Cavs rejected trade offers for Jarrett Allen

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Jarrett Allen may have been attractive enough to receive trade inquiries from other teams, but the Cleveland Cavaliers are not interested in moving him at this time according to a report from Chris Fedor from Cleveland.com.

Fedor specifically mentions Dallas as a team that was gauging Cleveland’s interest in a deal that would send Allen to the Mavs. Any sort of trade offer coming from Dallas did not move the needle enough as Allen is still a Cavalier.

Do not expect the trade talks about Jarrett Allen to end any time soon. Allen is a solid defensive player that can be a very attractive piece to many teams. Even with Koby Altma wanting to keep “core players” together, the team should still listen on what teams are willing to offer for Allen. Cleveland’s early postseason exit was not Allen’s finest hour and probably should have been the tipping point about his future here.

Even though the Cavs are not actively shopping Jarrett Allen to potential suitors, they probably should be. Allen’s lack of offensive diversity can make things a big crowded near the basket. If Cleveland were to acquire a big man capable scoring outside the paint it would create some much needed space for the likes of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and Evan Mobley.

There is still a lot of time between now and when the season starts.

While the Cavs intend to retain Jarrett Allen for next season it would not be a huge surprise to see a move involving Allen in order to shuffle the roster a bit while their problem of finding a starting caliber wing player to insert into their starting lineup. Allen is far from an untouchable player and if there is a reasonable trade out there to improve the team in other areas it should receive serious consideration.

Cavs select Emoni Bates in second round

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The Cleveland Cavaliers had to wait a bit before making their first pick, but when it was time they went with a bold choice in Emoni Bates.

Bates was highly touted coming out of high school, but was not terribly impressive at Memphis. In need of an obvious change of scenery, Bates moved closer to home by transferring to Eastern Michigan. Bates did see his numbers improve across the board, which is encouraging, but there are still some concerns about him as a player that could limit his potential for the Cavs.

Emoni Bates is a player who is not terribly athletic in addition to having a less than optimal wingspan, making poor shots choices, and disappearing from games. While clearly a project for Cleveland, there is a lot of work that needs to be done if Bates is going to develop into a rotation player for the Cavaliers.

Taking Emoni Bates at 49 may be worth it

In the grand scheme of things this is the type of gamble to take in the second round. The NBA Draft, like most drafts is very much hit or miss. The chances that a player ends up as a miss increases as the draft progresses. Cleveland taking a chance on Bates is perfectly fine. Although it would be wise to pump the brakes on expecting any sort of immediate impact.

A few years ago, Bates would see a good number of minutes on a nightly basis. But with the Cavs having aspirations of deep postseason runs and looking for instant improvements, Bates may not see much court time, if at all. An extended stint in the G-League may be necessary to work on a few things and gain meaningful experience.

It is about the long play when it comes to Emoni Bates. Hope that he improves and display the traits that made him so highly regarded coming out of high school. If not, Bates would end up in the group of several other draft picks that did work out for Cleveland.

Cavs showing interest in Tobias Harris

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The Cleveland Cavaliers are reportedly interested in the services of current Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris according to reports. In the report it does specifically say a draft night deal is unlikely.

It was very clear that Cleveland was missing a starting caliber player in their lineup last season. Various players were inserted into the starting rotation in attempt to piece together a complete lineup. Some were more successful than others, but none were at the level that the Cavs needed.

Tobias Harris would bring a veteran presence with postseason experience should he end up in Cleveland. Harris also brings a higher volume and better conversion percentage from deep. Those are two areas that the Cavaliers were missing from complimentary players last season. Being able to insert a consistently competent three-point threat into their starting lineup would help close the gap between Cleveland and the true contenders in the Eastern Conference.

Harris is entering the final year of his contract with nearly $40 million in base salary for 2023-24. With that in mind, it does lessen the chance of a deal being struck that results in Harris coming to Cleveland. The Cavs would have to make some decisions in order to free up the necessary required to take on Harris, and that may not be all that realistic at this time.

Utah Jazz make Collin Sexton available in trade talks

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It does not appear that Collin Sexton will extend his stay in Utah. The Jazz are making the former Cavaliers guard available in trade talks according to reports.

Collin Sexton landed in Utah as part of the trade that sent Donovan Mitchell to the Cavs last offseason. Acquiring Mitchell was a massive upgrade that also allowed them to get out from any contract talks with Sexton. That four-year $70 million agreement ended up in the hands of Utah who is now looking to move on from that deal.

Properly evaluating what Collin Sexton is not necessarily an easy task. Sexton was able to put up some good numbers on bad Cavs teams that were all-in on playing the kids. Sexton’s third season saw him score a career-high 24.3 points per game on a then career-high 47.5% from the field. In 2021 Sexton was limited to just 11 games due to injury, but his scoring numbers and overall effectiveness plummeted before playing his final games as a Cavalier (16 PPG, .450 FG%, .244 3P%, .487 eFG%).

Collin Sexton is clearly entering a redemption season in 2023-24. The past two years have not gone well for Sexton and as a result his stock is at an all-time low. If Sexton is truly going to redeem himself, he would be best suited as a sixth man off the bench on a good team. This would allow him to demonstrate his own value while being part of a successful team. If he ends up on a bad team, it could be very similar to his first few seasons with Cavs. Putting up empty numbers on a team that is nowhere close to being competitive.

Cavs should pursue Kyle Kuzma

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There is now another option out there for the Cleveland Cavaliers to improve their roster. Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma has decided to decline his player-option for next season and is now a free agent.

The Cavs need to make some adjustments to their roster this offseason in order to take another step forward. In order to do that there is a certain caliber of player that needs to be added to their roster.

Cleveland has four of their five starters written in stone for next season in Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. There is a notable gap in their starting lineup that the Cavs have simply not been able to fill in an adequate manner. The Cavs have had their attempts at filling that starting spot with none of them quite working out. This could be a way to get an established player to add to a roster that is ready to make that leap next season.

Likely or unlikely? Bet on the latter and not the former

Making things work from a financial angle would be a bit tough for the Cavs. Cleveland is not super flexible in that department and that could be an issue. But that is where a sign and trade could come into play. Maybe the Cavs are looking to move Allen’s contract and slide Mobley into his position. Perhaps there is some collection of players and picks that Washington could show interest in. Allowing Washington to get something in return rather than nothing. Playing up that angle could be to the Cavs benefit, but do not expect them to be along in that thought process.

Even though it is fun to think about Kyle Kuzma in a Cavs uniform, it is still pretty unlikely to happen. Kuzma is going to have his choice of where he wants to go in free agency. It is best to expect the usual suspects to be the leading candidates to land his services, with a few wildcards looking to overpay also in the mix. The Cavs do not fit into either category which will more than likely leave them as spectators in any sort of bidding war.

With all of that being said, it does not mean the Cavs should not try to acquire Kuzma. Stranger things have happened…

Browns: No reason to rush a Donovan Peoples-Jones extension

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Donovan Peoples-Jones is entering the final year of his rookie deal and exactly how the Browns handle is future is not yet known. There is a case to be made for Cleveland to work out an extension before this season starts, but waiting may be their best path forward.

When it comes to Donovan Peoples-Jones, he is a fine receiver occasionally drifting into good, but never great. That is where the concerns begin about any preliminary extension talks about the 24-year old former sixth-round pick. More often than not these type of players hit a production ceiling early in their career and are unable to surpass it no matter what they do. With Peoples-Jones finishing 2022 with 61 receptions for 839 yards and three touchdowns, that may very well be the ceiling of his production output.

Teams should be wary about a player with certain knocks against their skill set suddenly doubling their career production in receptions and yards. This applies to Donovan Peoples-Jones. Prior to last year, DPJ had just 48 receptions and 901 yards to his name. Removing a lackluster former first overall quarterback selection from the mix and inserting journeyman Jacoby Brissett as their starter for most of the season helped his numbers jump. But these numbers did not increase due to Peoples-Jones being a number one receiver. That role belonged to Amari Cooper who was able to draw his fair share of attention away from Peoples-Jones. This is where things tend to get tricky.

Cleveland has made roster moves that are not a coincidence

The Browns have drafted wide receivers in the middle rounds in back-to-back years in David Bell and Cedric Tillman. Cleveland also went out and acquired Elijah Moore from the Jets to add someone with a decent amount of NFL experience to their wide receiver group. While some have attributed these decisions as acquisitions for the post-Cooper era, they may have been missing the even bigger picture.

That picture? A post-Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones era.

Here is the reality. When it comes to what Donovan Peoples-Jones is as a receiver, no one can say with 100% certainty that he is anything more than a complimentary option in the passing game. Cooper is the clearcut number one receiver for the Browns. Moore was brought in to work in the slot. Marquise Goodwin was acquired for his speed. These are three areas that Peoples-Jones does not necessarily excel in on a regular basis, if at all. And all of this is before even mentioning David Njoku, who still has to legitimately prove himself as anything more than a very athletic average tight end.

There is a possibility that a full year with Deshaun Watson at quarterback helps Donovan Peoples-Jones take that next step and prove he is more than a secondary/tertiary option in the passing game. But until that happens there is no reason to rush into an extension at this point in time. There are just too many unknowns with Peoples-Jones (and others) that making another substantial financial commitment is unwise at this time. If the current regime is still here when the season is over, they can evaluate their “clever financial maneuvers” up to this point to see if a contract extension is something they can work into their long term plans. That is Peoples-Jones plays at a level that is extension worthy, which is far from a guarantee.

Can the Browns go into this season with Jerome Ford as their second running back?

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The Cleveland Browns backfield is one of a few areas that have seen some minor changes this offseason. Nick Chubb is still the starting running back, but it is the depth behind him that has changed. Kareem Hunt is no longer in the picture and appears to be moving on to other opportunities. That puts Jerome Ford in the driver’s seat to be Cleveland’s secondary back behind Chubb, but is that really the best path forward?

Ford is going into his second NFL season and is very inexperienced when it comes to playing the running back position at this level. With only eight carries for 12 yards to his name, Ford does not possess the lengthy resume of Hunt or any current free agent option. Some level of experience would be preferred in Chubb’s primary backup due to how much the offense counts on his contributions. If Chubb were to go down the Browns would find themselves in big trouble offensively. As Chubb’s carries add up and he approaches the age of 30, the potential for him to miss significant time increases.

That appears to be a risk that the Browns are willing to take on full force, but should they?

No one knows exactly what Jerome Ford will be at this exact moment, but placing such a high level of trust in a player with limited experience seems foolish currently. Losing Chubb for any amount of time this year will have a negative impact on this season. However, there is a way to mitigate that risk by having an experienced backup ready to go if needed. Ford may be able to play this role in the future, but expecting him to take on an additional workload in the potential absence of Chubb without adequate experience is a big ask.

If Chubb goes down for any amount of time they could still find themselves losing a ton of games no matter who the backup is. There is just something about having an experienced backup ready to go if needed that provides a bit more comfort. Who knows, maybe Ford steps in and is able to handle a bigger role in the Browns offense, taking on Hunt’s responsibilities and then some. Considering the data heavy background of those in charge, it seems like a uncharacteristic gamble they are taking in a season where they must win or they will be looking for jobs elsewhere at season’s end.

Should the Cavs trade for Kristaps Porzingis?

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Does a trade for Kristaps Porzingis make sense for the Cleveland Cavaliers?

One thing is for sure, the Cleveland Cavaliers must make some roster changes before next season. A potential roster change making the rounds on the internet is a hypothetical trade for Washington’s Kristaps Porzingis. While a player like Porzingis is intriguing, does it actually make sense for the Cavs?

Obviously the Cavs would have to move a player of substance and that player would most likely be Jarrett Allen. Allen is a good, but not great player entering year three of a five-year $100 million deal. The Cavaliers center is only 25-years old and can improve a bit, but the lack diversity offensively limits how good he can become and ultimately long term starting viability. Which is why a potential trade for Kristaps Porzingis is so appealing.

The Cavs need to find a way to create space offensively and Porzingis is more than capable of that. The issue currently is that with Allen’s’ limited offensive abilities, it clogs up the lane for anyone attempting to make their way to the basket. By swapping Allen for Porzingis, it would allow more freedom for Evan Mobley to operate down low while creating much needed driving and cutting lanes.

Not all is well when it comes to Kristaps Porzingis

The issue with Kristaps Porzingis has never been about talent, it is about health. Porzingis has an incredibly lengthy injury history which does not bode well for the 27-year old Latvian. Porzingis’ body is only going to continue to wear down over time, ultimately leading to more games being missed.

Should Cleveland end up landing Porzingis and the injury bug pops up again, everything would not be lost from a multi-year perspective. Porzingis’ contract only runs through the end of 2023-24, becoming an unrestricted free agent afterward. Should things not work out, they can move on after this season and look in a different direction.

So what should the Cavs do?

Even with the concerns with the health of Kristaps Porzingis, acquiring his services is something the Cavs should consider. As things stand currently, the Cavs are sort of limited in what they can do roster construction wise. Being able to shuffle the roster a bit and create future flexibility is something that should seriously be taken into consideration. This is the year that the Cavaliers must take a big step forward contention-wise and running it back with mostly the same group will make it difficult to accomplish that.

It’s simple. If they believe that change to be acquiring Porzingis, great. If they determine that another avenue is worth taking that is fine too. The reality is that this team needs to make some sort of roster change between now and opening night. But not a change just to make a change. A change with purpose and intent. Roster alterations that take the Cavs closer to rather than further from their ultimate goals.

Suns are “all-in” with latest move

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The Phoenix Suns are going all-in with their recent trade and no excuses will be accepted if they do not win a championship.

It may be the beginning of the offseason, but the Phoenix Suns are out here making moves. After they were rumored to be in on Washington’s Bradey Beal, a deal was agreed to resulting in the Suns landing the former Wizard. Going Washington’s way is Landry Shame and Chris Paul in addition to some second round picks and pick swaps.

Paul is not expected to remain in Washington long as a third team is being sought out as a potential trading partner and landing spot for a player previously set to be waived by Phoenix.

With Beal now in the mix with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, this gives the Suns their best shot at winning a title. Sure, there are concerns about Beal and what he is at this point in his career, but those need to be jotted down as something to monitor and not a reason to sound the alarm just yet.

There is also some speculation that Deandre Ayton may not be long for Phoenix. Perhaps another move is in the works to round out the roster and make it a little less top heavy. However finding a way to keep Ayton and exploring other avenues to improve their depth would be much more ideal. It may be impossible, but it is more ideal for what that is worth.

With how things are being constructed in Phoenix and the top end talent on their roster, there are no more excuses for the Suns to not win a title in 2023-24. This is the Suns year and the expectation is that they come out of the Western Conference to finally make Phoenix the home of the NBA Champions. They have been close before, but this could very well be their best chance to actually accomplish the ultimate team goal in the NBA.

Jedrick Wills must be better in 2023

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The 2022 NFL season was not one to remember for the Cleveland Browns left tackle.

If the Cleveland Browns offense is going to take a step forward this season they are going to need a better performance from left tackle Jedrick Wills. Wills was not at his best in 2022 and that is simply not acceptable. There are certain expectations placed upon a left tackle drafted in the Top-10 and last year Wills was not meeting them.

Last season saw Jedrick Wills commit 10 penalties, tied for the 15th-most in the NFL. Of those 10, eight were accepted (tied for 14th-most) as one was declined and the other offsetting. Wills was called for holding seven times, had two false starts, and one unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. As expected, the top end of this list if full of offensive linemen, but that does not excuse Wills’ penalty frequency. This is in addition to Wills’ tendency to give up on plays last season. An often occurrence that was incredibly frustrating to watch.

Jedrick Wills was one of two Browns offensive linemen to commit 10 penalties, the other being Jack Conklin who only saw six accepted. Neither is acceptable by any means, but Wills being Cleveland’s left tackle and proverbial “blindside blocker“, makes it a bit more frustrating. Left tackle is one of the most important positions on a team and if he commits frequent penalties it makes it incredibly hard to trust his ability to protect the quarterback adequately.

Pro Football Focus graded Wills’ 2022 at 62.9, which falls into average by their scale. The players who end up in this range are usually the recipient of one of the more accurate grades from PFF as there tends to be issues on the extreme ends of their grading system. Equally as insightful as PFF’s grade of Wills is his Madden rating of 79. Again, this is incredibly average and nothing special, which seems to be what Jedrick Wills is as a NFL left tackle.

There is nothing wrong with being an average offensive linemen. However, it is important to contextualize where he falls among his peers at the position and the hierarchy of players that the Browns may want to extend at some point. Currently, Wills is unextendable. There is simply not a long enough track record of being consistently good to warrant an extension at the moment. Perhaps a better year in 2023 changes that and he stays beyond his fifth-year option in 2024. But right now, Cleveland’s front office better be putting together a succession plan for Wills in the case he does not improve and continues to be an incosnittent presence on their offensive line.