OPINION: The Cleveland Cavaliers Want To Sign Omri Casspi

Omri Casspi, who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers for two seasons alongside Kyrie Irving, is drawing interest from playoff teams. Here’s why the Cavs will sign Casspi.

According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, Omri Casspi is set to return to the court in about a week after breaking his right thumb in his debut with the New Orleans Pelicans. He’s drawing interest from playoff teams and, in my opinion, one of those teams is none other than the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers are reportedly on the verge of signing former Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders, according to The Vertical’s Shams Charania.

According to Charania, “the Cavaliers started negotiations with Sanders after losing center Andrew Bogut on Monday because of a fractured leg”. Charania adds that “the Cavaliers’ front office is hoping for long-term, high-upside value with Sanders as the franchise pushes toward a third consecutive NBA Finals appearance”.

The Cavs can sign Sanders for up to three years because they still have part of their taxpayers mid-level exception (MLE) to use.

However, ESPN senior writer Brian Windhorst has reported that Sanders is only one of the players the Cavs are talking to.

What are the chances the Cleveland Cavaliers are so close to nearing a deal with Sanders only to sign a different player? Charania’s credibility makes it hard to believe Sanders won’t be on the Cavs. Yet, Windhorst is credible as well.

With that, as ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported that the Cleveland Cavaliers plan to waive Andrew Bogut, there will certainly be a roster spot open for the Cavs to make one big signing. Nonetheless, The Vertical’s Shams Charania reported that “the Cavaliers must still decide whom to waive to create space for Sanders”.

One line of thinking is that the Cavs can save money in the Sanders deal by waiving DeAndre Liggins, a player that will have a significantly higher salary than Sanders.

Couldn’t the Cleveland Cavaliers simply be considering opening two roster spots?

After all, after Dan Gilbert had reportedly given the Cavs the greenlight to increase team payroll, there’s no need to be finicky about spending money now. In addition, if they were to waive Liggins they’d be waiving their best perimeter defender. A player who, believe it or not, shut down Stephen Curry on Christmas Day. I would think Liggins is more valuable than saving a bit of cash.

However, if they were to waive Liggins in order to sign another player who could theoretically help them in and on the path to the NBA Finals more than Liggins, that makes infinitely more sense. Who could help them more than a player who locked down Curry on Christmas Day?

Casspi, who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2011-2013 and spent a lot of time playing beside Kyrie Irving.

A player who is heavy on analytics, Casspi is a Morey-ball idealist. According to Bleacher Report’s Sim Risso, Casspi had this to say about his shot selection:

"“I don’t believe in the mid-range game,” said Casspi. “I don’t believe in the mid-range jump shot—unless you’re open. I’ve shot maybe two or three all season. I believe in the fact that the long two, or the contested two, is the worst shot in basketball.“In the system I played in, that’s the way we did it in Houston. It’s something they emphasized every day. I believe in it. I kind of read the game different now.”"

Morey-ball emphasizes the three-point shot and shots around the rim. Casspi converts 65.0 percent of his shots from 0-3 feet away from the rim for his career.

Casspi has  also converted 36.9 percent of his three-point attempts in his career and is knocking down 39.4 percent of his three-point attempts this season, his lowest average since the 2013-14 season. That’s a far cry from shooting 31.5 percent from three-point range in 2011-12 and 32.9 percent in the following season, which Casspi did while playing for the Cavs. However, those seasons are anomalies in Casspi’s career.

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/11/2017.

Casspi helps the Cleveland Cavaliers more than Liggins for two reasons.

With so many guards on the roster and a player who can theoretically give Curry fits with his own defensive intensity and physical profile in Iman Shumpert, Liggins will only play extensively if Irving were to get hurt. In that case, if Irving were to go down, Liggins would assume the roll of backup point guard.

Maybe.

The Cleveland Cavaliers could opt to play Shumpert and rookie Kay Felder, who are the better ball-handlers and scorers, instead of Liggins instead. However, with Deron Williams and LeBron James as the team’s two floor generals, the Cavs wouldn’t need much else from Shumpert, Felder or Liggins but rest. Derrick Williams and J.R. Smith are capable enough ball-handlers to bring the ball up court and make plays off-the-dribble.

As a result, Casspi, who plays both forward positions has a better chance of playing in case of an injury to Irving than Liggins. His presence at position where the Cavs are thin in terms of depth is the first way Casspi will help the Cavs more than Liggins.

Kevin Love will be out until April and the Cleveland Cavaliers often play their small forwards or (the young) Williams in his place.

While those forwards are bodies, here’s the problem:

Richard Jefferson is having his worst performance from behind the arc since 2012-13 and has only made 31.3 percent of his shots from distance this season. Kyle Korver, James Jones lack the size. strength and stamina to play power forward extensively. (The young) Williams has started off hot from three-point range and his 40.0 percent shooting from three-point range looks nice on paper, until the realization that Williams has only made 29.8 percent of his threes for his career. That’s not a player you rely on to space the floor from the power forward position like Love did.

Despite shooting 38.9 percent from three-point range, James isn’t the player you want to be the catch-and-shoot threat that Love is. James is the player you want throwing passes to the shooter.

Casspi, at 6-foot-9 and 225 pounds, is a perfect size for a combo forward. Casspi also has decent athleticism and can beat defenders off-the-dribble in straight line drives. Once he gets to the rim, he’s solid at converting his layup attempts and he’s made 65.0 percent of his shots from three feet around the rim for his career (compared to Liggins converting 53.8 percent of his shots around th rim this season).

More importantly, Casspi has made 40.6 percent of his three-point attempts (2.5 three-point attempts per game) in the last three seasons. Based on the way the shooting percentages of Korver and (the younger) Williams skyrocketed after their arrivals, Casspi should have no problem maintaining that level of efficiency with the space he’ll get playing with the Cavs.

The threat of his three-point shot at the power forward position is the second way Casspi helps more than Liggins.

The Cleveland Cavaliers make 13.1 threes on 33.7 attempts per game, converting 38.9 percent of their three-point attempts. All three figures rank in the top-three of the league. When the Cavs lose, it’s usually because they aren’t hitting their shots from outside. According to their splits, in the Cavs losses, they only converted 35.0 percent of their three-point attempts. When they win, they convert 40.7 percent of their three-point attempts.

Needless to say, the threat of a three-point shot is big for the Cavs.

Not only does it increase the offensive potency of the club, the space created with shooters on the perimeter opens up the floor for James and Irving to attack the rim. James and Irving are two of the best finishers in the game, if not the two best finishers in the game period. James is making 76.9 percent of his shots from within three feet of the rim while Irving makes 62.1 percent of his three-point attempts.

While I expect the Cleveland Cavaliers to waive Bogut and sign Sanders, I also expect the Cavaliers to waive Liggins and sign Casspi. That is, if Casspi wants to play for the Cavs.

Related Story: Larry Sanders Expected To Sign As Soon As Monday

Do you think the Cleveland Cavaliers are interested in signing Omri Casspi? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section or Twitter @KJG_NBA.

*All stats referenced from www.basketball-reference.com