J.R. Smith is the key to a Cavs win.

JR Smith

NOTE: Friday on NNR Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports and I discussed Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

On Friday I suggested that J.R. Smith couldn’t hit pavement if he fell off a building. That is true. However, if the Cavs are going to win game 5, Smith has to find his range. He has playoff experience and averaged 12.7 points and 42.5 shot percentage in the regular season.

Head coach David Blatt has to give the Cavs starters some rest. However, he has to have better timing. His decision to take LeBron James out at the start of the 4th quarter was a huge mistake. The Cavs had just taken back the momentum and had closed the score from more than a dozen to 3 points. Without LeBron in the lineup, the Warriors quickly rebuilt the lead to 12 before LeBron was back in the game.

Blatt also needs to try James Jones and Shawn Marion. Jones can score and Marion plays pretty good defense. They need to contribute if the Cavs expect to have enough energy to win games 5 and 6.

The series is tied 2-2 but the Cavs loss in Game 4 is a huge … Read more at FryingPanSports

The trade for Love is a test for GM Griffin.

LeBron

Browns Season Simulation Monday on NNR. Please join us at 6 PM EDT on or https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/.

Make no mistake about it. LeBron James is testing his new GM David Griffin to get Kevin Love. If Griffin fails the test LeBron “could” consider opting out after his first or second year. That does not mean he will leave Cleveland, but it does mean that this test will determine if Griffin is still the GM in 2015-16 season.

There is no question that LeBron coming back to the Cavs is the best news Cleveland sports fans have had since the Browns drafted Jim Brown. In my opinion Love will not sign a long term deal with any team except the Cavs. Like Cavs fans, Love is sick to death of losing and wants to win. The best chance to do that is in Cleveland with LeBron and Kyrie Irving.

If teams see Love as a rental, his trade value will decrease significantly. For example Golden State is not likely to give up SG Klay Thompson to get Love for a year. But the question is will the Cavs be willing to wait to make a deal for Love?

I believe that … Read more at FryingPanSports

Can the Cavs get LeBron James to come home?

LeBron

There are a number of questions that have to be answered before I can address the one everyone in Cleveland wants to know.

Where do the Cavs stand after the 2014 draft?

As I mentioned on Friday (The Cleveland Cavaliers have issues.), new head coach David Blatt problems that he must overcome before the Cavs can even think about trying to lure LeBron James back to Cleveland. There is no

way that UFA SF Luol Deng resigns. That leaves a hole the size of the Grand Canyon in the starting lineup. C Anderson Varejao can’t stay healthy and back up C Spencer Hawes is a UFA and likely to leave if he gets a decent offer.

If Blatt can solve the issues, the first overall pick Andrew Wiggins will help make the team a playoff contender. However, even in the weak Eastern conference the Cavs are a 5th or 6th seed. There is no way they can win a playoff series against the top teams.

Where might LeBron be interested in going?

In my opinion LeBron will not go anywhere except back to Miami or to Cleveland. Most of the teams that have 2 … Read more at FryingPanSports