Andre Drummond is coming to Cleveland? Koby Altman, Cavs GM, pulled the trigger on February 6 at the NBA trade deadline for the Detroit Center; all 6 10’ and 279lbs. of him. Who saw this coming? Maybe our new Browns Head Coach, with his father’s connection in the Detroit Pistons front office? Watching the Cavs this year hasn’t occurred, except for minimal highlights. I thought we were on the road to tanking, waiting out big contracts, maturation of the guards, and instilling the new coach. Instead, the regime feels, the wine n gold, may be able to make the playoffs next year and so on with the addition of a big man, who averages 18pts and 16reb per game. Not a bad idea.
The leftover LeBron’s season, or as my step-dad would say, “The Cadavers,” have fallen to last place in the East, with a dismal 13-40 record. The only time the Cavs hit my news feed has been Kevin Love mouthing off, Coach John Beilein, confusing his words, (Thugs/Slugs), not being able to move Tristian’s 18.5 million, and one bright story; Sexton scoring 31pts at MSG. The trade that brought a 2 time All-Star, 3 time league leading rebounder, at just 26 years old, only cost the Cavaliers Brandon Knight, John Henson, and a 2023 second-round pick. With half the season left can Kevin Love, TT, and Sexton; be enough to persuade the big man to opt-in to his $28.8 million player option in 2020-21, or become an unrestricted free agent?
At this point in time my guess is 60/40, in the Cavaliers favor. Let’s not forget Dan Gilbert is from Detroit and worth an estimated 6.8 billion. I believe their paths have crossed at charity events in the D and rapport was built. Teaming up with Kevin Love will be excellent for Andre, 2 All-Star big men will give the opponents a defensive challenge the way Love and Drummond will be able to stretch the floor. Throw Thompson in at the end of games and the Cavs have a very high percentage of rebounding, although he will be coming off the bench. The back court of Sexton and Garland need to make the jump in the 2nd half of the season to convince the former second all-time in rebounds, first all-time in field goal percentage, fifth all-time in steals and third all-time in blocks, Detroit Piston, to build a legacy post LeBron.
I have to give props to Len Komoroski, CEO of Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse and GM, Koby Altman, guiding the reins while Mr. Gilbert has been recovering from a stroke. This gamble cost the organization nothing in capital, but yielded a 29 game remaining audition for a prominent NBA player. Building a winner after the King; is a legacy worth achieving. Or he could go the super team route, Houston? We need Baker slamming brews, OBJ decked out, and Lindor smiling courtside, to convince “Big Penguin,” to lock down the Center position for the next 6 years.
