Shumpert Out 12-14 Weeks: How Cavaliers Will Fill Roles
The returning Eastern Conference champions, Cleveland Cavaliers, were able to bring back most of their important pieces back for the 2015-2016 season. Unfortunately, a major piece their Finals Championship puzzle is going to be sidelined for 12-14 weeks and possible the entire 2015 portion of the season.
Iman Shumpert suffered a ruptured extensor carpi ulnaris sheath in his right wrist during practice and will undergo surgery this week. This injury will keep Shumpert sidelined for 12-14 weeks and possibly until 2016.
Now that Shumpert is out for an extended period of time, the Cavaliers need to asses their options for the starting line up.
The teams other guard options moving forward are Matthew Dellavedova, Mo Williams, J.R. Smith, Joe Harris, and rookie, Quinn Cook. Each offer a reliable game in their own aspects, but struggle to be an all around threat like Shumpert.
Shumpert proved to be one of the Cavaliers strong points during their Eastern Conference Championship run in 2015. Throughout the offseason and into training camp, Shumpert became an offensive playmaker to compliment his strong defensive skills.
Each one of the Cavaliers’ potential spot filling guards have an aspect of their game that mirrors Shumpert’s, but none can provide the all around game that he is capable of.
The Cavaliers have a few options when it comes to filling this guard position. Matthew Dellavedova provides the best all around defense for the team with Shumpert being out, but he doesn’t have the offensive capability that the team needs. J.R. Smith gives the Cavs the athleticism that Shumpert brought to the team and that will be missed during his absence. By starting Dellavedova or Smith, the Cavaliers fill either side of the ball that they’ll lose without Shumpert, but will need to rely heavily on the rest of the starting five to make up for the lack of support on the other end.
However, Mo Williams can also be a reliable offensive guard for the Cavaliers during this time. His three point shooting allows the Cavaliers to space the floor and play closer to the basket. This also lets Kevin Love play more of a post role instead of having to be utilized on the perimeter. Williams can also be a good on ball defender to an average shooting guard. He obviously isn’t a starter without Shumpert being hurt, but he can fill the void if needed.
One of the low-key players that can be a significant role filler during this injury is Joe Harris. Harris didn’t play as well as most thought during summer league. But his skills are much more rounded out than others. He plays like a true guard. If he’s able to compete as well as the Cavaliers are hoping he one day will, then he may be the best player to fill Shumpert’s role.
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The best case scenario for the team is to utilize each one of these players for their strengths. Allow Dellavedova to guard other talented guards and keep momentum on the Cavaliers’ side throughout the game.
Smith can be used in almost any situation. He’s athletic and may be able to face guard most other guards, while being able to score on the offensive end.
Williams is the team’s best offensive option. Playing teams with weak guard play will let Williams exploit the three point line. It also allows the Cavs to keep him on the floor longer because he’ll be able to play defense.
As said before, Harris will be a great fit to fill the void if he’s able to play up to par. Bouncing back from a subpar summer league will put Harris in a position to finally make his mark in the NBA.
Rookie, Quinn Cook, isn’t much of a contender for these situations at this point. He’s more of a learning player at this point and can be used in game situations to add depth and give him game time experience.
Each scenario will be covered by the Cavaliers over the next 14 weeks. While Shumpert tries to get back on the court, the Cavaliers depth is going to bring every aspect of the game to the lineup with each player that fills the role.