It’s time for the Cavs to transform the league

CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 22: LeBron James
CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 22: LeBron James /
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It’s time for the Cleveland Cavaliers to transform the league.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks may pull off the three-team trade that’s expected to bring Eric Bledsoe and Carmelo Anthony to the Land. In addition, Derrick Rose agreed to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a bargain deal on Monday.

If the trade is made, next season then the Cavs will trot out Bledsoe and Rose at the guard positions, while a volume scorer in Anthony and a versatile point-forward in LeBron James start at the forward spots. No matter who starts at center next season (be it Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson or Tyson Chandler), the Cavs will have a quartet whose design is innovative, edgy and aggressive. Who, schematically, is very difficult to defend.

No other team in the NBA will have a starting lineup with two attacking point guards in the backcourt and two upper echelon combo forwards in the frontcourt.

Despite Bledsoe, Rose and James not being thought of as three-point snipers, they’re all perimeter-oriented players who the defense has to respect from behind-the-line because of their ability to make shots behind the arc. For Rose, Bledsoe and James it’s also due to their ability to explode to the rack. In addition, in defending against three point guards (as James is often a ‘de facto’ point guard), opposing teams have to guard three slashing threats who have great basketball IQ, experience as a lead distributor and are capable of running the pick-and-roll and making just about any pass.

When combining their talents with Anthony, who can thrive as a spot-up shooter, the Cavs are dangerous. Especially because, as previously mentioned, they’re all capable of being solid three-point threats from at least one area of the court.

While Rose (45.5 percent shooting on corner threes last season) and Anthony (43.5 percent shooting on corner threes last season) are solid from the corners, James and Bledsoe are at their best above the break. In addition to providing adequate spacing, this will also result in Rose and Anthony getting quite a few buckets from cuts and baseline drives while James (45.9 percent scoring frequency as the pick-and-roll ball-handler, 69.4 percent as the roll man) and Bledsoe (47.0 percent scoring frequency as the pick-and-roll ball-handler) are responsible for a bulk of the Cavs’ pick-and-roll action. Rose  (44.9 percent scoring frequency as the pick-and-roll ball-handler) will also get in on the action too.

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Just imagine Bledsoe and Rose using a pick to get the space they need to get to the rim or let off a midrange jumper. Then, imagine Anthony (effective field goal percentage of 62.0 on spot-up shots) setting the screen and being set up for a catch-and-shoot attempt or James (effective field goal percentage of 55.7 on spot-up shots) doing the same. Imagine using James, with all his power, explosiveness, acrobatics and majesty, attacking the rim as a roll man.

Aside from that, Rose (44.4 percent scoring frequency), Anthony (47.3 percent scoring frequency) and James (44.6 percent scoring frequency) are all pretty solid isolation players. All players blessed to be the leading men and feature scorers for the franchises at one time or another, the Cavs have three players are supremely talented scorers that know how to get the shot they want and the space they need to get that shot. While Rose (and Bledsoe, for that matter) is likely to take the ball all the way to the rim, Anthony is more likely to take a jumper. James will take the shot he wants and has more balance in his shot selection.

From there, Love is posted on the outside and giving the Cavs additional space while also functioning as a screener in the pick-and-roll. Or, alternatively, Thompson (or Chandler) will float in the short corner or free throw area waiting for offensive rebounds and lobs while intermittently being a screener in the pick-and-roll.

While defenders could consider going under every screen and packing the paint, Rose (effective field goal percentage of 46.9 last season) and Anthony (effective field goal percentage of 51.1 last season) are great coming off screens. While neither Bledsoe or James thrives off screens or even with handoffs, James is a solid shooter from three-point when using a handoff.

With four players capable of attacking off-the-dribble, once the Cavs get the ball and players moving, it’ll be difficult to contain perimeter penetration. The passing ability and court vision of two talented point guards in addition to the best passing forward in NBA history should make it seem like, when watching them thread needles and find seams in the defense, we’re watching a truly interwoven squad.

To think, I haven’t even mentioned that with James (47.9 percent scoring frequency last season) and Anthony’s (46.6 percent scoring frequency last season) abilities to score in the post and tempt players to double them down low, the other perimeter-oriented Cavs have more space to attack.

In these instances, Thompson and Chandler will have to stay as far as way as possible in the short corner but be close enough for putbacks and be smart in their cuts to the rim. With their perimeter players, all they have to do is make high IQ decisions and they’ll thrive.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have a chance to put an innovative starting lineup on the court. In a copycat league, they could find themselves starting a trend if they win it all.

To be fair, while Bledsoe is a proven player, a player like De’Aaron Fox wouldn’t be a bad option either.

He excels as a transition scorer and slasher, using his speed and timing to get by defenders at a breakneck pace. He’d definitely execute head coach Tyronn Lue’s directive of playing fast. He needs to improve his shooting from three-point range but he’s been solid from the midrange. Fox’s defense is also impressive, as he has quick hands and great defensive instincts on and off the ball.

Related Story: Assessing the future with De'Aaron Fox

*All stats referenced from hiwww.basketball-reference.com and stats.nba.com