Monday, February 27, 2017

Cavaliers sign Deron Williams

The Cleveland Cavaliers apparently are bringing in someone to address arguably their biggest need-someone to run the point when Kyrie Irving is on the bench and can add some scoring off the bench and it's a big addition as Deron Williams has cleared waivers and has told the team that he will sign tomorrow.
Word is that he will join Cleveland tomorrow,but is unlikely to play in the Cavaliers game vs the Milwaukee Bucks.

The 32 year old Williams was averaging 13 points along with just under seven assists a night for the Dallas Mavericks and was released in order to "Chase that ring",which is another issue to write about another day (maybe that day comes in a few days when another player may arrive in Cleveland),which the Mavericks allowed in a classy move.
Williams is shooting 43 percent from the floor and just under 35 percent from three,so he's not a one dimensional penetrator.

Williams isn't quite the player that he was a few years ago,age and extra miles on the legs will do that to you,but he has experience playing with LeBron James on team USA and I think going from thirty minutes (29.3) to likely around twenty is going to increase his productivity..
What I also like about Williams is that he offers the Cavaliers a chance to test a theory that I've had for a while-Williams can play the one guard and allow Irving to play what might be his best slot-off guard.
I've always thought that even in limited times that Irving could flourish as a hybrid guard (similar to that fellow Curry in Oakland) that isn't a true point,but not always a true off guard either.
I'm open to being wrong,but I think that a Irving/Williams backcourt in situations could be very interesting to watch opposing teams attempt to stop..

What I will say is that once again I have mixed emotions about these types of Cavalier additions.
On one hand,for once in my life,it is nice to have an owner for a team of mine that will go over and beyond what it takes to win financially.
Dan Gilbert wants to win,is willing to pay for it and knows that he only has a window of opportunity with LeBron James to go for it.
Let's face it-Deron Williams isn't coming to Cleveland to enjoy Lake Erie in spring,he's going for the ring and the chance to play with LeBron James and when the day comes that LeBron is either finished with basketball or at least on the downside of his career,the Cavaliers will return to being a typical Cleveland team with its problems of attracting top notch free agents.
I cannot tell a lie here,it's nice having this on my side for once.

However,I feel like somewhat of a hypocrite for not minding this as much as it should bother me.
I'm always critical of the Yankees,Red Sox and Dodgers for spending so much more than anyone else in baseball (although there is a little bit of an apples and oranges argument with farm systems etc) because of competitive balance issues.
The NBA is a little different though in another area as the cap does allow smaller markets to have a better chance (although,they can still leave town) to keep their own free agents compared to baseball,as the "Bird Rule" enables teams to exceed the cap in order to re-sign their own free agents.
Still,I feel a little uneasy about it anyway,it just doesn't feel right and I wish there was a more level playing field,but I'll be back with the underdog soon enough,so I should enjoy this while I can...

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