Trade Brings Mo Williams to Cavs
Point Guard Could Solve Cleveland's Backcourt Issues, Relieve LeBron
Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry was clearly mindful of LeBron James' improvement demands in May after Cleveland's deflating loss to Boston in game seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Since James can opt out of his Cavs contract after the 2009-2010 campaign, Ferry's only logical option was to heed such decrees.
"We know we need to get better," James told reporters when asked about the state of his team.
James scored 45 points in that game, while only one other teammate reached double figures. With that outing surely in mind, Ferry acquired Williams for very little.
Forward Joe Smith was shipped to Oklahoma City, while Damon Jones went to Milwaukee in a three-way trade. Those two players combined to average fewer points per game than Williams last year, and they definitely lack his ability to run an NBA offense. That alone makes the move a win for Ferry and the Cavaliers.
Mo Williams' Game
At 6-1, 185 lbs., Williams probably doesn't have quite the size Cavs coach Mike Brown likes to enforce his defensive fundamentals. However, Mo figures to more than make up for that with his quickness and lightning-fast drives to the hoop on the other end.
He has a reliable jumper, and shot 48 percent from the field last season. In a conference call after the trade, Williams indicated that his 17-point, 6-assist averages were exemplary of his willingness to both run the Cavs offense and play off the ball when asked.
"Watching from afar with LeBron, he handles the ball a lot," Williams said. "I think that I can take a load off of him handling the ball at times. He's a guy that kind of sets his teammates up a lot. I think I can relieve him from that. That will help him as far as being a little fresher at the end of the season."
The fact that Williams already understands and accepts James' ball-dominance bodes well for all parties. Now, the question is if James will relinquish bringing the ball up now that he has a proven point guard. It's been long hypothesized that James does this because he did not trust his teammates.
Brown knows he would be wise not to attempt to completely restrict James' game by suggesting he not play point-forward. Instead, the coach must get him to buy into posting up more often. Entering his sixth season, James must show more comfort on the block, given his 6-8, 250-plus frame. The sooner Brown accomplishes this, more options will become available to the offense.
By adding Williams, the Cavs could effectively play "small ball." It should be no problem, as James has seemingly enjoyed post play in Bejing this summer. A situational lineup of Williams, Daniel Gibson, Sasha Pavlovic, James and Ben Wallace or Anderson Varejao should encourage the up-tempo type of game Cleveland could use to maximize its roster talent and buoy itself out of occasional offensive lulls.
Cavs Salaries
Williams is only 25 years old and entering his prime, so fans should not worry much about taking on his five-year, $43 million salary. Giving up only Smith and Jones for him ensures that Cleveland will still have the hefty contracts of Wally Szczerbiak and Eric Snow to play with at February's trading deadline.
$20.3 million in expiring contracts should definitely garner an all-star caliber player. It's obvious Ferry had this in mind when striking the Williams deal.
Making for a better on-court product right away while preserving contracts for future acquisitions, the Williams trade is a victory on several levels for the Cavs.
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