| Making Moves Authored by Keith Berzanske - July 20, 2005 - 12:38 am
| Current Featured Columns | | Merry Christmas, Raptors Fans The Raptors might not be playing good basketball right now, but there are plenty of things for Toronto fans to be thankful for this holiday season.
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We all saw how that worked out...
But now, things are different. These things happen when you have the player who is the face of the league on your team. LeBron James has brought a lot of attention to the Cavaliers. Now, after two seasons, he is attracting something more important - talented teammates. And while Danny Ferry has proven to be an adept GM in his short tenure, you can bet that he's have a much more difficult time securing the service of the likes of Larry Hughes and Donyell Marshall if not for the presence of LeBron.
The signing of Marshall, while fulfilling a need, came as a bit of a surprise. After signing Hughes and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, the Cavaliers had just over $7 million left and it was thought they would use that money to go after a point guard. But with Eric Snow on board, and Hughes and James both able to handle the ball, Danny Ferry apparently decided that the lack of outside shooting was a more important need to address.
Marshall never lived up to his status as the #4 pick overall in the 1994 draft, but once acceptd as he is, a role player, he becomes a lot more attractive. He's 6'9" tall and can shoot the long ball, but doesn't forget about crashing the boards in the process. Marshall was not meant to be a go to guy, but few other teams have a better fourth option. He makes an improved bench that much stronger, and also seems to flourish coming off the bench, something that is often hard for a former full time starter. The Cavaliers now have a bench unit with some energy and punch, notably Marshall, Anderson Varejao, Luke Jackson, and Sasha Pavlovic. The point guard position is currently a bit thin, but the Cavaliers may be able to sign a backup like Steve Blake. Blake would be an outside shooting threat who could run the offense in a pinch. He's a pass-first type who would fit in well. I still also think that Dan Dickau would be a great fit, but I'm not sure that enough money remains for a player of his caliber.
Again, like Larry Hughes, there are no guarantees that Marshall wil be a great fit. But he's a step in the right direction, and he has talent. The Cavaliers now have some pieces they can move in trade, if need be. But the best case scenario, of course, is that all these new pieces gel, and that LeBron James's ability to make his teammates better will allow each player to bring out the best in his talent. And if that happens - look out! The Cavaliers are a serious contender in the East. |
