Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron Should Be More In The Post Next Season

LeBron James is someone you don’t bet against often, but if he’s going to remain at the top of the game, he needs to go in the post more.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, even potentially without the likes of Kyrie Irving, will be perimeter-oriented. The Cavs roster is one that is built from the outside in. Since the King has returned home, Cleveland has ranked in the top three in three point attempts per game, per teamrankings.com. They’ve improved each season in their three point percentage in his three years back, ranking seventh, second, and first (again per teamrankings.com).

It helps when you acquire one of the best three point assassins in NBA history in Kyle Korver to join an already lethal set of shooters, obviously. Just to confirm, I’m not saying the Cavs should back away from what they do best, which is shoot the rock from deep and space the floor for LeBron James. Tyronn Lue and company will be just fine getting out of the East doing that again; that formula has worked three straight years.

More from King James Gospel

However, the Cavs are going to need to change some things going forward, especially with how dominant the Golden State Warriors now look with Kevin Durant. The point guard position is a fluid situation right now with Irving reportedly wanting out of The Land, so that means Bron’s usage rate will likely go up with the lack of isolation play from Uncle Drew.

With that being the case, James should be playing a less physically-taxing role of playmaker and/or scorer with his back to the basket more. James was in the 71st percentile of the league in post-up productivity, per Synergy.

He is a mismatch for almost anyone in that area in one-on-one coverages, and he’ll always be able to find snipers in Kevin Love, Korver, Channing Frye, and J.R. Smith if, and when, the doubles do come. If Irving does get dealt in the near future, and even if the Cavs do acquire another capable playmaker such as Eric Bledsoe in a trade, Bron cannot be penetrating from up top all game.

Even a superhuman like James will eventually get burned out with the constant workload he had against teams like Golden State.

He’s shown many times in his storied career that he can be a dominant post presence offensively, and that needs to be more of a focal point from now on. In addition, covering James in stretches in physical post defense could slow down Durant at times on the offensive end.

What makes James so great is that he’s adjusted parts of his game so often throughout his career. This would pay dividends for not just next season, but more and more from there on out. To go along with being a great pick-and-roll ball handler and roller, this would be just another way that James could be dominant and get his teammates more open looks outside.

Must Read: Ranking Kyrie Irving's top 3 potential suitors

For now, it’s at least something to keep in mind about the upcoming season when watching LeBron workout videos.