Keith's Talkin'

by johnf34 on Feb 18, 2012 5:34 AM CST in Fear The Links

I came across a well written post by FTS member CLEcavsoutsider and he had some interesting points in his piece that I wanted to comment on.

In 17.4 MPG, Thompson is averaging 7.1 PPG. 4.7 REB, .458 FG%, and he's currently shooting .408 FT%. Yes, Thompson has great leaping ability, but so did Hickson. What Thompson's numbers reflect, is that he doesn't finish strong at the rim, though he is decisive, when he gets the ball in the post. His first move, is to the basket, without hesitation. Because his FT% is so poor, he's a risk on the floor at the end of games, so you may lose his energy, effort, and length, under those circumstances. To make matters worse, in his last 10 games 15.6 MPG, 5.6 PPG. 3.6 REB, .379 FG%, and on the season, he only shoots .360 FT% at home. He's either regressing, he does currently have an ankle injury, or he's hit the rookie wall. Casspi isn't having an impact, and Thompson's has been limited. Combined, they don't have the impact that Hickson had the last 4 months, of last season.

I'm actually not at this point super high on Thompson either because I'm just not excited about energy big men who can't score. With Anderson Varejao in the middle we're simply not going to be getting away with playing Thompson huge minutes down the road if he can't become more than an energy scorer. I'm aware he's young and has growth to do but he simply hasn't shown much in terms of becoming a real threat offensively to me yet.

In leading the Cavaliers past Chris Paul, and the Clippers from Lob City, Sessions showed he is more than capable. I seen enough in him last year, for PG not to be a position of need, and priority. Some time, time and opportunity, doesn't change public perception, or assumptions. At 25, Sessions is in a very good position moving forward, and he's handled his situation here with class. At 25 where can the Cavaliers find an available PG better? They can draft one with an acquired draft pick? They can trade for one? Whats better, than what you have in Sessions right now?

I'm really thinking Sessions also is going to really bring in quite a few phone calls to Chris Grant in the next couple weeks. Let's just hope when he does get dealt it's not for two picks in the 20's!

What other points brought up by Keith intrigued you?

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Instead of comparing TT this year to jj hickson last year, how about we compare their rookie seasons to each other?

by iso1512 on Feb 18, 2012 12:22 PM CST via mobile reply actions

@iso1512 You can’t fairly make comparisons of their rookie years, Hickson as a rookie, was on one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, playing for a coach in Brown, and an enigma in James, that’s didn’t trust young players. I disagreed with that approach, but in a sense, understood it. Young guys, with so much on the line, never really got opportunities to develop, or contribute, that slowly changed Hickson’s 2nd year. Brown started Hickson at C, when Shaq was injured, and Varejao was moved to the bench. You can however, realistically compare Thompson, and Hickson, in their 1 year of NCAA competition.

by CLECavsOutsider on Feb 19, 2012 11:39 AM CST up reply actions

john,i dont understand youre obsession with keeping sessions.do you think we should give him a freeagent contract eight to ten million a year?i dont think he can play long periods of time paired with irving.who would guard the shooting guard in that situaion?I think it would be better to trade ramon for what ever we can get .

by beanjames on Feb 18, 2012 4:23 PM CST reply actions

I’m not obsessed with keeping Sessions, but I’m not giving away a very solid point guard for a bad draft pick. It seems I draw the line much differently than most on draft picks in the 20’s which is why we disagree on that issue.

With or Without the H

by johnf34 on Feb 18, 2012 8:14 PM CST up reply actions

@beanjames Who wouldn’t you keep Sessions? PG has been a weakness on this team, for almost the past decade. You finally find a player that can EFFECTIVELY play the position in Sessions, and then the Cavaliers draft Irving. Instead of now recognizing it as a position of strength, you’re trying to make another team better, by trading him away, for the unknown. He’s only 25, and I don’t see anything better out there. If Lin was here, they’d be pursuing 1st round picks for him. Sessions, and Irving can co-exist. Sessions is actually the better decision maker of the 2.

Sessions wouldn’t command 8-10 million a year, very likely 5-7 million, maybe more, depending where he goes. You look at his February from last season, or the 3 games in which he filled in for Irving this year, why wouldn’t you keep him, and pay him. In lest floor time than Irving, he has more assists, fewer turnovers, and gets to the free throw line more.

You can pair them for long periods of time, based on opposing match-ups, and what you have on the floor on your front court. If you go small in the backcourt, and both are about 6’3", you have to go athletic on the frontcourt. You attempt to combat size, with speed. Both can get to the rim, with relative ease.

by CLECavsOutsider on Feb 19, 2012 11:47 AM CST up reply actions

okay in case you have not noticed we have a pointguard his name is irving .so why whould you pay backup startermoney when you have holes in the roster all over the roster.and if they play together opposing shotting guards will eat us alive as ramon cant even guard point guards.

by beanjames on Feb 19, 2012 11:58 AM CST up reply actions

What games have you been watching? Sessions is a far better defender than Irving. It doesn’t matter what you’re paying him, if you’re getting results, and production. Once Jamison is gone, be it at the trade deadline, or in the off-season, Varejao stands to be the Cavaliers highest paid player, and he’s a 7/7 guy, and you’re concerned about paying Sessions starters money? He is a starter, in your mind, and the mind of most, Irving is preferred. If you watched the game tonight, as I’ve been saying all along, play them together, and it was Irving, who was playing OF THE BALL, and it was effective.

Most shooting guards, shoot….If you have an athletic front-line, and practice help defense EFFECTIVELY, it isn’t a problem. They won’t play in tandem for 48 minutes. Sessions can more than hold his own, and because he attacks the basket, and gets in the lane, he puts pressure on the opposing SG, that may be matched up on him. If on the floor together, I anticipate, the SG (size) would be defending Irving.

Irving has yet to face an elite PG, he missed Rondo twice, Rose, CP3, whom by the way, Sessions clearly outplayed, and defended well. My only concern with Sessions, is lately he hasn’t been finishing at the rim, he’s been giving into the contact, looking for the foul call…he needs to finish the play. He also effectively feeds the post, guys have to FINISH!

Sessions clearly led this team in February last year, and he opposed if I’m not mistaken, 8 of the 11 teams he opposed were playoff teams. He was 19.9 PPG, 8.8 AST, 4.3 REB, 1.7 STL, and he shot .563 FG% It doesn’t get better than that, and as great as you perceive Irving to be… he’s yet to come close to matching that.

Once they bring Manny Harris back up, they’ll have another natural SG in the backcourt, that can provide size, and length, as well as shoot the ball.

by CLECavsOutsider on Feb 20, 2012 1:52 AM CST up reply actions

okay sorry if i came on too strong . i just feel that any thing that we get right now would be better than leting him walk.and that keeping him around keeps us in mediocre .because we might win a few more games with him ,but if we are going to lose i would much rather have a top five than a top ten pick .

by beanjames on Feb 18, 2012 10:23 PM CST reply actions

@johnf34 AGREED! he’s 25, you don’t have to let him walk, but you don’t keep treating him as if he’s expendable. Irving is more shoot first anyways. Playing him off the ball, will keep him fresh in games, allowing him to catch a blow, while remaining on the floor. Defense takes attitude, lineups that make sense, would help that cause. He doesn’t have to walk, the Cavaliers have more than enough money, to keep Sessions, and make him happy. I think he likes it here, maybe I’m wrong, but either way, he hasn’t rocked the boat. His actions, have truly reflected his words. He won’t get traded to a top 5 team, maybe in the off-season. Buyers will be those competing for playoff positioning. I say the Cavaliers are better with Sessions, than with any unproven draft pick, he may bring. Thanks for the mention also John.

by CLECavsOutsider on Feb 19, 2012 11:54 AM CST reply actions

being better should not be are goal this year,i dont want to mediocre anymore .keeping sessions most likely means we will be picking in the ten to fifeteen in the draft.means we will be mediocre next year too .this team needs a top five talent.

by beanjames on Feb 19, 2012 12:53 PM CST reply actions

It doesn’t matter where you pick, what matters most is WHO you pick. The Cavaliers, also have enough assets, (draft picks, expiring contracts, contract rights) they can use to move up, if need be. What they won’t have to address is PG. What they need most, since they traded a 23 year old, ELBOW down, post scoring PF, for a SF who struggles shooting, and defending. They don’t need more players that are one dimensional, or duplicate parts.

They don’t need All-Stars, just guys capable of playing like them, which is exactly what Sessions did last year in the month of February. Varejao will never be more than what he is, you have a better version of him developing in Thompson. You pay Sessions, and you keep him, and the TEAM is better for it.

by CLECavsOutsider on Feb 20, 2012 1:58 AM CST up reply actions

if you want to be number eight seed forever keep sessions.cap space needs to be spent wisely because it is not the same as the last cba .you need to be smart with youre cap space if you want to win paying two point guards topdollar wont cut it .

by beanjames on Feb 20, 2012 3:12 PM CST reply actions

Neither Kyrie Irving nor Ramon Sessions is making anything close to top dollar. We’re going to get the eight seed? What bad contracts do the Cavs have that shows they haven’t used their cap space wisely?

With or Without the H

by johnf34 on Feb 20, 2012 5:43 PM CST up reply actions

@beanjames what do you consider top dollar? Baron Davis is being paid $13,950,000 this year, and $14,850,000 next year, and he is currently collecting a check from the Knicks. In fact, the following players have expiring contracts, (contracts that come off the books at the end of the season) Antawn Jamison $15,076,715, Ryan Hollins $2,483,333, Anthony Parker $2,250,000, Alonzo Gee $884,293, Samardo Samuels $788,672, Semih Erden $788,872, Luke Harangody $788,872, as Mychal Thompson ($157,868, and Ben Uzoh ($57,742) were non-guaranteed . The team holds an option on Daniel Gibson ($4,792,322), and Ramon Sessions has a player option ($4,551,626).

Next season, Anderson Varejao will be the Cavaliers highest paid player (o_O), the only other players under contract, Kyrie Irving (2nd), Tristan Thompson (3rd), with Omri Casspi (4th o_O o_O), and Christian Eyenga (5th) entering the final years of their deals, though the Cavs hold a team option on Eyenga in 2013-14, and team options on Irving, and Thompson 2013-2015. Then you have qualifying offers, ie restricted free agency. So salary cap, is far from a problem.

I say wanting to bring Hickson back, is not as far fetched as some like to believe. Thompson, with more time on the floor, is exceeding Varejao, and based on production, he can’t be the highest paid player in the locker room. Hickson, even with his struggles in Sacramento (bad fit), is a better post scorer than anyone the Cavaliers currently have, and he only has a qualifying offer next year of $3,357,568, which is less than what Irving, and Thompson are on the books for.

Thompson, at C would be the perfect compliment for Hickson at PF. Having the vision to think ahead, Hollins, and Samuels would be brought back, to come off the bench, for frontline depth. Harris could be that big SG, taking the place of Parker, then you have available roster spots for draft picks, FA’s, or to bring in a mid-level type player, or end of the bench depth. This is of course, taking in account the Cav’s keep Sessions, and bring him back.

@johnf34 I think I just about covered it, what do you think?

by CLECavsOutsider on Feb 20, 2012 6:50 PM CST reply actions

From what I’ve seen of Sessions, I think it would be a mistake to let him go. He and Irving can work well together, and would be a double barreled threat.

CP3 and Chauncy Billups come to mind, with Mo Williams coming off the bench.

That doesn’t mean that they should be on the floor together at all times, but definitely for certain stretches, depending on the team they’re playing against.

During this re-building stage, having two quality point guards, where one can sub as a two guard at times, where they can feed off each other, can only make the pairing more deadly. This is a luxury this team can definitely afford, and should take advantage of, for the forseeable future.

Lygafe

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by lygafe on Feb 21, 2012 10:47 AM CST reply actions

From what I’ve seen of Sessions, I think it would be a mistake to let him go. He and Irving can work well together, and would be a double barreled threat.

Exactly

With or Without the H

by johnf34 on Feb 21, 2012 12:39 PM CST up reply actions