For too long, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been stuck with the same core. Koby Altman has put together a good, not great roster, and while they've had great moments in the regular season, they might not have what it takes to get to the next level.
Adding James Harden to the mix didn't do much to change their reality. He's no longer a superstar, and his postseason shortcomings were too much to overcome again. Notably, it's hard to believe things will be much different next season.
Considering that, Cleveland sports analyst Nick Pedone claimed the Cavs should go after Kevin Durant. And while he didn't say the Cavs are interested in that scenario, it actually makes perfect sense as long as that move is this front office's final bullet.
Kevin Durant might be the Cavaliers' core final opportunity
“The Cavs could be looking at higher-profile moves. Durant is probably the last big fish remaining this offseason,” Pedone said. “The Cavs are deep enough where they’d be able to load-manage him. It’s the lone remaining move that would significantly improve their title chances.”
Again, Pedone isn't saying this is something that will happen or even a possibility right now. That said, the Cavaliers should strongly consider it, even if that means parting ways with Jarrett Allen — especially if it does.
This core has peaked. They don't intimidate anybody; everyone in the league seems to believe they can be had, regardless of their regular-season record. Time and time again, they're bullied and manhandled in the postseason.
Granted, Durant hasn't necessarily been the most successful player since he left the Bay Area. However, he's still an elite three-level scorer and one of the most feared players in the game. Even at his age, he's one of the few attainable players who can elevate this team's ceiling.
In his first season with the Houston Rockets, Durant averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game on 52 percent from the floor. Not too shabby for a 37-year-old who suffered multiple major injuries.
One could make a case for Durant creating locker room turmoil and leaving teams worse than he found them, and those are valid points. Again, that's probably what this team needs after years of shortcomings.
The Cavs need someone who can ruffle some feathers and get in guys' heads. They need someone who's been there and done that, someone who can single-handedly win a basketball game when it counts and not just in the first 82 games of the year.
But if this doesn't work out and Durant does more harm than good, it might actually be a blessing in disguise. How many more opportunities will this core have to prove that they can get the job done before they finally decide that enough is enough?
The Cavs have committed tens of millions to players who are very good, but may not be Batmans. You can't win with a bunch of Robins, and the CBA's financial constraints make it almost impossible to surround stars with talent for the long run.
This core should be hanging by a thread right now. They've reached a point where they should either go all-in to land another superstar or just pull the plug. That's why, of all people, Kevin Durant might actually be the perfect Russian Roulette target for this organization.
Add us as a preferred source on Google