Written by Noah Poinar

---

 

It’s not the worst time to be a Cavs fan.  

This team isn't particularly good, and the majority of people would agree they're not going anywhere—at least not this year.  But despite this, Cleveland is witnessing one of the more entertaining team's in franchise history.  Going forward, this team has given themselves options.  A lot of options.  Like, an obscene amount of options.  Ultimately, that's what makes the Cavs experience so exciting.  In the NBA, options are everything, and the Cavs are compounding their options at a staggering rate.   Basically, options are hope—the legitimate kind, not the kind the Indians and Browns can offer.  Especially right now, as we're approaching the advent of the NBA's new luxury tax penalty.  

Here's what hope looks like:

 

Tons of cap room ($20 million range)

More room yet to come ($30 million range this summer) 

A committed owner (habit of doubling the Dolan’s payroll)

A Helpful new CBA (kicks in next season)

An abundance of future draft picks (as many as 7 over the next two years)

Array of young, first-round talent (all still under rookie contracts) 

A likable 20 year old superstar (incredibly entertaining to watch)

A suddenly rejuvenated head coach (with a fairly decent track record) 

A pair of expiring contracts (useful)

The most valuable trade-chip in the league (arguably, Anderson Varejao) 

 

Sometime within the next 20 months we’ll be extremely giddy for this Cavs team, and I feel pretty confident in saying that.  Then again, I'm already giddy.  The following nine statements offer proof.            

 

 

1. I actually like the Cavs bench

 

If the bench were anywhere close to average, the Cavs would probably end up drafting in the 10-14 range.  Instead, I sense they’ll be drafting at a considerably lower position.  But that's what we want, a higher pick, right?  Byron Scott and Chris Grant are nodding their heads, which explains the whole "Luke Walton being given NBA minutes" thing. 

             

 

2. Kyrie Irving leaped

 

After Kyrie's dagger on Monday night I'm pretty sure he bellowed out,  "ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?"            

Only seven players in the history of the league have shot 50% from the floor, 40% from three-point, and 90% from the line in a single season.  Last season, Irving was .517 from the floor, .399 from three, and .872 from the line.  Those numbers are simply unprecedented for a first year rookie.  That’s why just about everyone is predicting Irving will take the proverbial star “leap” this season.  This always happens during a player’s second and third season.  ALWAYS.  So stay tuned, you’ve been warned.  

 

If we can take anything away from these first four game’s though, it’s that Irving has  in fact made the leap.  There’s a distinct difference between scoring points and dropping points, and last Tuesday against Washington Irving didn’t score 29 points, he dropped them.  In other words, he made it look routine.  As for the 13 straight fourth quarter points he had in Milwaukee, the 16 he dropped in the first quarter against the Clips, and the dagger three he laid....

 

3. The Cavs have the second best player in the Eastern Conference.

 

Don’t laugh.  In case you haven’t noticed, the East is terrible.  There’s a reason Miami is the unanimous pick to come out.  The talent is thin.  Very thin.  And it’s not getting any younger.   In terms of player’s that were drafted in the last four years, you have Irving—(then a drop off)—Brandon Jennings—(then a giant drop off)—Greg Monroe, Paul George, Jrue Holiday—(then another drop off)—John Wall, Evan Turner—(then another drop)—Brandon Knight, Kemba Walker and whoever else you feel deserves to be named.  

 

As for the race for runner-up behind LeBron James... With Dwight Howard gone, and Derrick Rose sidelined for god-knows-how-long, we’re left with the following crop: Wade, Carmelo, Andrew Bynum, Deron Williams, Rondo, Paul Pierce, Joe Johnson, Kyle Lowry, and Josh Smith.  That’s it.  Not exactly overwhelming.  And again, not getting any younger. 

 

4. I like Byron Scott, but...  

 

I’ve slowly come to the realization that Byron Scott might be one of the worst defensive coaches in the league.  For now, I’m fine with the ensuing collateral damage, and so are you.  But in a year or two, after Scott  has maximized the potential of both Irving and Waiters, our stance may or may not change.   .

 

 

5. The Tristan Thompson pick wasn’t a colossal failure.

 

Forget those three consecutive dunks, or the back-door double-double cover on opening night, or even the relatively quiet past two games Thompson has had.  Thompson’s court presence alone—the way he’s moving, the way he runs, the way he stands, his breaking off of pick and rolls—has me feeling better about the former no. 4 overall pick.  He has looked like a NBA player.  A competent power forward.  Someone other team’s would be pleased to have.  Someone I’m glad, yes glad, the Cavs drafted.

 

     

6. Sold.  Sold.  Sold.  Sold.  Sold.  Dion Waiters

 

Ninety percent of everything I know about the NBA comes from playing NBA2k, so with that said, I was sold on Dion Waiters a lot earlier than most.  It only took playing a couple possessions to see why the Cavs had gone the Waiters route in the draft.  Simply put, he can play the game of basketball.  Yes, my assessment is that simplistic.  He can dribble, he can drive, he can pass, he can defend (relatively well for a rookie), and most importantly, he can shoot.  And holy hell did he ever shoot it up in L.A.  Ultimately, that’s why I think the Cavs got it right.  They went out and got an all around good basketball player, which they needed more than anything.  With more teams overloading the strong side on defense, there is enormous value in having a second ball handler/shooter on the weak side, capable of catching a swing pass and doing something with the ball.    And in this case that’s not so much Waiters as it is Irving.  They complete me.  

Get used to seeing Waiters handle the point more and more.  

Now, if they could find a capable wing.  

 

7. The Cavs are a player away.

 

Before you hush me, keep in mind that a year from now Tyler Zeller, Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson, and Kyrie Irving will all be marginally better player’s.  Again, years two and three are when you really see dividends pay-off on the draft.  So it’s not inconceivable to think the Cavs—with another edition, either by trade, free agency, or through the lottery—could be one of the top three team’s in the East next year.  Really, it’s all a question of whether the Cavs have their sights set on next year or the season after (2014-2015). (If they truly wanted to, they could work a deal with Memphis or Denver to acquire Andre Iguadola or Rudy Gay.  Personally, I wouldn’t.)  It might be a question of whether (or not) they have their sights on LeBron James.

 

 

8. Anderson Varejao is a all star.

 

Anderson Varejao spent seven years cementing his name as one of the league’s premiere energy guy’s, a player every team would love to have coming off their bench.  Tragically, after seven year’s, a player is what he is, and Anderson Varejao is not an all star.  In fact, he’s not even a center, so they should just deal him, and fast, while they can still get something in return.           

 

Here’s a brief newsflash: There isn’t a Anderson Varejao in this years draft.  He’s become one of the league’s top rebounding talents, and, well... that makes him a legitimate all star.  There’s no downside to holding onto Varejao.  Your worst case scenario—he gets injured and the Cavs lose a ton of games—is your best case scenario; Cavs fans want to get another high-end lottery pick, right?  If that doesn’t happen, and he stays healthy, well...                  

 

9. This team has a chance.  

 

Entering the season, I was in the camp of “this team doesn’t have a punchers chance.”  But I completely forgot that in crunch-time of fourth quarter’s, Kyrie Irving can pretty much do anything he wants.  Anyway, I’ve always been of the belief that if you have a point guard who is one of the league’s top 10 or 15 best players, and a top five rebounder in the middle, and you play in the Eastern Conference... you have a chance.