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Do you think LeBron James is finally happy with the Cavs’ roster? And who, if anyone, will see a lesser role on this team?
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Steve Aschburner: LeBron ought to be happy with the job he allegedly prodded GM David Griffin into doing (though Griffin likely would have made the moves on his own, if only his superstar had patiently let him do his job). Deron Williams and Andrew Bogut used surgically should be just what the Cavaliers needed. As for minutes (assuming Kevin Love and J.R. Smith return as scheduled), Richard Jefferson probably would welcome a few less at his age, Iman Shumpert might sit more depending on matchups and Bogut himself could settle into a specialist role, given Tyronn Lue’s preferred lineups.
Fran Blinebury: To paraphrase a tough little Hall of Famer: Happy? Happy? We’re talkin’ ‘about happy? Who cares if LeBron is happy today? Because he’ll only conjure up another slight tomorrow. Frankly, I think he’s only happy when he’s unhappy. Which should make him happy all the time.
Scott Howard-Cooper: I’m not sure if he is happy, but he should be. Maybe he was holding out unrealistic hope for Carmelo Anthony. This was a good “trade deadline” for the Cavs, though. Deron Williams and Andrew Bogut are good adds for the bench. Cleveland does not need either to be great. If they can have a few solid games in the playoffs, the signings will pay off.
Shaun Powell: Can’t see any reason why he’d be unhappy. You could argue the Cavs helped themselves at the deadline without making a trade. Adding Deron Williams and Andrew Bogut without surrendering anything (and don’t forget the Kyle Korver addition a month earlier) makes Cleveland a better team on paper than last year when they won a title. This is why David Griffin has done a better job the last three years than any GM in basketball.
John Schuhmann: I’m not LeBron James, so I have no idea if he’s happy with the roster. It will be interesting to see Deron Williams outside the slow and deliberate Mavs offense, and he should take some of the playmaking load off the shoulders of James and Kyrie Irving. I’m not sure how much of a role Andrew Bogut will have if the rest of the frontline is healthy. He’ll obviously play behind Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson, and some of the Cavs’ best minutes in last year’s playoffs were second-unit minutes with James and Channing Frye at the four and five. Bogut could be a defensive specialist at times, but isn’t a great fit for how the Cavs play offensively.
Sekou Smith: Happy is an interesting word where LeBron is concerned. I don’t think it’s an appropriate term for how he ever feels about the roster. He seems to always be in the market for pushing for better. Satisfied might be a more appropriate term, and no, I do not think he’s ever satisfied. Even after a championship season he’s pushing ownership and the front office for more. The addition of Deron Williams gives the Cavaliers the added playmaker they were searching for, which means DeAndre Liggins is the player who will most likely see his opportunities vanish once the entire roster is healthy and ready to go.
Ian Thomsen: Deron Williams is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, and Andrew Bogut was a No. 1 pick and starting center of the 2014-15 champion Golden State Warriors. Williams is a clutch shooter, Bogut has been an All-NBA defender, and both are exceptional passers who can contribute off the bench in the biggest postseason moments. James will be able to play fewer regular-season minutes to give Williams the time he needs to work himself into the offense, and Tristan Thompson will share time up front with Bogut – which means everyone ought to be rested entering the playoffs.
Lang Whitaker: I can’t speak to LeBron’s happiness, but when healthy, this Cavs roster is the best top-to-bottom team he’s played with since returning to Cleveland. But I do think he should also NOT be happy — LeBron and the Cavs should plan on continuing to try and improve. After all, the Warriors were pretty good last year and managed to add Kevin Durant. There might not be enough minutes for guys like Deron Williams to play what they’re accustomed to playing, but fewer minutes all around is probably a good thing.
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