The Cleveland Cavaliers are coming off a 19-63 season which was no surprise as they were picked to be among the worst teams by those who know that NBA betting is the place to look for lines after the loss of LeBron James to the Miami Heat.
The process of rebuilding the franchise may be shorter than originally expected however as the Cavaliers will have a shot to compete in the newly formed NBA that has just completed a labor deal that is hoped to give franchises such as Cleveland the ability to compete with teams like the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers.
The face of the franchise for the immediate appears to be point guard Baron Davis, who was rumored for “amnesty†status but appears to be set to stay with the Cavaliers. Davis adds a much needed “big name†presence as well as the ability to dish the ball around. Last year Davis split time between the LA Clippers and Cavaliers. He averaged 14 points per game for the Cavaliers along with 6.1 assists per outing.
Head coach Byron Scott will have plenty of work ahead of him as he begins to assess one of the youngest rosters in pro basketball as the Cavaliers have done a complete makeover of their roster since the departure of King James. Cleveland does not appear to be a team interested in quick fixes through free agency and instead will look to build a new foundation through the draft in the years ahead.
Cleveland General Manager Chris Grant acknowledges that there are more questions than answers as training camps in the NBA open. The Cavaliers drafted Duke point guard Kyrie Irving and Texas power forward Tristan Thompson last summer and both are expected to get extended looks and opportunities for playing time. Omri Casspi was acquired from Sacramento to add strength to the front court.
It took the Cavs most of last season to catch on to Scott’s offense as they ranked 29th in the NBA, which is not encouraging but with the new blood on the roster and being a year removed from “The Decision,†Cleveland has a new chance to remake itself and rebuild credibility with their fans and the league. While there are plenty of questions and much to learn about the Cavs, most people who know that NBA betting is the place to look for lines do agree the worst is behind this franchise.