil Okafor? Enes Freedom? Cody Zeller? Marques Bolden? Thon Maker? None of those are that appealing.