The Cleveland Cavaliers need size and Andray Blatche provides a low-risk, high-reward option for the Cavs to add depth to their front court.
Andray Blatche hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2013-14 season, but he could still fill a void that the Cleveland Cavaliers have.
Cleveland’s current roster lacks size. The player best suited for playing against physical centers is Chris Andersen, and he’s only 6-foot-10, 245 pounds. He is also 38 years old and doesn’t have the athleticism of most NBA centers.
Starting center Tristan Thompson is 6-foot-9, 238 pounds and doesn’t have the ideal size to play center. He has been effective at battling for rebounds, but has been abused in the post at times. His agility is a strength and makes him a great small-ball center, but not against a powerful center, such as DeMarcus Cousins.
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Blatche is a low-risk, high-reward signing that could re-start his NBA career in Cleveland. He fits a need and his entire career has been focused on playing key rotational minutes.
In his nine-year career, Blatche has averaged 22.1 minutes per game and is averaging 10.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. He’s also been quick enough to defend on the perimeter and has the size to protect the rim. He has averaged 0.9 steals and 0.8 blocks per game in his career.
If Blatche were to join the Cavaliers, he could come off the bench behind Thompson. His game is similar to Thompson’s in that they are both athletic enough to defend quicker players. However, he differs in that he has a bigger frame and can protect the rim.
His quickness is also an advantage over Andersen, though Birdman isn’t afraid of being physical and has the edge there. Blatche provides more of a scoring option over Andersen, too. Andersen’s game would largely focus on rebounding and protecting the rim.
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Blatche would fair best with the Cavaliers second unit, which would look to get some scoring from the post. He could also play alongside a shooter in Channing Frye to maximize the scoring potential of the Cavaliers bench with an inside-outside game.
Since leaving the NBA, Blatche has enjoyed playing for the Filipino national team. He was naturalized and has committed to playing for Philippines in the 2019 Olympic Qualifying Tournament, according to Spin.ph.
The fact that the New York-native has been staying active and playing basketball means he is still in good condition to make a return to the NBA. Due to his absence from the association, the Cavs could probably offer a partially-guaranteed deal with a training camp invite to evaluate if he’s still fit for the NBA.
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Andray Blatche could fill a need that the Cleveland Cavaliers have. It would be a low-risk, high-reward opportunity for both Blatche and the Cavs, and could be a catalyst to a larger contract down the road.