NBA teams make moves as the playoffs approach, the Cleveland Cavaliers trade and get Spenser Hawes of the 76ers
By Karl Kimbrough, Cleveland Urban News.Com Sportswriter (kimbrough@clevelandurbannews.com). Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Cleveland Urban News.Com Blog, Ohio's Leaders In Black Digital News . Tel: 216-659-0473
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| Cleveland Cavaliers Center Spenser Hawes |
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| Cleveland Urban News.Com Sportswriter Karl Kimbrough |
There
were not many high profiled players changing teams late this season.
But most of the players who went to contending teams have helped
them.
The
Cavaliers, who have not lived up to their own expectations as a
strong contender for a playoff position all season, made one last
effort by trading forwards Earl Clark, Henry Sims for Philadelphia
76ers center Spencer Hawes. That trade also gives the 76eres bids on
two second round draft picks in upcoming drafts that would ordinarily
be given to the Cavaliers.
So
far that trade has yielded good results for the present and the
future for the Cavs. Hawes was averaging 14.7 points and nine
rebounds after his first seven games after the trade and his solid
offensive game should continue to work well and improve with this
Cleveland roster. Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, starting center
Anderson Varejao had been injured and out of the line up from before
the All Star break in mid February until Saturdays game against New
York.
Hawes
and Varejao could have made a great tandem together at times with an
inside outside impact on opponents that could have been difficult to
match in February's tough schedule. The ability to shoot from three
point range has given the Cavaliers and point guard Kyrie Irving a
true drive and kick offense. Having a big man who is a strong outside
shooter is a must for this type of offense to succeed. Irving is
experiencing freedom in the half court because of Hawes. freedom
that he could only dream about in the first half of the season.
Along
with Varejao missing significant minutes Dion Waiters' sprain knee
and C.J. Miles' sprained ankle kept them both out of the line up in
this crucial stretch run for the playoffs. So Cleveland's attempt to
win that eight spot in the wide open Eastern Conference looks now
like an impossibility though Hawes could be their center for the
future if they sign him this summer. Other teams ahead of the
Cavaliers were looking to strengthen their positions in the playoff
chase or to make themselves a threat to dethrone the champion Miami
Heat.
The
Indiana Pacers, who loss to the Heat in last year's Eastern
Conference Championship Series, are creating every opportunity to
seek to beat the Heat. The Pacers, who already had a loaded roster,
added more weapons when they traded for guard/forward Evan Turner and
power forward Lavoy Allen. Turner had been having the best season of
his career with the lowly Philadelphia 76ers, averaging 17.4 points
and 6.0 rebounds per game. In exchange for Turner and Allen the
Pacers sent small forward Danny Granger to the 76ers. Granger and
Turner are in the last year of their contracts and will be free
agents after this season. Granger has played off and on this season
because of injury, only averaging 8.1 points and 3.5 rebounds in 31
games for the Pacers. Granger was injured and did not play most of
last season as well after being one of the best small forwards in the
league from 2007 through 2012 when averaged between 18.7 and 25.8
points per game.
The
Pacers are looking to add better ball handling and passing in Turner
who has played point forward for much of his career with
Philadelphia. Indiana has led the Heat with the best record in the
Eastern Conference most of the season and currently has a two game
lead over them, even though they have loss four straight games. The
Pacers want to keep the best record badly so they will have home
court advantage if they meet the Heat again in the playoffs this
year. More importantly, the Pacers want to have the skill sets and
fire power to over take the Heat in the playoffs. Allen averages only
5.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game but did play very well in the
playoffs last year.
Another
team looking to improve playoff position in the East is the Brooklyn
Nets, who began this season with high expectations but were a
disappointment early on. They turned their season around over in the
last two months, and currently sit in the sixth playoff position in
the East and are playing .500 in the last 10 games.
The
Nets hope they added some scoring when they acquired shooting guard
Marcus Thorton just before the trade deadline. Thorton is averaging
8.3 points per game this season but shooting only 38 percent from the
field. The Nets traded point guard Jason Terry, who is in his 15
season after coming to the Nets form Boston before this season began.
Long time power forward Reggie Evans also went to the Sacramento
Kings in this deal for Thorton, a 26 -year- old known as a streaky
shooter. Being only 26, the Nets are thinking a change in culture
will bring him back to the 18 points a game production he
demonstrated two seasons ago.
Just
ahead of the Nets are the Washington Wizards in the fifth slot in the
East. Washington wanted to upgrade the guard position as well and
brought in 15 year veteran point guard Andre Miller who languished on
the Denver Nuggets bench this season. Miller had not been able to
see eye to eye with with first year Nuggets Coach Brian Shaw. Miller
had not played for Denver since he had a public shouting match with
Shaw in December.
The
Wizards gave up former lottery pick Jan Vessely, who played power
forward for Washington over his two plus years in the league. Guard
Eric Maynor
and
two second round picks went to Philadelphia in this three team trade.
Washington is looking to solidify its playoff position and is eight
and two over the last 10 games. and felt the need to add another
point guard with playoff experience who could supplement star guard
John Wall.
The
Charlotte Bobcats, who are struggling to hold on to their seventh
team rating position added outside shooting when they traded point
guard Ramon Sessions and forward Jeff Adrian for Gary Neal and Luke
Ridnour from the Milwaukee Bucks. Ridnour could provide solid back
up help for point guard Kember Walker. And Neal is shooting 36.0 from
the three point line this season and averaging 10 points per game.
In
the Western Conference the Oklahoma City Thunder did not make a trade
but made roster room available to sign small forward Caron Butler
after his contract was bought out by the Bucks. The Thunder know that
Butler can add to their perimeter shooting.
The
Los Angeles Clippers appeared to be getting rid of dead weight when
they traded center Byron Mullens and power forward Antwan Jamison to
Philadelphia and Atlanta respectively. Actually, the Clippers were
freeing roster space for Glen Big Baby Davis and Danny Granger, who
were released by the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers
respectively. Big Baby should give the Clippers bench scoring at the
low post and wing positions off the bench.
The
Golden State Warriors needed a back up point guard every since they
did not resign Jarrett Jack after the 2012-2013 season so the
Warriors traded guards Kent Bazemore and Marshon Brooks to the L.A.
Lakers for point guard Steve Blake. Blake was averaging only 8.7
points per game but gave out 6.7 assist per game this season with the
Lakers. The play making ability or making others better is what the
Warriors needed to help star point guard Stephen Curry. Taking the
ball handling stress off of Curry was exactly what the Warriors
needed. Over the last 10 games the Warriors are seven and three and
are solidly holding down the seventh playoff position in the West. (www.clevelandurbannews.com) / (www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com)
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