Want some good news on the Cavs? It's new coach Byron Scott.
View full sizeEntering his new assignment with the Cavaliers as a coach who has never worked with LeBron James, Byron Scott won't be saddled by the "what if" questions that will likely linger throughout the organization for much of the near future, says Terry Pluto.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There are so many good things about the hiring of Byron Scott as the Cavaliers' new coach, but one of the best is that he never had LeBron James on his team.
That's because he won't have a single moment in a huddle or at halftime thinking, "If only we had LeBron, we could do this."
Instead, Scott comes with fresh eyes and an iron will. He arrives after two demanding stops in New Jersey and New Orleans. He's here "with both feet in," as he said the day after James signed with Miami.
He also comes to the Cavs with a motion "Princeton" offense. The ball moves, people set picks and move. It doesn't rely on clear out after clear out so one player can have room to dribble, dribble, dribble -- then shoot or drive.
For the last seven years, the Cavs were "LeBron's team." They were a very good team that sometimes delivered a hint of greatness. They also were a team that when trouble appeared on the court, they gave the ball to James and got out of the way.
Those days are over.
Scott takes over a team with two 15-point scorers in Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison, but neither are great players. They are guys who can be very productive in the right offense. Such as the one Scott prefers, the same one where Jamison was a 20-point scorer in Washington where he played for Eddie Jordan -- who was an assistant with Scott in New Jersey.
"I have rebuilt teams," said Scott, who is the only member of the Cavs organization who didn't seem torpedoed by James' announcement.
That's because he never had James.
Instead, he comes to town knowing that he had a 26-56 record in his first season in New Jersey followed by two trips to the NBA Finals. He was 18-64 in his first season with the Hornets, and eventually turned New Orleans into a playoff team. It sure helped adding Chris Paul, but the point is Scott will not be overwhelmed by whatever this season may bring.
As the Cavs look at their roster, they have a starting backcourt of Anthony Parker and Williams. They have Anderson Varejao at center, with J.J. Hickson and Jamison at power forward.
There is a possibility they may bring Jamison off the bench, along with power forward/center Leon Powe and guard Daniel Gibson.
As for James' small forward spot, they have Jamario Moon and Jawad Williams. They are shopping for someone to fill that spot, with expiring contracts belonging to Delonte West, Sebastian Telfair and along with some added salary cap room after James' departure.
The key is to bring in players who have youth and a chance to grow under Scott's system. One of those who has promise is Kyle Lowry, a 24-year-old restricted free agent point guard. He averaged 9.1 points for Houston last season in 24 minutes a game.
Lowry is not a shooter (26-percent on 3-pointers), but he is a solid ball-hander, a determined defender and has speed. Scott can look at young players such as Danny Green, who played little as a rookie guard last season. He may have some ideas on what can be done in this situation, because he has been there before.
New General Manager Chris Grant and Scott want to add "defensive toughness," something the Cavs seemed to lose last season.
While Scott certainly doesn't inherit a contending team in the Eastern Conference, he also won't have to deal with a superstar who has an overblown sense of entitlement.
"I do consider myself old school, but I always tell guys I'm old school with a new-school twist," said Scott.
At this point, that's exactly what the Cavs need.