The Importance of Brendan Haywood

On July 12, Scotty Hopson’s historic run with the Cleveland Cavaliers ended when he was traded to the Charlotte Hornets for second-round pick Dwight Powell and center Brendan Haywood in a deal originally agreed to on draft night. When the Cavaliers signed Hopson to a two-year, $3.8 million contract, it was with the idea that that he would likely be used in a trade over the summer due to the fact that the second year of his contract, valued at $1.45 million, was unguaranteed. When the Cavaliers made the trade with the Hornets, the initial focus was on Powell, but now many are wondering what Haywood brings to the table. Though Cleveland fans might remember Haywood from his time with the Washington Wizards, as well as his role in that team’s rivalry with the Cavaliers, most probably have not followed the big man over the last few years. While that is certainly understandable, Brendan Haywood may be far more important to both the present and the future of the Cleveland Cavaliers than many realize.

Defense

Whether you talk to a casual fan or a basketball expert, most would tell you that any concerns with this season’s Cavaliers lie on the defensive end. One specific area of need is a big man who can protect the rim. Anderson Varejao is a great defender, Tristan Thompson excels against the pick-and-roll and Kevin Love’s defensive shortcomings are exaggerated, but none of these men possess this skill. Brendan Haywood’s entire career has been based around his defense, particularly his skills in protecting the rim and defending the post. Haywood is a very good shot blocker who has averaged 3.1 blocks per 100 possessions for his career. At the same time, he has averaged 5.7 fouls over the same span, a solid rate for someone who blocks so many shots. Haywood’s effectiveness in the post has continued as he has aged, and in the 2012-13 season, the last in which Brendan Haywood played in a game, he held opponents to just 32.7 percent shooting in post-ups and did so with a low foul rate. Haywood has also averaged a very impressive 7.9 defensive rebounds per 100 possessions. Rebounding is an often ignored part of defense, but the simple fact is that every defensive rebound ends the opposition’s possession. According to the 82games.com, which has data going back to the 2002-03 season, Haywood’s second in the league, every team he has played for has been noticeably better on the defensive end (and better overall) with him on the court, with the exception of the 2010-11 Dallas Mavericks. Even in the previously mentioned 2012-13 season, the Bobcats allowed 5.7 fewer points per 100 possession with Brendan Haywood on the court compared to when he sat. During that season with the Mavs, that was the exception; Haywood was backing up Tyson Chandler, who was on his way to cementing his reputation as one of the very best centers in the entire league and was arguably the second-most important player behind Dirk Nowitzki during that team’s championship run. There’s no shame being inferior to Tyson Chandler on the defensive end that season; all but a very few players were. If Brendan Haywood can come back from the injury that cost him all of last season, then he could give the Cavaliers the kind of tough defensive big man that any contender covets.

This guy sounds great! How on Earth did the Cavs get him for Scotty Hopson?

Well the obvious reasons are also the biggest ones. Brendan Haywood missed all of last season with a stress fracture in his foot. Foot injuries can derail any big man’s career (see Ming, Yao), but at 34-years old Haywood is nearing the end of his career anyways. Despite the fact that he is reportedly in tremendous shape, the odds of a player his age coming back from an injury like this to again be an effective rotation player are slim. Not helping matters is the fact that Haywood is seen as a player with an inconsistent motor who tends to disappear every few games. If this is still the case, it’s hard to see him coming back from missing an entire season due to injury. Finally, Haywood has also become a negative on offense at this point in his career. Haywood has always been limited to shots right around the basket, but his loss of athleticism has caused him to become a poor finisher even there, and shooting 43.1 percent from the field in 2012-13, nearly 100 points below his career average. He is also a terrible free throw shooter, with a career average of 58.7 percent from the line and hasn’t been above 47 percent since the 2009-10 season. All in all, Haywood’s increasingly poor offense now gives back nearly all of his value on the defensive end.

Contract

Brendan Haywood’s contract is a unique asset that could net the Cavaliers another solid rotation player next summer. The Cavaliers only owe Haywood a bit over $2 million this season. This is due to the amount of money the then-Charlotte Bobcats bid to claim Haywood after he was waived by the Dallas Mavericks using the amnesty provision. Next year, however, Haywood is owed roughly $10 million in the final year of the contract. This is due to that year not being covered by the amnesty provision, as it is completely unguaranteed. This trade chip will allow the Cavaliers to add another player making significant money before the 2015-16 season, despite the fact that the team is essentially guaranteed to be over the salary cap and likely in the luxury tax as Kyrie Irving’s contract extension will kick in. The team the Cavaliers make a trade with could then waive Brendan Haywood and immediately cut $10 million from their payroll. While a trade for yet another superstar is unlikely, getting a talented player with a bad contract who is no longer desired by his current team, such as Larry Sanders or Javale McGee, seems possible. Both of the those players are young enough to be a part of the Cavaliers for years to come, and both have the ability to protect the rim. While both men have had their issues on and off the court, a strong locker room like the Cavaliers may be just the place for one of them to reach their true potential.

In Brendan Haywood, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been able to acquire a player who could have a significant impact on the franchise for several seasons to come. If he can supply even a few minutes each game of defense and rim protection, and is then used to acquire a quality piece next summer, then he will have made an indelible mark on what could become one of the greatest dynasties in Cleveland sports history.