2024-25 Regular Season

[toooskies]

Front page says the Cavs signed Tomlin to a 10-day.

Someone at RCF had the inside track on this, they posted about it weeks ago.

Kudos to Tomlin, put an extra $100k in his pocket for 10 days of hanging out with the parent club.

This will get us to March 1st once his deal expires and then we'll have until March 15th to get back to 14 players. That is more than enough time to let the buyout market develop and evaluate how to fill the final 2 spots on the playoff roster.

Yep, NBA players need to be off their old team's roster by March 1st in order to be eligible to play for another team in the playoffs. We will at least know all the interesting names by March 1st and can execute a plan from there.

(I realized the dream of Yabusele getting bought out is impossible because some team would claim him on waivers.)

[JujitsuFlip]

Front page says the Cavs signed Tomlin to a 10-day.

Someone at RCF had the inside track on this, they posted about it weeks ago.

Kudos to Tomlin, put an extra $100k in his pocket for 10 days of hanging out with the parent club.

This will get us to March 1st once his deal expires and then we'll have until March 15th to get back to 14 players. That is more than enough time to let the buyout market develop and evaluate how to fill the final 2 spots on the playoff roster.

Yep, NBA players need to be off their old team's roster by March 1st in order to be eligible to play for another team in the playoffs. We will at least know all the interesting names by March 1st and can execute a plan from there.

(I realized the dream of Yabusele getting bought out is impossible because some team would claim him on waivers.)

I hope a couple names pop up, so far it seems everyone is staying put.

Koby might have to dig deep to find 2 quality insurance options off the bench.

[JujitsuFlip]

https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2025/02/javonte-green-agrees-to-buyout-with-pelicans-plans-to-sign-with-cavaliers.html

Second signing of the day, Javonte Green. He secured a buyout from the Pelicans.

He's not very tall but has a 7 foot wingspan and he has a reputation of being tough, i like it as a break glass emergency option.

[JujitsuFlip]

There ya go, if it ever comes up on Cavs trivia lol

Edit: Green was also teammates with Strus in the 2019 preseason for the Celtics.

[toooskies]

https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2025/02/javonte-green-agrees-to-buyout-with-pelicans-plans-to-sign-with-cavaliers.html

Second signing of the day, Javonte Green. He secured a buyout from the Pelicans.

He's not very tall but has a 7 foot wingspan and he has a reputation of being tough, i like it as a break glass emergency option.

I like him as Okoro insurance in case the shoulder doesn’t get right. Until this year he was always a high efficiency end of bench guy. Could really pay dividends against Jaylen Brown or Shai.

[ijspeelman]

I had Green listed as one of the "big " options as a buyout, but would still prefer another big body after our 10 days run out. I echo toooskies sentiments and do think despite being 6'5 he could run the 4 if absolutely needed.

[toooskies]

I had Green listed as one of the "big " options as a buyout, but would still prefer another big body after our 10 days run out. I echo toooskies sentiments and do think despite being 6'5 he could run the 4 if absolutely needed.

I feel a lot better about Hunter/Green/Okoro/Strus than Niang/Okoro/Strus/LeVert as our depth at the 4, so Tomlin on 10-days is fine unless someone else shakes loose.

The exception to that is if we see an injury that will impact the postseason.

[JujitsuFlip]

I had Green listed as one of the "big " options as a buyout, but would still prefer another big body after our 10 days run out. I echo toooskies sentiments and do think despite being 6'5 he could run the 4 if absolutely needed.

I feel a lot better about Hunter/Green/Okoro/Strus than Niang/Okoro/Strus/LeVert as our depth at the 4, so Tomlin on 10-days is fine unless someone else shakes loose.

The exception to that is if we see an injury that will impact the postseason.

Yeah, i think that is why spot 15 may sit vacant for a bit once Tomlin's 10 day is done, just to really review who the final playoff spot needs to go to.

[toooskies]

I had Green listed as one of the "big " options as a buyout, but would still prefer another big body after our 10 days run out. I echo toooskies sentiments and do think despite being 6'5 he could run the 4 if absolutely needed.

I feel a lot better about Hunter/Green/Okoro/Strus than Niang/Okoro/Strus/LeVert as our depth at the 4, so Tomlin on 10-days is fine unless someone else shakes loose.

The exception to that is if we see an injury that will impact the postseason.

Yeah, i think that is why spot 15 may sit vacant for a bit once Tomlin's 10 day is done, just to really review who the final playoff spot needs to go to.

He may need another 10 day if we're going to do any kind of evaluation, tonight's game is the only one in the next ten days that we can expect garbage time. The next ten has Blazers, Bulls, Hornets, Nets.

[JujitsuFlip]

I feel a lot better about Hunter/Green/Okoro/Strus than Niang/Okoro/Strus/LeVert as our depth at the 4, so Tomlin on 10-days is fine unless someone else shakes loose.

The exception to that is if we see an injury that will impact the postseason.

Yeah, i think that is why spot 15 may sit vacant for a bit once Tomlin's 10 day is done, just to really review who the final playoff spot needs to go to.

He may need another 10 day if we're going to do any kind of evaluation, tonight's game is the only one in the next ten days that we can expect garbage time. The next ten has Blazers, Bulls, Hornets, Nets.

Yeah, a second 10 day shouldn't be any issue vs the tax either, so I'm for it. We'll still have 14 days after that second 10 day to really evaluate things before the end of the regular season.

[JujitsuFlip]

I am gonna put it on the GB but wanted to add it here first.

From Dan Devine at Yahoo:

“In doing Big Number research recently, I found three players in the 80th percentile or higher in The BBall Index’s perimeter isolation D, matchup difficulty, defensive playmaking, ball screen navigation, passing lane D and rim protection metrics:

Amen Thompson, Alex Caruso ... and Javonte Green.”

[JujitsuFlip]

https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2025/02/new-cavs-swingman-explains-decision-to-sign-with-easts-top-team.html?outputType=amp

Wow, so Green was who Kenny wanted to bring in. Always connected somehow.

"Atkinson reached out to Green, expressing interest and chatting about a variety of topics, many of which went beyond basketball. The two got to know each other last year, when Green was still recovering from an arthroscopic debridement to remedy a bone bruise in his right knee while playing for the Santa Cruz Warriors — Golden State’s G League affiliate".

[JonFromVA]

https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2025/02/new-cavs-swingman-explains-decision-to-sign-with-easts-top-team.html?outputType=amp

Wow, so Green was who Kenny wanted to bring in. Always connected somehow.

"Atkinson reached out to Green, expressing interest and chatting about a variety of topics, many of which went beyond basketball. The two got to know each other last year, when Green was still recovering from an arthroscopic debridement to remedy a bone bruise in his right knee while playing for the Santa Cruz Warriors — Golden State’s G League affiliate".

Just glad our coach and GM are working together, rather than fighting each other.

[JujitsuFlip]

https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2025/02/new-cavs-swingman-explains-decision-to-sign-with-easts-top-team.html?outputType=amp

Wow, so Green was who Kenny wanted to bring in. Always connected somehow.

"Atkinson reached out to Green, expressing interest and chatting about a variety of topics, many of which went beyond basketball. The two got to know each other last year, when Green was still recovering from an arthroscopic debridement to remedy a bone bruise in his right knee while playing for the Santa Cruz Warriors — Golden State’s G League affiliate".

Just glad our coach and GM are working together, rather than fighting each other.

Hahah jb and Koby are friends like Mike Brown and Chris Grant before them.

Koby and jb just did not align on basketball philosophy. Koby wants his coach to play 10+ guys every night and Kenny does that, so it's a match. No proof but i assume Koby probably wanted a more dynamic offense too.

[JonFromVA]

https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2025/02/new-cavs-swingman-explains-decision-to-sign-with-easts-top-team.html?outputType=amp

Wow, so Green was who Kenny wanted to bring in. Always connected somehow.

"Atkinson reached out to Green, expressing interest and chatting about a variety of topics, many of which went beyond basketball. The two got to know each other last year, when Green was still recovering from an arthroscopic debridement to remedy a bone bruise in his right knee while playing for the Santa Cruz Warriors — Golden State’s G League affiliate".

Just glad our coach and GM are working together, rather than fighting each other.

Hahah jb and Koby are friends like Mike Brown and Chris Grant before them.

Koby and jb just did not align on basketball philosophy. Koby wants his coach to play 10+ guys every night and Kenny does that, so it's a match. No proof but i assume Koby probably wanted a more dynamic offense too.

Bickerstaff will tell you he always wanted the guys to play at a faster pace, but I guess he was never so good at cause and effect. Players simply aren't going to run themselves ragged on both ends of the floor when their head coach might just forget to sub them out and play them 24 minutes straight.

[JujitsuFlip]

Just glad our coach and GM are working together, rather than fighting each other.

Hahah jb and Koby are friends like Mike Brown and Chris Grant before them.

Koby and jb just did not align on basketball philosophy. Koby wants his coach to play 10+ guys every night and Kenny does that, so it's a match. No proof but i assume Koby probably wanted a more dynamic offense too.

Bickerstaff will tell you he always wanted the guys to play at a faster pace, but I guess he was never so good at cause and effect. Players simply aren't going to run themselves ragged on both ends of the floor when their head coach might just forget to sub them out and play them 24 minutes straight.

Exactly lol

It is odd how as soon as he got to Detroit, he discovered how to use his bench. Maybe it's all honeymoon phase stuff.

[JonFromVA]

Hahah jb and Koby are friends like Mike Brown and Chris Grant before them.

Koby and jb just did not align on basketball philosophy. Koby wants his coach to play 10+ guys every night and Kenny does that, so it's a match. No proof but i assume Koby probably wanted a more dynamic offense too.

Bickerstaff will tell you he always wanted the guys to play at a faster pace, but I guess he was never so good at cause and effect. Players simply aren't going to run themselves ragged on both ends of the floor when their head coach might just forget to sub them out and play them 24 minutes straight.

Exactly lol

It is odd how as soon as he got to Detroit, he discovered how to use his bench. Maybe it's all honeymoon phase stuff.

Oh, he wouldn't be the first coach to do a little introspection after getting fired, and after Detroit got an influx of vets, it's not exactly challenging for him to play his lottery rooks .vs. trusting play time to undrafted players and 2-way players like CPJ, Merrill, etc.

With Garland out, Kenny actually trusted his bench in the 4th quarter while only asking Mitchell to play 35 minutes. Meanwhile Cade averages 36mpg in Detroit, so, old habits will likely resurface when the games start to mean something or JBB feels like he's back on the hot seat.

[toooskies]

Hahah jb and Koby are friends like Mike Brown and Chris Grant before them.

Koby and jb just did not align on basketball philosophy. Koby wants his coach to play 10+ guys every night and Kenny does that, so it's a match. No proof but i assume Koby probably wanted a more dynamic offense too.

Bickerstaff will tell you he always wanted the guys to play at a faster pace, but I guess he was never so good at cause and effect. Players simply aren't going to run themselves ragged on both ends of the floor when their head coach might just forget to sub them out and play them 24 minutes straight.

Exactly lol

It is odd how as soon as he got to Detroit, he discovered how to use his bench. Maybe it's all honeymoon phase stuff.

JBB probably has an obligation to play Ron Holland regular minutes simply because of his draft position-- same with Ivey and Ausar. If JBB was under pressure to win more games now I could see him dropping Holland pretty quickly.

But a lot of his bench this year is league veterans who you can trust-- Beasley, Schroder, Stewart. And outside of Cade he doesn't have starters who are clearly better than their backups like the Cavs have with the core four. On any given night Beasley can be better than THJ, Stewart better than Duren,

With the Cavs? Cedi Osman, Danny Green, Ricky Rubio, Robin Lopez, Lamar Stevens, Mamadi Diakite, and Dylan Windler are all on the fringes or out of the league. The talent level wasn't there. Last year, particularly after he learned he could trust Merrill and sort of trust CPJ, JBB played more guys then too when fully healthy. The last-resort options like Marcus Morris, Damian Jones, Isaiah Mobley, and Pete Nance are on the fringes or out of the league.

In the long view, NBA GMs collectively have pretty much agreed with JBB that guys he didn't want to play weren't good enough to cut it in the league. Particularly for a win-now team.

[JujitsuFlip]

Bickerstaff will tell you he always wanted the guys to play at a faster pace, but I guess he was never so good at cause and effect. Players simply aren't going to run themselves ragged on both ends of the floor when their head coach might just forget to sub them out and play them 24 minutes straight.

Exactly lol

It is odd how as soon as he got to Detroit, he discovered how to use his bench. Maybe it's all honeymoon phase stuff.

Oh, he wouldn't be the first coach to do a little introspection after getting fired, and after Detroit got an influx of vets, it's not exactly challenging for him to play his lottery rooks .vs. trusting play time to undrafted players and 2-way players like CPJ, Merrill, etc.

With Garland out, Kenny actually trusted his bench in the 4th quarter while only asking Mitchell to play 35 minutes. Meanwhile Cade averages 36mpg in Detroit, so, old habits will likely resurface when the games start to mean something or JBB feels like he's back on the hot seat.

I tried to tell a Pistons fan that on the GB.

I was like Cavs fans were thankful he pulled us outta the bottom of the league but once we wanted to start winning, jb just preaching hustle and defense wasn't enough.

Gotta actually have an offense and actually make smart rotations + adjustments.

We'll see how he does in these playoffs, as far as adjustments and what not go.

[JonFromVA]

In the past few days I've seen posts from both a Knicks fan and a Magic fan deciding their problem .vs. us is their bench because their starters managed to match or best our starters in total points.

Here's one of them:

*snip*
Many of us Magic fans are complaining about Paolo and Franz. Yet Paolo scored 26 tonight and Franz nailed us another 19. Should our core of stars be the real focus in taking the next step? Or should Jeff Weltman has something else to focus on?
*snip*

I'm so tempted to reply, but have been holding back to be gracious; but yeah, our reserves are playing great, but that doesn't mean our starters aren't also. You just can't compare bulk numbers when our big guns are taking less shots, playing fewer minutes, and sharing the wealth because ... they can.

Specifically our starters were +8 in ~9 minutes .vs. Orlando and +7 in ~10 minutes .vs. the Knicks, so, when matched up in equal minutes they were nowhere close to equal.