BY JOSH HAGANS
The Cleveland Cavaliers had a rough month. With only one set of consecutive wins since December, a shakeup was needed. The front office did exactly that.
On Thursday, February 8, only hours before the trade deadline, the Cavs pulled off a series of blockbuster trades that resulted in the departure of six Cavalier players. The Cavs first traded away Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye, and the Cavs 2018 first round draft pick. Then not an hour later, the Cavs engaged in a three team trade which sent Iman Shumpert to the Sacramento Kings and Jae Crowder and Derrick Rose to the Utah Jazz. They also acted classically and reunited Dwayne Wade with the Miami Heat for the low cost of a second-round pick.
“We got rid of all the old, problematic players on our team and got much more athletic players,” Joey Fernholz,12.
In return, the Cavs get lots of youth to build around Lebron James. Coming to Cleveland includes two Los Angeles Lakers: Jordan Clarkson and Cleveland local Larry Nance Jr., one from the Utah Jazz: Rodney Hood, and one from the Sacramento Kings: George Hill.
Former Revere Minutemen, Nance Jr., has done nothing but live on the highlight reel with his monster dunks and is an NBA Slam Dunk contestant this season. He is averaging 8.6 points per game with 6.8 rebounds and is expected to provide lively, switchable defense for the Cavaliers. Jordan Clarkson, the 6-5 point guard and shooting guard is averaging 14.5 points per game this season and is shooting 44.8 percent from the field. The Cavs should be looking to use Jordan Clarkson as a quick hitter off the bench that will only bolster our league leading bench in points per game.
George Hill, PG, is averaging 10.3 points per game this year while shooting 47 percent from the field and 45 percent from the three point range. Hill is the oldest of the new additions at 31 years old, but should be a great addition as he is known for feisty defense and currently leads the league in 3 PT shooting. The lefty, Rodney Hood is a 6-8 shooting guard, that is having the best year of his career. Hood is averaging 16.8 points per game, 43 percent from the field, and is shooting 87.6 percent from the free throw line. He is expected to thrive as a running mate to Lebron James and has shown himself capable of carrying a team as the Utah Jazz let go of Gordon Hayward, an All-Star, to allow him to flourish.
With the new additions, the Cavs hope to add spice and flavor to what had become a dull team. The new youth should add excitement that has been missing since the legendary 3-1 team.
“There are few other ways we could have gotten better. I love it and so should Northeast Ohio,” Conner Mendel,12.
