Cavaliers beat writer Brian Windhorst answers some of this week's best letters in the fan mailbag.
Mo Williams will be needed at his best for the Cavaliers to compete with the East's best teams. Brian Windhorst believes Williams will work hard to provide that leadership, regardless of his off-season emotions when LeBron James left for Miami.Hey, Brian: Mo Williams' comments that he considered retirement when LeBron left were pretty surprising. Do you think the Cavs can count on him this season? -- Frank Jurgensen, Jacksonville, Fla.
Hey, Frank: Williams is obviously the most talented guard on the roster and if the Cavs are going to be competitive they need Williams to play well, as well as he's played over the last two seasons. He is an emotional person, which he's shown often since coming to Cleveland. His comments about considering walking away were emotional and also real, he was showing how LeBron's departure truly affected him. With $26 million left on his contract, I can assure you that was just a fleeting thought. The reality is the team needs him to show leadership and to move on from what happened. But quite often his emotion is an asset and so it can be a benefit as well.
Hey, Brian: Do you think Jawad Williams could really benefit the most by LeBron's departure? -- Duane Lumpkin, San Francisco
Hey, Duane: In so much as there's 40 minutes of playing time at small forward available, I suppose that is a benefit for him. Williams is truly an NBA success story, working his way up from minor leagues in Europe to a rotation player in the league. The fact that he's playing on his hometown team adds a pleasant extra layer. But it is still unproven that he can become a guy who can play 25 minutes-plus effectively every night. The opportunity to play that much is there now and Williams has a chance to take the next step, yes.
Hey, Brian: With the Cavs changing their colors is there going to be a new court at The Q this season? -- Jessica Chambers, Cleveland
Hey, Jessica: Yes. The new floor design will feature the deeper wine and brighter gold colors. There's also a new center court logo that features two swords and the new letter style that will be on the uniforms.
-- Brian