Goikiri with...Rizzo

[goikiri]

Hi Rizzo, I have played a lot of seasons with you, but you are always rebuilding the teams. When a step up?

I think the biggest reason for this is I've always been a fan of rebuilding teams in real life. I'm a draftnik too so I fall in love with prospects and rookies to the point where I overvalue them.

My first full season here I tried to change that mold by going all-in, involving a sign-and-trade with Tristan Thompson and a couple first round picks to bring in Marcin Gortat, Zach Randolph and Luol Deng to play with Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters. It was an utter and complete failure and fell flat, leading me to deal Dion Waiters away to just get my 1st round pick back. That pick became George DePaula so I saved a little face with that move.

At this point we have a young core and are going to allow this team to grow and hopefully add pieces through free agency.

You have similar players (Staten, Irving, De Paula) (Qi, Mahinmi) IMO. Do you think the same?

While Staten, Irving and DePaula all play point guard, I don't think any of them are alike. DePaula is a true point guard and should be one of the best the league has to offer in a couple years. His size is also a huge luxury at the position. Juwan Staten I view as a Nate Robinson clone, a spark plug off the bench for scoring purposes. Kyrie Irving is an elite talent across the league and can do it all from either guard position.

Qi and Mahinmi do share plenty of similarities, which is fine. Both won't be expected to play more than 24 minutes each, so they should collectively hold down the center position for an entire game. Neither look to score which allows our athletes to get more shot attempts. They are both very good post defenders and shot blockers so they do serve a purpose. Unfortunately, they are both average at best at rebounding. Still, they fill the role of small ball centers to allow us to play four perimeter players around them.

Zhou Qi was a great pick but... do you think all "new centers" have the equal ratings than Qi in the last two drafts?

I haven't done much of a comparison between Zhou Qi and the rest of the centers drafted over the past couple seasons but I would have to believe that he's going to be by far the best defensive center of the bench with Willie Cauley-Stein. Neither will be able to score much at all but they will be elite defenders at the center position. We truly could have used a transcendent talent at center, one that can score, rebound and defend, but those don't come around very often so Qi will be just fine for us.

[WillyJakkz]

Cleveland is in the same position as the LA Lakers except they've had Kyrie for a while (since the League started) and really need to make some moves to get going as they've been stagnant the past couple of seasons looking to develop young talent and gaining assets.

Time to get those assets into deals whether it means trading Kyrie or trading for talent around him.

I think drafting Zucchini over Myles Turner may be a mistake but I do not have the reports on either but getting what looks like another project in the draft along with DePaula last season takes time and not sure how patient one can be rebuilding.

[bt]

If this was the NBA, Kyrie probably would have requested a trade by now.

Cavs need to get cracking on surrounding him with some winning talent.

[StOfTheStep]

Being that I am more of a patient GM, I don't mind his methodology. If he can hit on a draft and establish a base, the sky is the limit from there. But the concern is how to handle Kyrie. Is there still time to build around him or should he start looking for a kings ransom to find a younger superstar?

[Rizzo]

We haven't done a good job surrounding Kyrie with talent and it could be time to give another GM the opportunity to do that...

[blackice]

A lot is riding on Qi, if he can be a decent rebounder and a defensive presence...we'll see. I love the guard rotation and most of your guys should take a leap.

[Rizzo]

A lot is riding on Qi, if he can be a decent rebounder and a defensive presence...we'll see. I love the guard rotation and most of your guys should take a leap.

If they don't take a leap I'll be coming to you for a trade.

[Dennis]

Rizzo still hoping for Marcus "MJ" Smart 2.0.

[Rizzo]

Rizzo still hoping for Marcus "MJ" Smart 2.0.

Smart-Waiters-Dunleavy-Davis-Jordan

#GameOver