After one-third of the NBA season, the Cleveland Cavaliers might be the league’s biggest disappointment.
After last year’s thrilling 7-game series against the then back-to-back Eastern Conference Champion Detroit Pistons, the Cavaliers were a popular pick among numerous NBA scouts and experts to win the Eastern Conference. So what has gone wrong?
1.) Larry Hughes. No longer having his broken right wrist as a scape goat for his jump shot, it looks like the injury prone Hughes is making far more than his worth. His wrist might be fixed, but his suspect jumper might not be fixable. More importantly, he doesn’t seem to mesh well with LeBron.
General Manager Danny Ferry may have hit the panic button too early after missing out on the three major free agents of the 2005 summer; Joe Johnson (who was a restricted free agent with Phoenix, but failed to match Atlanta’s offer), Ray Allen and Michael Redd. Then, to make matters worse, threw a near maximum contract at Hughes that other teams wouldn’t care to offer.
2007 resolution for Hughes: Larry stays healthy and starts to play like he did in 2005 with Washington, maybe making a few jump shots in the mean time.
2.) LeBron James. James is not on this list because of his talent, or how he has played this season. Let’s be honest, this organization is better off just falling over into Lake Erie if they didn’t have LeBron. LeBron made the list because of something he has not yet possessed; a killer instinct. Yes, I do want to see LeBron having fun when he plays – he is only 22-years-old afterall. But I don’t want to see this LeBron who laughs and “plays” with opposing players as if it were just a pickup game. Often he seems (if possible) too nice a guy. I would love to see a little mean streak in him, such as the one he showed some of in the playoffs.
2007 resolution for LeBron: I’m not asking him to be hated, … Just have some more fire and anger to his game.
3.) Mike Brown. I don’t blame him as much as some, but I still think he needs to show more. The offense is very dull at times to say the least as there looks to be too much standing around watching No.23. Brown also needs to show more motivational skills as the Cavs often look timid and lax to begin games and after breaks.
2007 resolution for Mike Brown: This team is in need of a spark; something to get its blood flowing. Coach Brown needs to figure out what buttons to push.
4.) Danny Ferry. Ferry’s free agent signings since being hired as GM of the Cavs: Larry Hughes, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Donyell Marshall, Damon Jones, Scott Pollard and David Wesley. Not one of these players has paned out or deserves the money they are getting paid. He drafted Shannon Brown and Daniel Gibson. Gibson does show promise. Ferry also traded for Ronald “Flip” Murray before last year’s trade deadline. Murray helped push the Cavs into the Conference Semifinals and looked better than Hughes doing it. With all the Cavaliers money now tied up in big-contracts, it is hard to tell how the Cavaliers will improve enough to become championship contenders. An easy fix would be to trade Ilgauskas, but nobody in their right mind will want to take on his monster contract. Cavalier fans might have to stick it out with this roster and hope they get it together, because it will be hard to add any key pieces.
Danny Ferry’s 2007 resolution (wish) : Trade for Mike Bibby.
Chris Bundus is a senior in journalism and can be reached for comment at [email protected].
