Training camp practices begin on Tuesday, with questions looming about the Cavaliers' quest to regain contender status.
General manager Chris Grant and coach Byron Scott are keys in Cavaliers' attempts to regain contender status.Cleveland -- The Cleveland Cavaliers host their media day on Monday, and on Tuesday, official practices begin for the 2010-11 season.
The Cavaliers continue to be covered by The Plain Dealer and on cleveland.com/cavs. Plain Dealer Cavaliers beat writer Brian Windhorst details five key issues facing the Cavs as they begin training camp. Also, he answers readers' questions in "Hey, Brian."
Plain Dealer reporter Mary Schmitt Boyer writes a feature story about new Cavaliers coach Byron Scott, and the Cavs (with the Browns and Indians) are featured in columnist "Terry Pluto's Talkin.' "
Building back
The offseason departure of free agent LeBron James to the Miami Heat makes the Cavaliers a team in transition mode. The team that was considered a championship contender might still battle for a playoff spot, but the focus will likely be on trying to build a legitimate title contender for the future.
Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal writes that the Cavaliers have work to do in their quest to be a team that matters in the NBA (references to owner Dan Gilbert, general manager Chris Grant, guard Mo Williams, forward Antawn Jamison and former GM Danny Ferry):
How Gilbert allows Grant to approach this season could go a long way in determining how quickly the Cavaliers can rebuild. If Gilbert will just swallow hard and sacrifice this season, Grant could get what he can for players with value like Williams and Jamison, and the Cavaliers can wind up in the draft lottery. They already have the $14.5 million trade exception, acquired in the James trade with the Heat, along with the Heat's first-round pick in 2013.
That large of a trade exception, a lottery pick and perhaps another first-round pick (in a deal for Jamison) is an awfully fast way to become relevant again in the East.
Of course, Ferry was a master at spinning expiring contracts into valuable pieces the Cavaliers needed. If Grant elects to keep Jamison for the season, the Cavaliers will have his $15 million expiring contract as trade bait in 2011-12.
Nuggets like Andy?
Since Denver forward Carmelo Anthony is the latest all-star refusing to commit to his team, the Nuggets are reportedly exploring trade options. Anthony could become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
If Anthony is to be traded, it would most likely be as part of a multi-team deal. Ken Berger writes for CBSSports.com:
Some signs Sunday pointed to the revival of talks between Denver and Philadelphia with Andre Iguodala going to the Nuggets, but there was no signal from Anthony’s camp that he’d softened in his opposition to bringing his talents to South Philly.
Another player the Nuggets have targeted as a viable asset to recover in an Anthony trade, Anderson Varejao, remains a long shot for the same reason; Anthony isn’t going to Cleveland, the city that superstar LeBron James fled in July as though the Cuyahoga River were on fire.
So on the second front, the Nuggets are trying to determine whether another player within the current framework of the deal or even a fifth team would be able to further sweeten the reward for parting with the organization’s best player in two decades.
Time will heal
With training camps set to open, ESPN.com has released its power rankings. The Cavaliers are ranked near the bottom of the 30 NBA teams. The comment about the Cavs:
You know how people say that it takes half as long as the relationship itself for the heartbroken to get over that relationship? Probably not in this case. Who dares to think Clevelanders will be healed 3 1/2 years from now?