In the wake of all of the trading deadline’s higher profiles deals, such as Steve Francis to New York, the Cleveland Cavaliers quietly made two moves to fortify their roster as they prepare for a playoff run. By trading Mike Wilks, a second-round pick and cash, they were able to acquire two players that will prove to be important pieces in their run. With Larry Hughes out for what would seem to be an indefinite amount of time, the Cavs are desperately in need of scoring, and athletic wing play. That is exactly what Ronald “Flip” Murray and Lee Nailon bring to the table. By adding these two players to their roster, and giving up little in return, the Cavs have surrounded Lebron James with the necessary complimentary pieces to facilitate a playoff run.
Murray is an interesting commodity. He can score, he can dunk and he can play defense. He’s strong enough to play the two, but is a bit undersized for the position. Although he isn’t really a point guard, a position the Cavs still may need to address, his offensive prowess essentially neutralizes Eric Snow’s offensive shortcomings. If he and Snow can coexist in the backcourt, a feat that should be easily manageable, the Cavs will have a solid enough offense to replace that lost from Hughes’ absence.
Though Murray isn’t without his own shortcomings. He is not a particularly good dribbler, as is evidenced by his career average of 1.52 turnovers-per-game in just 21mgp. This though, should not be as much of an issue playing with James and Snow, since they handle the ball very well and he will be forced to do so less. The Cavs will also shy away from playing him as a point-guard, something the Sonics never did; that led to so many of his turnovers. His shooting percentage as of late should also be a concern for the Cavs. Though history shows that when Murray receives minutes consistently, he is able to shoot fairly well. In 03-04, Murray had a career year shooting 42.5% in 24.6mpg. Although those numbers aren’t great, they are better than how Hughes was shooting this year. If Murray sees the minutes, which he will, he can be a consistent force.
Lee Nailon fills another hole in the Cavs rotation. By missing Larry Hughes, the Cavs are without their best defender. Not
only does he defend well, but also he is able to create steals. Though James may eventually understand defense, he does not yet. Adding Nailon will go a long way to solving some of these defensive woes. He isn’t the ball hawk that Hughes is, but he is a solid defender. At 6’9’’ he is able to guard 2’s, 3’s and 4's. His big body makes him difficult to post up and his long arms give him the ability to contain guys on the perimeter. He’s a well-traveled veteran that will bring leadership to the team. He will also bring a high shooting percentage to the team. His career average of 47% will certainly be welcomed in the Cavaliers rotation. Nailon scores most of his points on the inside, which should make him a good fit on the floor with Donyell Marshall, how can be, in the right situation, deadly from the outside. Though he won’t seem many minutes, Nailon should be a regular part of Cavs rotation. He’s a better player than Ira Newble and should be able to fill in for Newble’s 13mpg.
Although these moves aren’t as earth shattering as the moves in New York, Seattle, Denver or Portland, they may go the longest way to making a difference when it matters: in the playoffs. Equipped with a savvy veteran and a young player looking to prove himself, who now has the chance to play, the Cavaliers should be able to make a serious push for the playoffs. These moves take a lot of the pressure off Lebron James and will allow him to play a smaller role in the offense. Last season the team crumbled because he was unable to carry them the whole season; by adding Murray and Nailon, James won’t have to.
