Getting Better

I woke up this morning and the first thing I thought about was the Cavs (normal). And you know what? I felt good. Now all I have to do is figure out why.

I read this Windhorst article about the Cavs' "needs" and "assets." It got me thinking about where this team is and not only is it not in a bad position, it's arguably in the best position of any team in all of sports. It's essentially set up to be a dynasty. I know that might seem like wishful thinking but think about this:

Why was this year a special year for us? Why was this the year that we were going to win the title? While you're sitting there thinking about Mo Williams, think about how many other teams in league history would be thinking, "We got Mo Williams!! There's no stopping us now!!!" Never ever would that happen. That was a fabulous trade because of what we gave up (literally nothing) and what we got (our second best player). Is Mo or was Mo ever the missing piece to a Championship team? No rationally thinking person could believe that (and I'm not putting myself in that group). This is not supposed to be a negative or a knock on Mo Williams. Even after his somewhat disappointing performance in the playoffs, I still love him. This is just what he is. He's an emotional player who was running on full emotion blast in his first playoff appearance, an appearance in which he was supposed to be the missing piece to a Championship team for a Championship starved city with a larger-than-life player on it who he clearly admires and adores. Is that a enough pressure for you? He has worked hard in his career to become a very VERY good shooter and a skilled player but he isn't THAT good. He's still a great person for this team.

Let's take a look at some of the other roster spots on this team.

Wally Szczerbiak being paid almost $14 million and contributing very little (it's truly miraculous that he contributed anything at all. Another feather in LeBron's cap that he made Wally useful). Ben Wallace getting paid the most on the team, $14.5 million. When making their plans to build a title contender, do you think Danny Ferry and Co. thought that those two would be integral parts on team? Not in a million years. And, of course, they really weren't that important to this team, but they were in positions where they really should have been. These two people were acquired to: a. balance out the fact that we were dumping a few shit contracts and shit personalities onto teams and b. to leave, or be traded to other teams for talent. These players are not players, they are contracts. Yet, on this team, they were asked to be players. Yes, this 66-win team.

So far I have written about Mo Williams, Wally Szczerbiak and Ben Wallace as big parts to this team, some of them starters (at times). If you lived under a rock this whole season, would you think I am talking about a 66-win Championship contending team? Do I even have to answer that?

Point being, it was a miracle...let me reiterate...AN ABSOLUTE MIRACLE that this team won 66 games. And it's not that this team is bad or this organization is bad. It's really not that this team was the best team in the NBA and choked in the playoffs. This, if anything, is a group of great OVER achievers. What's happening is that we are at the beginning of a decade long plan to win multiple titles and we are heartbroken that we didn't win it on year one and a half of the plan.

Say you are an entrepreneur and you set out a 15-year plan and, if all goes well, you'll all be millionaires by the time you're 40. Then, you turn 28 and you realize you've made half a million dollars. Are you depressed about this? Are you asking your girlfriend, "Honey, am I cursed? What did I do wrong??" No. You're saying, "Hey honey, check this out. I might make $8 million bt the time I'm 40!"

All I'm trying to say is that we're on the right track. Sure it will be painful to watch the Magic play the Lakers in the Finals (very painful), but where are we right now? We have a 66-win team on our hands who have at least one useless player coming off the cap (Wally), one very trade able piece in Sasha Pavlovic, a guy with a huge contract who could either retire and give us a free $14.5 million or he could let us trade him for god knows what in this economy. We have an owner willing to spend money and yet we very well could be under the cap this summer. Do you know how many teams were under the cap during this season? That's right, one. One team. We have a coach and a GM who I think we can all agree that we trust, no? And, of course, we have the best player, teammate, person...everything in the league. A player who great players, great winners, want to play with, young and old.

If anything, winning it all this season would have proven that winning it all is easy. Our roster is in transition and we have one great player who is still growing. If a team comprised of LeBron at 75% of his eventual powers and an incomplete roster could win the title, it would honestly be a slap in the face to the competition the NBA provides. When we win it all (and then win it all again, and again, and again...), I want to feel like we've accomplished something. Like I've witnessed a team that has worked its way up, paid its dues, and is finally being rewarded. If winning it all was easy, wouldn't we be embarrassed as Cleveland fans that we haven't done it in so long?

When we finally do it, there will be tears. Tears from LeBron, tears from Delonte, from Mo, from Z...tears from fans. Heck, even Buddies might shed a few.

Just keep your heads up, guys, we'll get there.