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Do IT this week: Layering
Chemistry is important but it's not everything
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports columnist
Published on Thursday, Dec 18, 2008
The Cavaliers started the game Wednesday night in Minnesota with a 20-4 record.
But that sterling record should not stop the Cavs from making a move, any move, to get better.
Championships are not won by the faint of heart or the timid at the trade table. They are won by aggressive teams and by coaches and front offices that embrace the chance to get better.
Which brings us to the rumor of the week.
And we emphasize this is a rumor that evidently has little chance of coming to fruition.
This one stated that the Cavs have talked about the possibility of trading Anderson Varejao and Wally Szczerbiak to the Miami Heat for Shawn Marion. It originated at Yahoo Sports, and was written by a guy who knows basketball and is pretty well plugged in.
The story stated that there were talks, but they had died down and might be revived sometime around the trade deadline in February.
This is sort of like saying in March the Easter Bunny might come hopping down the street while playing Old McDonald on a calliope, but it is what it is.
Almost universally, the first thing folks said when they heard this might-happen, could-be deal was ''Oh no! Don't mess with chemistry.''
That is all well and good.
But it's not good enough to say no to the trade. Because if the Cavs think that adding Marion makes them better, then they should not hesitate.
However, this trade might not make them better.
Let's consider the pieces.
Last season, Varejao was a lost soul. He held out, got hurt and then started doing all kinds of things he should not have been doing. Like driving from outside the foul line and trying out-of-control, spinning layups.
His mind was a mess.
This season, Varejao is playing excellent basketball. He is hustling, rebounding, running the pick-and-roll and getting points the way he should — off effort, not off the dribble.
Varejao is the opposite of what he was last season — and he's a reason the Cavs have started so well. He has righted himself, and he deserves a lot of credit for doing so.
But . . . he can opt out of the last year of his contract, and that would make him an unrestricted free agent after this season. (Interesting, isn't it, how guys always seem to play so much better when free agency is on the horizon?)
This makes him a tradeable commodity, second only to a retired guy like Phil Hubbard.
But . . . there's no guarantee he will opt out.
And if the Cavs trade him, they will be short a big man. The Cavs need to add big men, not subtract them. Trading a big guy for a semi-big guy doesn't make sense.
Szczerbiak is a nice player who seems to have settled in nicely with the Cavs. He's averaging 6.8 points in 19 minutes off the bench.
But he also has a huge contract that will pay him $13 million this season. This makes him a more valuable trade commodity than a retired guy like Phil Hubbard.
In the NBA, these expiring contracts are worth their weight in something or other. Because a team can use the expiring contract to create salary-cap room and use that room to spend money on another ridiculously expensive player.
Which makes a bandied-about deal of Marion for Szczerbiak the wrong deal. Because it's not enough for the
Cavs to receive in return for something every NBA team covets — the expiring contract.
Not that Marion isn't a nice player. He is. He can shoot — he's got that unusual motion, but it goes in from all over — and he can play defense, a requirement to play on the Cavs.
In fact, the trade was described as a good one for the Cavs, because Marion could guard guys as varied as Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo.
But . . . Marion is 30, and he will be a free agent after the season.
The Cavs do not need to move one young big guy and a veteran shooter for a veteran guy who might or might not be on the team next season.
They need to trade this most valuable piece of expiring contract — if they do, indeed, trade it — for a guy who will be around for a while, a guy who fits the profile of a Mo Williams and a Delonte West and a LeBron James.
In short, they need to hit a midcourt 3 if they make a deal involving Wally and His World, not hit a 17-foot jumper.
And if they include a big man, it does not need to be one of their keys. If the Heat would take Lorenzen Wright and Wally . . . then, of course, make the trade.
But as discussed now, this has the feel of a trade that the Heat proposed, hoping the Cavs would bite.
They seem wise for not taking the bait.
Not because of chemistry, though. Because for the short and long term, the Cavs, as constituted, are better right now than they would be after the trade.
Patrick McManamon can be reached at pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/mcmanamon/.
The Cavaliers started the game Wednesday night in Minnesota with a 20-4 record.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Posted 07:37 AM, 12/18/2008
Shawn would have to bring the noise INSTANTLY, or that trade would be horrible. I mean, we could not miss a beat. INSTANT success.
Posted 08:16 AM, 12/18/2008
I think this is a great idea provided a few things.
First off, about Shawn Marion... As much as we Cavs fans love AV, he is not nearly the complete player that Shawn Marion is. The Matrix is good for 18 pts and 12 boards every night and his versatility allows him to defend just about any player on the floor. It's that versatility that I believe will make him fit in instantly with the Cavs' system (not to mention he's had a few summers with LBJ on Team USA).
That all being said, I think the key to this trade is what we get in addition to Marion. A trade straight up for the 2 of them doesn't balance out salary-wise, so there would have to be another piece thrown in. It'd be nice to get a draft pick out of the Heat seeing how dismal their performance has been this year (no disrespect to D-Wade, he's been dynamite). Throw in either that or another role player that fits a cog with the Cavs, and I'd be all for it.
After the season wraps, AV is once again going to take his player option and command a large sum of money. Personally, I don't see him ever being a starting caliber PF in the NBA. He's great as a hustle and bustle guy off the bench, but he simply follows too much to start on a playoff team. I have no reason to believe J.J. Hickson can't develop into just as effective as a player as AV is. He has the athleticism, attitude, and raw talent to be such a player. AV will command the kind of money that one pays just as before and that'll jeopardize our chance to re-sign LBJ and another player who'll run with him in '10 (Chris Bosh, perhaps?). So as much as we all love AV, if we can get something else out of them that could prove to be of value, if I was Ferry, I wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger on that deal.
Posted 08:17 AM, 12/18/2008
I meant "fouls" opposed to "follows".... oops!
Tallmadge, OH
Posted 09:34 AM, 12/18/2008
Why would the Cavs trade now? The team is 21-4, in second place in the eastern conference and doing quite well thank you. Shawn Marion would add nothing to this potential championship team except some losses as the players adjust to another rotation. Just the thought of that trade makes me want to puke my guts out on Danny Ferry's head. AV is now the best off the bench center in the NBA and potentially the 6th man of the year for this season. God what a mistake a trade like this would be. I want to see the Cavs win a NBA championship and the way the team is configured right now it may well just happen this season. The trade would put them back till next season and the last for LeBoob in Cleveland. No thank you.
Barberton, OH
Posted 10:57 AM, 12/18/2008
I respectfully disagree with you Pat on the one front about getting a player in return that could be here for longer than a season or two. I think that's the wrong approach to take given the city and the market.
You have to agree that the window for the Cavs to bring home a title is probably this year, and next, so as a GM, I'm pretty much going to do whatever is necessary to bring in as much talent NOW as opposed to what would otherwise be a safe philosophy of preparing a team that contends year in and year out.
I think just about ANY Cleveland sports fan will tell you that they would take a championship NOW and accept a few years of weak play afterwards if it meant we can get that coveted title.
Therefore, you trade Snow's and Wally's contract at the deadline to bring in the BEST BIG MAN AVAILABLE, no matter the amount of years remaining on said person's contract. Cleveland teams don't get these opportunities often, and when they do, it still takes an unusual amount of luck to make it work. That being the case, stock up as much power as possible for this season and next and keep your fingers crossed that we get a title.
P.S. Don't trade Andy by any means, the chemistry and presense he's brought to this team means too much, even if he walks after this season.
Posted 01:31 PM, 12/18/2008
Perhaps the word trade should be used on the Cleveland Browns football team.
Posted 01:41 PM, 12/18/2008
pat, adrian wojowhateverski may be the worst writer yahoo has to offer. if he is as plugged in as you say then let's ship lebron to new york today and save ourselves the headache.
norton, oh
Posted 02:39 PM, 12/18/2008
This is not the time to start changing the team around. We're doing fantastic right now. There is good chemistry and messing with that would be a bad idea.
Posted 03:52 PM, 12/18/2008
Whistle Dixie,we may not REALLY know.........Why ?
Canton, OH
Posted 09:48 AM, 12/19/2008
Wally Szczerbiak to Memphis for Darko Milicic!
Posted 12:19 PM, 12/19/2008
How about Wally and Sasha for Marion?
Posted 12:51 PM, 12/19/2008
Wally and Sasha wouldn't really help them because you're talking about 2 guys that play the exact same position, and have limited skills. At least with Varajeo you're getting a frontcourt player.
Posted 02:18 PM, 12/19/2008
Can Marion play center when Z is out injured? The Cavs do not have a true backup center, so unless they have somebody to fill that role I think its not a good idea to trade the guy who is doing it.
Also, would Marion only be a bench player like AV normally is? Or would he start, if so how does that change the line-up and rotation? Does Ben Wallace go to the bench? Or LeBron back to a guard spot and West to the bench?
I agree with many, the Cavs are VERY GOOD right now. Making changes that may not be needed could just set them back a bunch, resulting in a team that isn't much better by the playoffs, and ends up in a worse position in the Eastern Conference seeding.
Posted 02:12 PM, 12/20/2008
First, Wojnarowski from Yahoo is a complete hack who's sole purpose is to throw things out there that are so ridiculous, people CLICK on to read the article and they sell advertising. Currently every click makes them money from Americans for the Arts.org.
As for the trade, that is laughable to think Danny Ferry would be that stupid. Wally will only be traded for a top line player that can help them now and more importantly in the future. Guys like Chris Bosh and Antawn Jamison would fit that bill. With Wally's 13.75 mil expiring contract, there is no reason to trade Andy or anyone else.
Posted 06:49 PM, 12/20/2008
It's a matter of 'having your cake and eating it too'. If you trade Wally and the Cavs win it all this year they are also set up money-wise next year, plus possibly another key player from the trade. But I prefer the win now possibility since they are playing so good. But it's hard not to look at trading Wally and then getting him back in 30 days if his new team cuts him. But the chemistry might be gone by then. If Ferry takes that chance there are a lot of what ifs. And he easily could be the goat as well as the hero!
