By Toto Mortillero
The Cleveland Cavaliers is now considered as the oldest team of the National Basketball Association and has a sub-par performance in the premier basketball league in the world. Even though LeBron James performs like a Most Valuable Player, the Cavaliers have lost ten contests in fourteen games and that is very alarming. Basing on their recent performances it seems like they cannot secure the most prestigious basketball trophy this year, the James Naismith NBA Championship trophy.
So what shall the Cavaliers do to save their basketball team? It is my humble opinion that the Cavs must forget their championship contention for this year and prepare for its future. I believe it is now the most opportune time for them to rebuild the team by trading their old but naturally talented players to the young and fresh ballers and to protect their future draft rights.
Of course the heart and soul of the team, LeBron James must stay, since he would be needed by the soon to be formed fresh Cavaliers team by next season. Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert who performed well for the past three years but underperforming this season must be traded to a younger and stronger guy like the L.A. Clippers alley-hoop dunker DeAndre Jordan. The threesome off Smith, Shumpert, and Thompson would be better for the Clippers in rebuilding its team too, thus the trade between these four players involving the Cavaliers and the Clippers would be a win-win solution for the rebuilding of the two teams.
Jose Calderon, an old but good point guard together with the former NBA Most Valuable Player Awardee but injury prone point guard Derek Rose and Kyle Korver may be a good offer for the Atlanta Hawks' Kent Bazemore for the Cavaliers to have a sharpshooter from the three-point range. Rose and Calderon are no longer indispensable for the Cavaliers since the same has already enough of Lebron James and Isaiah Thomas to run the point guard position.
As far as I see it, the Cavaliers are performing good in the offense department but lack the strong defense that it needs to stifle the offense of the opponent, this fact can be gleaned in its home lost the game to the Oklahoma City Thunders whom the Cavaliers permitted to score 148 points. Defense is the best offense as they say it, hence the problem of the Cavaliers with regard to defense must be solved and their aging roster should be refreshed for them to go back to a title contention by next year.
The Cleveland Cavaliers may not land in the finals this season, but the Cavaliers front desk can remedy their losing skid by focusing on rebuilding their team for them to amass championships in the near future. The Cavaliers must bear in mind that youth and defense are two of the essentials for a team to be of a championship caliber.
