The choice that they make will affect the remainder of this season,the off-season and as a result-the future of the franchise.
The Cleveland Cavaliers might have played two of the most important games in the franchise's history in the last two days as it may have set the course for the path that will be taken.
The Cavaliers have fallen two games out of the final playoff position with losses to Toronto and Milwaukee and those losses might have made things easier to make trades today than victories that would have kept them in a virtual tie for the final spot.The issue is pretty clear-should the team move some of the players that have value to a true contender that could use them or keep them and try to keep the train moving towards grabbing one of those playoff spots?
My opinion in this is just as clear-move whatever player that you can in return for building blocks for the future when just making the playoffs is not the goal,but for the day that the team is capable of making a championship run.
If someone like the Lakers or Hawks (two rumored destinations) offer you a first rounder for Ramon Sessions-you take it.
If a team is interested in Antawn Jamison and is willing to move a first or someone else second that might be a high second rounder,you have to take it and the same goes for Daniel Gibson or anyone else that is not named Irving,Thompson,Varejao and maybe Gee.
Sessions and Jamison will be gone at the seasons end anyway,so why not get a return for them that could be part of the future?
Besides,if either of those players truly loved Cleveland and wanted to return,they certainly could do so after the season as free agents.
What I do not want to see is a shortsighted approach that sees the Cavaliers worry about the now and not about the later.
What is the best case scenario? Finishing in eighth,likely winning one game at best and then being out of the playoffs seems to be the most likely end game to that scenario.
That is not what I think is the best thing for the long term health of the team.
Ramon Sessions is a valuable chip to a contender,while Antawn Jamison could be of use to a contender or as an expiring contract to a lottery member.
In either case,if deals are available,they need to be taken advantage of.
Adding two first rounders to a possible Cavalier lottery selection could be just the ticket to sending Kyrie Irving to the playoffs and with a chance to succeed,not just as cannon fodder for the top seeded team in round one.
Imagine the Cavaliers with two or three teams worth of ping pong balls in the hopper for the lottery in what could be a multi-starter haul to team with Irving....
Perhaps the Cavaliers could even use those extra picks to move up and add an impact player high in the draft?
None of these things happen by keeping Sessions and Jamison and none of those things happen by standing pat with a mediocre,albeit overachieving team.
The choice is clear-play for tomorrow and not for today.....
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