While there is a growing number of sports figures issuing apologies for public missteps with good reason these days, count Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry as one sports figure with nothing to apologize for. As Thursday’s trading deadline came and went, I applaud Ferry for holding serve, and not making a move.
I believe Ferry when he said that a lot of the names (Shaq, Amar’e, Richard Jeffereson, Marcus Camby) people are throwing around “really weren’t available to us.” Of course they weren’t. And by the way, those guys didn’t get traded to anyone either. But besides that, how many GM’s really were looking to actually negotiate with Ferry anyways? Would you want to if you are a GM? The last two trades he made were complete heists. The deadline deal he made last year was a complete roster overhaul, and upgrade, and he did that without ‘re-building’ or mortgaging any financial flexibility in 2010. That move was only bettered by the absolute fleecing of the Bucks for Mo Williams – we’ll take Mo Williams and you can have Damon Jones? Seriously?
In GM circles, I gotta beat, that Danny Ferry has got to be likened to that older cousin who trades baseball cards with you only to rip you off. By the time you are old enough to realize that you’ve traded away your Griffey and Bonds rookie cards for Greg Swindell and Felix Fermin, you just make the decision not trade with that cousin anymore.
But, with all that aside, the general idea that the Cavaliers ‘have’ to add another piece is ridiculous. No, the Clippers need to add another piece. Cleveland, on the other hand, is now 43-11 after beating Milwaukee last night. They’re kinda okay. To say that the Cavaliers have to make a move to win a title means that you are extremely undervaluing chemistry and Delonte West.
The chemistry level on this team is at an all time high during the LBJ era, and with 30 games to go, I am glad that chemistry doesn’t have to be challenged. All season long you have seen the bench on their feet acting like Duke walkons, and on the court everybody is stepping up and contributing. That is worth something. And so is Delonte West. He’ll be coming back from injury within the week, and don’t think that West coming back won’t cure some of what challenges the Cavaliers. Delonte has missed the last 36 games, and before he went down, they were 24-4 with him in the starting line-up. That’s a nice piece to pick up at the deadline – without giving up anything.
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JD Shaver is a featured columnist at Midwest Sports Fans who also runs Shaver Sports, where they discuss everything you ever wanted to know about Cleveland sports.
JD Shaver’s contributions to Midwest Sports Fans are sponsored by BigTimeGameBoards.com, the company that helps you tailgate like a champion with our high quality cornhole boards, sets and accessories. And if you don’t know what cornhole is, you aren’t a Midwesterner.
