Cleveland Cavaliers: Willy Hernangomez could be a steal
By Dan Gilinsky
The Cleveland Cavaliers are the favorites in the Eastern Conference, nobody is disputing that. They still need a few pieces to gear up for a championship repeat, though, and New York Knicks big man Guillermo Hernangomez could be a sneaky addition for general manager David Griffin.
The Cleveland Cavaliers need more depth down low for both their offensive and defensive. The Cavs may be able to find that in Guillermo “Willy” Hernangomez, a big man with quality skill. He has played well in his time with the New York Knicks in limited minutes, showing loads of potential.
If the Cavs make a move for Hernangomez, it would really take a load off Tristan Thompson for the long-term. Hernangomez has barely scratched the service of his potential, as the New York Knicks are only putting him out there for about 13.7 minutes per game.
In the playoffs, teams need young legs to give the veterans a breather. That’s what the Cavs are looking for as the season progresses and a Finals push ensues. At 22-years-old, Hernangomez would provide a much-needed energy boost to the bench.
At 6-foot-11, Hernangomez uses his size well in the low post, especially on the offensive end. For a player who is not going to jump out of the gym, he is crafty. Here are some highlights of that against the Orlando Magic in a game a few weeks back.
He finds a way to carve out space with his positioning on the weak side offensive glass, where his size allows him to obtain easy buckets. It helps when you’re a near seven-footer.
In the pick-and-roll game, he really excels. He finds open spots in the defense and is adept enough to knock down open looks.
He’s had great shot selection this season as he’s essentially leading the Knicks in field goal percentage 56.3 percent. Only Marshall Plumlee, who has appeared in three games, has a high field goal percentage. He would add a new wrinkle in the pick-and-roll in that it’s not just an obvious lob pass.
His polished skills lead to great ball fakes he uses to consistently get off a clean shot and would add a new layer to the Cavs high screen offensive game plan. In addition, he’s displayed some pretty moves and putbacks in this matchup against the Denver Nuggets.
On a Cavs roster that has enough shooters on the outside, he would be a great addition as a presence down low on the second unit. That enables shooters like Channing Frye and Iman Shumpert to get wide-open looks.
In the playoffs, open looks are harder to come by, and Hernangomez could definitely be a catalyst in that way. He can make things happen for himself and others with his willingness to pass the ball.
The other aspect of his game that’s particularly intriguing is his toughness. In a November game versus the Atlanta Hawks, Hernangomez was holding his both own defensively and on the glass while matched up against Dwight Howard. He wasn’t perfect but he really frustrated Howard with his physicality and relentless rebounding.
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This guy could potentially be on the move, and with general manager David Griffin’s expertise, the Cavs could be in play here. According to CBS Sports NBA reporter James Herbert, the Knicks are interested in Phoenix Suns swingman P.J. Tucker.
That tells me they are looking for defense and a three-point threat on the perimeter. The Cavs could look to get in on the action in a three-team trade to acquire Hernangomez.
Unloading Mike Dunleavy, Jordan McRae and the rights to Cedi Osman would at least get them a set at the table.
In a time in which the Cavs need more depth on the frontline, “Billy” would be a worthwhile addition. He can provide some rim-protection when Thompson is on the bench. He’s currently averaging just 0.5 blocks per game but that number increases to 1.3 blocks per 36 minutes.
Most importantly, he doesn’t back down in competing against NBA bigs. He can play power forward, with some stretch four capabilities, in addition to true center.
We’ll see what Griffin does; I wouldn’t rule out “Billy” to be a Cavalier in the coming weeks. The Cavs are missing second unit energy guy in some ways and Hernangomez is the type of high-energy big Anderson Varejao was during LeBron James’ first stint in Cleveland.
The Cavs should entertain this idea for the marathon that is an NBA season. It’ll pay off in June.
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Should the Cleveland Cavaliers be interested in acquiring New York Knicks center Willy Hernangomez? Let us know in the comments section or Twitter @KJG_NBA.