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Good questions. Hey, the chance for a real basketball post.

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Can someone explain the "Princeton Offense", of which, I heard on the radio, Blatt is a proponent?

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The Princeton offense seems like it would be very structured, but actually, it isn't. It contains a lot of movement by players and the ball. Guys can freelance quite a bit, but they have to do it by reading the defense. There are a lot of cuts to the basket and especially backdoor cuts [as someone else mentioned.] There are a lot of screens set in this offense and it takes players w/quite a bit of bb intelligence to run it. You can run this offense w/out a true post player, but you need good 3-point shooters as well as guys who can flash to the basket. I think this offense slows the game down and teams use more of the shot clock, which might help us overcome some of our defensive shortcomings.

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How will that affect, if at all, Kyrie Irving's future here? Or Dion Waiters? Or the possible return of LBJ?

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Excellent question.

Irving: He will probably have to change his game. Last thing you want any of your players to do in this offense is to pound nails. I do think that Irving's ability to slash to the basket and hit 3s can help him--and the offense--succeed, but he is going to have stop monopolizing the ball.

Waiters: He will have to play w/more discipline, but his perimeter shooting should be an asset and he might even put up some big numbers in this offense.

LeBron: He would be excellent in this offense. His ability to see over the top of the defense would be huge in terms of hitting cutters, especially the back door cuts. They can even put him at the high post and let him make plays [and I do mean passing the ball] from there.

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* Should the Cavs trade with Philly for 3 and 10, take Embied at 3 despite the foot injury, and look for a pure SG at 10? Big Z had serious foot problems early in his career, but still had a productive career here. I think it should be considered if doctors say he'll be good as new in 4-6 months. Good big men are rare.

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I don't think you need a dominant center in the classic sense. Did you watch the finals? Borris Diaw is a guy who would thrive in this offense. His inside passing skills to cutters and to open perimeter players was huge. Do you remember the guy from the Suns who played center? Adams? What was his first name? Was it Alvin--Alvin Adams? Remember his passing ability? That type of guy would be great. I think Noah from the Bulls would be another guy who could play center in this offense.


Now........w/all of that said..........I don't get to watch the Cavs much because I now live out of state. My question to the BB guys on this board.........are the Cavs a smart BB team? Or, do they at least have the potential to be a smart BB team? Not sure if the Princeton offense is a good offense for a bunch of selfish dummies, which in my limited viewing of the team, is precisely what they are. Of course, I could be way off in that evaluation, as the data size is very small.

I wonder how Hawes would do in the Princeton offense?

He looks like a capable passer, and can hit an outside shot. He might be an option in the middle ..... depending on who we are able to attract as free agents.

I think that Waiters could be excellent in the Princeton, if he doesn't also try to monopolize the ball. He is an excellent slasher, and he is a more than capable passer. I think that getting Irving and Waiters to move the ball quickly will be Blatt's initial challenge.

Maybe I'm over reacting. But this draft class, while solid, has slowly seemed to fall.

Mostly due to Embid being the basket version of Courtney Brown. If he was healthy there was no doubt yiu take him #1, now hell still go top 10 probably, but you have to hope for him...

Wiggins is a solid consolation prize, but while you feel you need more, I'd be totaly fine with Favors and the 5, especially if the Jack/Thorton trade goes threw, I'd either take a SF at 5, or send it and TT and Waiters for Love

Irving
Thorton
Bennett
Favors
Love

If LeBron wants to slide in there that's fine, if not you've got a bunch of vets around Bennett and can figure out if he's got anything...

I don't think that would be enough to land Love, and I don't think he would sign an extension here either. If he wouldn't commit to an extension, I wouldn't be interested in giving up much to get him.

A superstar is worth so much more than a couple merely good players, especially in the NBA. I'd just much rather have Wiggins (or Parker) than Favors and anybody who would be available at #5. Noah Vonleh?

I agree. Take Wiggins.

I would just like to come out of this draft with more than just him.

If you can get Wiggins, and still get Love, do it, IF the plan is to get LeBron, because then you have 3 guys that can play 2-5 (AW 2-3, LJ 3-4, KL 4-5)

And Kyrie, Wiggins, Love is a team I think James would want to join, you're automaically the best team in the East. Is it likely? Who knows.

In about a week we'll know what kind of team were ganna have next year..

First off, thanks for actually responding to my post.

I don't know too much about Hawes. I think he is a pretty good passer and has some talent, which should fit well in our new offense. I do think he is kinda weak, which sucks. But again, I just don't know that much about him.

Thanks for the information on Waiters. I thought that was the case, but I wasn't sure.

The only way we would have a shot at keeping Love is if LeBron comes here. Love has already made it known that he would not want to play for a team like ours---as currently constructed.

There is a lot of disrespect for Jabari Parker on this board and perhaps that is fueled by articles and ESPN type reports. I just ain't feeling the hate.

I want you guys to consider what offense we are running. The Princeton offense that I mentioned earlier that not many seem to want to discuss. Here is why I prefer Parker over Wiggens.

--Basketball IQ: It ain't close. Parker is one of the smartest players in the game and you need a high BB IQ to play effectively in the Princeton offense.

--Ability to Score: Parker by far. He is way more focused than Wiggens. He has always scored. He will always score. Wiggens wigs out at times. He disappears. Parker never disappears.

--Parker plays w/much more fire than Wiggens. The game is more important to him. He is more willing to try and take over a game than Wiggens.

Yes, I understand that he carries a little extra weight and isn't great defensively. Yes, I understand that Wiggens has more potential and a quicker first step. However, considering who we just hired as our head coach and our need for a guy who wants the ball when the game is on the line................give me Parker any day of the week.

I've never understood the disrespect that defense gets in NBA scouting. Its half the game. Instead, we break down 40 different aspects of scoring, passing, moving without the ball and then throw in defense as one additional category. I get that we're not Mike Brown anymore and defense isn't the end-all. But, Wiggins is a plus-to-elite defender. Parker is not a defender. He's not nearly fast enough to guard a three and not big enough to defend in the post. Wiggins is my clear pick, and its not even close to me. Parker is a nice player, a nice stretch four that has a beautiful shot. Wiggins is an electric athlete with an improving shot and one of the best defensive players in recent drafts. He's plug-and-play at the small forward spot. Parker is too... offensively. When we're already going to have to gameplan to hide Kyrie's defense, I don't think you can add another weak defender to that.

I don't really see it as 'disrespect' for Parker. Wiggins is just the better fit.

If you slot Parker in, you're looking at a 3-4-5 combo that can't play defense and all prefer to work with the ball in their hands. Like the others, Parker can pass the ball well, but usually opts not to, often in favor of a low-percentage shot. That be can fixed with coaching and time, but I'm still too leery of him on the defensive side of that ball.

We already have enough scorers who can't play defense.

j/c..

Every year, I usually type up a pretty detailed report on all the options for the Cavs. I'll probably type something up tomorrow.

I'll definitely do a write-up on Embiid, Wiggins and Parker -- Anyone else you guys would like me to do?

I hear all three of you guys, but I think you are overstating how bad he is on defense. I also think you are underestimating how much more of a "gamer" he is than Wiggens. I also think that in the Princeton offense, Parker is by far the superior player and that because you are going to limit possessions due to running the shot clock down, the defensive aspect is not quite as important.

Listen guys, I played bb in high school. I was our top defender. My daughter was a tigress on defense in BB. I value it. It almost pains me to say it, but I am just thinking w/our new offense, that Parker is the better choice.

Not asking you guys to agree w/me and I understand your concerns, because I have them too. However, by the same token..............I hope that none of you are going to dispute that potential is one thing..........and that thus far, Parker has been a consistent scorer on every level and Wiggens is a hit and miss guy who sometimes disappears, just as he did when they got ousted in the tournament.

I don't think taking either Wiggins or Parker is "wrong" as would say taking either of them over a healthy Embid.

It just depends on what you want to add to your team.

It could be worse, Chris Grant would probably take Vonleh..

Yeah, it's a good debate. I'm not saying I am right........just trying to initiate conversation.

would take Wiggins for the defense, and the athletic ability, almost because he has to play off the ball, I think that would be great for guys like Irving and Waiters to have..

Another question: Who on the team now, do you think we get rid of during the draft? I hear Jack/Thorton talks, and TT and Waiters always seem to be on the table..

I hear you about the defense, but again, we must consider our new offense. Parker is a way better fit than Wiggens for the Princeton offense...........in my opinion, but again, I am no expert.

Your second question is a good one, but I can't answer it. Again, because I live in SC now, I don't get to see many Cavs' games. I get the ticket for the Browns games, but not NBA League Pass since LeBron left. I don't see them enough to make an intelligent reply, so I won't. Not ducking your question...........I just don't know enough to reply w/intelligence.

Edit: I would not give up on Waiters yet. I would like to see that guy used like Vinny Johnson. Are you old enough to remember him? Played w/the Bad Boys in Detroit. They called him the Microwave. Instant offense.

I think he'd be a lot better off the bench, let him be the leader of the 2nd basically.

I remember experts said Brewer was going to be the next Scottie Pippen, that he would've been better than Horford, and Noah. What I like about Parker is he's an alpha male, and could score the basketball. He could be a team leader, and a guy like Pierce that is the face of the franchise. With Wiggins he will never be a team leader, and probably will need another star there to lead the way.

I would be happy with either one, it depends if Lebron is coming back. If he isn't, I think Parker is a better fit as far as leaderrship, if he is coming back, I would prefer Wiggins.

There's no doubt that Parker has a lot to work on, but 10 minutes into watching him play for the first time, I thought to myself "wow, this guy is NBA ready".

Not that I am an expert, but I follow the Gators. I was one who thought Brewer was going to have a really fine pro career. I thought he had more upside than Noah or Brewer.

That said, I like Wiggins.

Brewer just doesn't have that extra gear or two. I do think he is a decent player though. He'll play for 15 years if he wants.

Wiggins is a much better scorer coming out of school.

And just when I talk up Parker, there is a pretty negative article about him, his workout, and his desire to play in Cleveland on ESPN. Yikes. I'll try to link it later.

I just read that. Prefers to play in Milwaukee. If that's the case, just take Wiggins, and don't look back.

If that report is 100% true, there is no way they take him. Although I don't understand the point of floating an untrue story about the workout. It's not like the Cavs are going to be fooled, I mean they were there.

Wiggins is a dream wing for a fast-paced Princeton offense. He thrives on cutting and moving and can catch-n-shoot. He doesn't need the ball in his hands, but does have a quick first-step to drive when necessary.

Parker has better form shooting, so he could do even better off catch-n-shoot scenarios. But, he is nowhere near the cutter or off-ball mover that Wiggins is and he is not a good passer. So, while he has more offensive ceiling in a general NBA offense (post-moves + outside shooting), I would suspect Wiggins to have the easier transition to a Princeton style offense.

Not that it matters. Parker showing up out of shape, being a big wing (SF-PF instead of SG-SF) and lacking in defensive potential really shifts everything to Wiggins to the point where it will be a surprise if he is not the pick.

Jabari is a good prospect, but Wiggins has more potential and we need all that we can get.

Plus, as Prp mentioned, when you have a curse as long as Cleveland does, then don't you need Ender on your side?

Also with Wiggins, we might end up with 3/5ths of the Canadian starting roster for the next Olympics.

http://nesn.com/2014/06/report-jabari-parker-tanked-pre-draft-workout-with-cavaliers/

NBA Draft NBA College Basketball Odds Home Report: Jabari Parker ‘Tanked’ Pre-Draft Workout With Cavaliers by Ben Watanabe on Mon, Jun 23, 2014 at 1:59PM

It appears teams aren’t the only ones that can tank. Jabari Parker has risen to the top of many draft boards and mock drafts ever since last week’s news that Joel Embiid, the previous presumptive No. 1 pick, had suffered a broken bone in his foot. But Parker is not keen on the idea on going first, apparently. The Duke forward “wasn’t great” in his workout with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who hold the top pick, according to ESPN.com’s Chad Ford.

A source even told Ford he thought Parker “tanked” the workout. It seems Parker prefers playing for the Milwaukee Bucks, who hold the No. 2 pick, over the Cavs. Still, the Cavs are said to be considering taking Parker anyway, in the belief that the new front office and coach can change his mind once he arrives.

Read more at: http://nesn.com/2014/06/report-jabari-parker-tanked-pre-draft-workout-with-cavaliers/

Duke's Jabari Parker prefers to play for the Milwaukee Bucks as opposed to the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to report

Duke's Jabari Parker will be one of the players considered with the top pick in Thursday's NBA Draft. (Bob Leverone, Associated Press)

Print Chris Fedor, Northeast Ohio Media Group By Chris Fedor, Northeast Ohio Media Group

on June 23, 2014 at 2:30 PM, updated June 23, 2014 at 2:39 PM

Sponsored Link
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As the Cavs were working on a contract with David Blatt to be the team's new head coach on Friday, they were also busy working out Duke's Jabari Parker.

The forward, who led Duke in scoring (19.1 points) in his one season, has been gaining steam lately as the possible No. 1 pick for the Cavs on Thursday night, especially after Kansas center Joel Embiid broke his foot. However, Parker's workout on Friday didn't go very well, according to ESPN.com's Chad Ford.

In his latest mock draft, Ford has a few nuggets about the workout and some information about the Cavs' draft plans.

"Sources close to the Cavs told ESPN.com this weekend that the Cavs are now leaning toward taking Parker with the No. 1 pick. However, it's far from a lock. Parker came in to work out on Friday in front of the Cavs front office and ownership. Parker wasn't great. He was a bit heavy (he weighed in at 255 pounds), didn't shoot the ball well and got winded at times. Furthermore, two different sources told ESPN.com that Parker seemed a bit indifferent. One source said he thought Parker 'tanked' the workout.

Why? A source says he strongly prefers to play in Milwaukee. The Cavs appear to be aware of this. 'Jabari wasn't himself,' one source said. 'It was clear we weren't his first option."

Ford went on to say that Kansas' Andrew Wiggins, another player who will get consideration for the top pick, nailed his workout. According to Ford, Wiggins also made it known that he wants to be the top pick and he would like to play for the Cavs.

With Embiid's health likely taking him out of the mix, it could come down to Parker, who Ford has the Cavs selecting in his mock, or Wiggins.

The Cavs could also trade the top selection for a proven player given that the team's stated goal is to make it back to the playoffs for the first time since LeBron James left for Miami during the summer of 2010.

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2014/06/dukes_jabari_parker_prefers_to.html

Interesting points, especially about Parker needing the ball ..... and how he would blend into an offense with Waiters and Irving ..... both of whom need the ball.

Here is a shaky vote for the Cleveland Cavaliers selecting Andrew Wiggins -- Terry Pluto | cleveland.com
http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/index.ssf/2014/06/here_is_a_shaky_vote_for_the_c.html

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, the Cavaliers should select Andrew Wiggins...I think.

I know, what kind of opinion is that?

It's what happens when I finally decided that Joel Embiid was the right pick for the Cavs, but the Kansas center came down with a broken navicular bone in his foot.


Say No-No to anything having to do with a fractured navicular, especially when it's attached to a 7-footer who already has some questions about a cranky back.

So Embiid is out.

That leaves Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker.

I can make the case for ... and against ... both players.

Early in the season, I thought Parker was the best player in the draft. He is the safest bet to come into the NBA after a season, put up big scoring numbers and win the Rookie of the Year Award.

PARKER'S POSITION?

So what's wrong with Parker?

There's his size. He's listed at 6-foot-8 and 241 pounds. He supposedly weighed in at least 250 pounds at some workouts. He has a wonderful 7-foot wing span, but may battle weight problems.

Ideally, Parker should be a small forward. But Parker had lots of defensive issues at Duke, where he often played power forward -- and some center. It had to do with his lack of lateral quickness, not strength.

This guy is a bull inside. He can post up and score. He has good hands. According to Draftexpress.com, about 20 percent of his points were when he had inside post position. Another 10 percent came when he snared offensive rebounds and put them back in the basket.

Parker is not the typical NBA small forward. He is a more talented Anthony Bennett, who had trouble finding a position, getting in shape and defending last season.

Parker's best position for the Cavs may be power forward for a team that plays uptempo and moves the ball.

Yes, the Cavs already have Tristan Thompson, Anderson Varejao and possibly Bennett as power forward candidates.

But Varejao will probably play center again, even if the Cavs re-sign 7-foot Spencer Hawes.

Thompson is a year away from restricted free agency. He is a role player, an energy guy with limited offensive skills.

At this point, not sure what to say of Bennett. Everything went wrong for the rookie from UNLV last year.

Parker as a power forward is a possibility, but the Cavs still would have a hole at small forward.

PARKER'S PROBLEMS

If the Cavs pick Parker, they must realize he's not the standard small forward. And he'll need a lot of defensive help, regardless of where he plays.

Take some time to study the 16-minute scouting videos of Parker and Wiggins on Draftexpress.com.

Parker often is lost when defending the pick-and-roll, and just gives up on the play. He's a force when getting the ball inside, but seems a bit soft when defending players in the low post.

He really struggles understanding some basic defensive concepts, something a few NBA executives have told me.

But he is a dynamic scorer, and does have a bit of Carmelo Anthony to his game.

But I'm very worried when a forward doesn't have a natural position. Another issue is that Parker is a "high usage" player, meaning he needs the ball to be effective.

If the Cavs do draft him, they may have to trade either Kyrie Irving or Dion Waiters. Both guards also are "high usage," and they struggle to play together. Add in a forward who needs the ball, and that will be real challenge for new coach David Blatt.

WIGGINS POSITION

Meanwhile, the 6-foot-8, 200-pound Wiggins is a natural fit at shooting guard or small forward. Check out these Draftexpress.com scouting videos.
He can do about everything on defense that troubles Parker. He's an excellent one-on-one defender. He seems to understand the basic concepts of team defense.

Seldom is a one-and-done college player (not a big man) near the top of the draft known for his defense -- but that's Wiggins. That also says something good about him, given how he's been hyped for years as the The Next Great Thing, the "Best prospect since LeBron James."

Others put him in the same sentence as Kevin Durant.

"Don't even think it," as my father used to say.

In his one season at Texas, Durant averaged 25.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, shooting .473 from the field and .404 on 3-pointers.

No college player could hope to defend him, and few have been able to do that in the NBA. He was a Hall of Fame caliber scorer from the moment he stepped on a pro court.

When James left Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, there was only one question about him: Would he be a very good pro, or one of the All-time greats? No one doubted he was the best pick in the draft in 2003 -- and no one doubts it now.

It's unfair to put Wiggins in the same discussion with James or Durant.

WIGGINS PROBLEMS
At Kansas, Wiggins averaged 17.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, shot .448 from the field, .341 on 3-pointers.

Wiggins is at his best in the open court. He glides. He takes huge steps. He soars. He scores on the fast break.

But in the half-court offense, there are some glaring flaws. He rarely goes to his left. Parker can drive with either hand.

Of course, Wiggins can practice and develop his ball handling -- especially the left hand -- but it's shockingly sad at the moment. Overall, his ball handling skills are iffy. He is quick when driving in a straight line, but change of direction (and hands) while dribbling is a concern.

He tends to fade away and/or not always have his feet set when taking his jump shot. His outside shot is not hopeless, but needs serious improvement.

Parker is far more polished, averaging 19.1 points and 8.7 rebounds, shooting .472 from the field, .358 on 3-pointers. But the fact that Hall of Fame Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski couldn't coax him into better defense is a concern.

BOTTOM LINE

Wiggins is better suited for the current Cavs roster. He can take over at small forward. His pressure defense will be a blessing to new coach David Blatt, who will use it wisely. He doesn't need to dominate the ball because he can score in transition.

But when the game slows down, so will Wiggins' production on offense.

Some scouts see Wiggins as passive on offense, just as some scouts see Parker as lazy on defense.
Both of these players are 19 and have one year of college experience. Who knows what they will be like in three years?

New Cavs General Manager David Griffin loves to talk about "fit." One of his biggest concerns is how Irving and Waiters can blend together, because their games have so much in common in terms of needing the ball.

If the Cavs draft Parker and realize that he may need to play at least some power forward each game -- and then also trade one of their guards, it may work.

But just to grab Parker and put him at small forward on this team could be a significant mistake.

That's why I lean (barely) in the direction of Wiggins. He may not be the better player than Parker this season, but he could an excellent addition to the Cavs now and a very productive player (much like Indiana's Paul George) in a few years.

George averaged 7.8 points as a rookie, followed by 12.1, 17.4 and 21.7 this past season. If Wiggins can do anything approaching that, the Cavs will have made the right decision with the young man from Kansas.

I didn't see this.

Good hire for the Cavaliers. I thought that there were reports that he wouldn't leave his current job except for a head coach job.

Cleveland Cavaliers hire Tyronn Lue as associate head coach | cleveland.com
http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/...related_stories

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers have hired Los Angeles Clippers assistant Tyronn Lue as associate head coach to David Blatt, an NBA source confirmed on Monday. Yahoo Sports was the first to report the hiring.

Lue and Blatt were the finalists for the Cavs head coaching job that went to Blatt on Friday. Blatt has been a successful coach in Europe for 20 years, but has no experience in the NBA so surrounding him with NBA veterans was key.

Lue, 37, played 11 seasons in the NBA, including three with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he won an NBA title in 2000-01. (He played eight games at the start of the 1999-2000 season, when the Lakers also won the title.) He also played for Washington, Orlando, Houston, Atlanta, Dallas and Milwaukee.

No announcements have been made about the remainder of the coaching staff.

As the coaching hierarchy comes into the shape, the Cavs also are focusing on the 2014 NBA draft on Thursday. They have the No. 1 pick and, if they keep it, they likely are deciding between Kansas forward Andrew Wiggins and Duke forward Jabari Parker.

I would be all over the Kanter/Hayward trade. Hayward is such a perfect fit here, fills the SF role perfectly without demanding to control the ball. I still really like Kanter, even though he hasn't lived up to the hype pre-draft.

Additionally, Tristan Thompson has to be dealt. This is the offseason that he has value, before you have to extend that ridiculous qualifying offer at nearly $10 million. I would do that trade in a heartbeat, move Thompson for a later first-round pick and run to the podium to draft Vonleh (who I have at #2 on my dream board, behind Wiggins, right now).

That seems like a lot for Utah to give up for Jabari. You're talking about 2 good players, who are young, plus a top 5 pick in a deep draft. The only thing you worry about from the Cavs perspective, is you might give up the best player in the deal. The nba is all about superstars, unless you are the Spurs, and when you have a chance to get one you have to pounce on it.