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It's been a monumental offseason for the Cleveland Cavaliers, but that doesn't mean their roster is set. The general manager, David Griffin, still has an eye on improving the team's ability to protect the rim.
Andy Greder, of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, got a few details from a radio interview Griffin did yesterday for Fox Sports Radio:
#Cavs GM David Griffin to Fox Sports Radio: "I have concerns (on) ability to protect the rim, and that’s not just a Kevin (Love) question."
— Andy Greder (@twolvesnow) August 28, 2014
Griffin continued: Love's "been really open about fact that he’s bringing a focus to that end of the floor that maybe he didn’t do before."
— Andy Greder (@twolvesnow) August 28, 2014
None of this is particularly surprising, but I also don't think it means a move is imminent. The Cavaliers have been mentioned as having interest in free agent Emeka Okafor, and Denver Nuggets reserve Timofey Mozgov. The Cavaliers are also within a couple million dollars of the punitive luxury tax. It's unlikely they will want to cross that line this year. I've been of the view that Love's defensive issues are largely overstated. The Cavaliers defense will certainly not be their strong suit, but they weren't terrible last year, and are replacing a lot of minutes that went to Tyler Zeller and Andrew Bynum with Kevin Love, and then adding Shawn Marion to the fold on the wing.
There isn't a lot of rim protection, sure, but Synergy rates Kevin Love as a good post defender, Tristan Thompson as a good pick and roll defender, and Anderson Varejao as a great pick and roll defender. A strength? No, but it won't be a disaster. That being said, it's David Griffin's job to keep looking for ways to improve the team. It makes sense he would look for rim protection.