The Cleveland Cavaliers could use some help in the second unit. They don't have a reliable backup point guard, and it looks like a matter of time before they figure out how to pull the plug on the failed Dennis Schroder experiment.
They could — and probably should — give Tyrese Proctor more opportunities. He excelled with the national team at the FIBA level this offseason, and he might actually be the team's best three-point shooter.
Regardless, even if they don't trust him, they shouldn't listen to Scott Polacek's advice. In his latest column for Bleacher Report, he chose the Cavs as an obvious fit for Russell Westbrook, and that can only end in disaster.
The Cleveland Cavaliers should avoid going after Russell Westbrook
"Westbrook would be a type of offensive insurance for all three of them, but especially the Cavaliers," Polacek wrote, citing the Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets as other potential destinations. "With Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, they don't need him to play heavy minutes. Instead, he can provide a spark when the offense stalls and work in pick-and-pops with Evan Mobley."
Russell Westbrook is the greatest rebounding point guard of all time. He's a legend, a future first-ballot Hall of Famer, and a misunderstood, highly competitive guy who probably deserved better. He's been scapegoated way too many times, and it's a shame that he'll likely retire ringless.
Nonetheless, that doesn't mean the Cavs should give him an opportunity, not at this point in his career. His best years are behind him, and he won't give this team the type of high-IQ and floor-spacing basketball they need in the second unit.
Granted, Westbrook can have huge games and throwback performances every here and there. He can also elevate the team's competitive spirit and whatnot. But as much as he can help, he can also cost the team games because he refuses to acknowledge that he's no longer a superstar.
That's not a knock on him as a person, though. He's always said and done all the right things, and his former teammates love him because he's a selfless human being and someone who genuinely cares about winning and his peers. Still, that doesn't always show on the court; he's too erratic and marches to the beat of his own drum.
The Cavs should definitely be in the market for bench scoring, and they need someone to take some pressure off James Harden and Donovan Mitchell's shoulders, but they can't afford to talk themselves into making a run at Westbrook.
Any potential move for the former Oklahoma City Thunder star can only end in backlash, the fan base turning on him, and he hitting back at them. That's not the type of energy or distraction this team needs, and it's hard to believe he'd even finish the season with the team before ultimately being shipped out or cut.
That's not what this team needs right now.
Add us as a preferred source on Google