The List: The Cavs need to fix themselves

The Cleveland Cavaliers gave up 148 points on Saturday in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. You know how hard you have to work (or not work) to give up 148 points in regulation? The Cavs didn’t defend the 3-point line, they got embarrassed on the boards, and they somehow managed to let Steven Adams score 25 points on just 13 shots.

That this happened on national television means there is no place for them to hide. That blowouts of this magnitude have become commonplace this month means that the frustrations are starting to build. Yes, it’s once again time to panic about the Cavs.

This is a familiar story. Every year the Cavs hit rock bottom and every year they wind up back in the NBA Finals because no one in the East can handle LeBron James in the playoffs. Still, the Cavs need a fresh approach. Here are some ways they can right the sinking ship before it’s too late.

Change the coach: This would be an overreaction. Ty Lue guided the Cavs to a title in just half a season at the helm and it’s worth noting that he took over during less than ideal circumstances after David Blatt was fired at midseason.

Lue’s regular-season work wasn’t all that distinguished that season, but he pushed all the right buttons during the postseason and stuck to his winning game plan in that year’s Finals despite widespread criticism. After another tumultuous regular season, Lue once again had the Cavs ready to play during the postseason. He’s earned the right to see this through.

Short of hearing a new voice in the huddle, is there anyone out there who would move the coaching needle that dramatically? (Hint: No, there is not.)

A little flexibility wouldn’t hurt: That said, Lue is stubbornly sticking to a rotation that isn’t working right now. Some of that is not really his fault. Injuries have muddied the waters from the beginning of the season and he now has a dozen players needing minutes, shots, and opportunity.

Things were simpler back in November when Derrick Rose went down with an injury. The Cavs rallied around a tighter rotation and ripped off wins in 18 of their next 19 games.

Now Lue has Rose and Isaiah Thomas back and neither is playing well. Playing them both isn’t the answer. The adjustment period for IT has been rocky and Rose’s return disrupted what had been strong reserve units led by veterans like Dwyane Wade, Kyle Korver, and Jeff Green. It’s a difficult situation for Lue, but he can’t play everyone and keep them all happy. Tough choices will have to be made.

Look down the bench: It’s not just who is playing that’s been a problem for Cleveland; it’s the players who have been left out of the rotation. Channing Frye’s shooting was an integral part of the bench units success. Cedi Osman gave them young legs and hustle. Jose Calderon won’t move the needle defensively, but he moved the ball and did admirable work when pressed into service.

NBA: Cleveland Cavaliers at Orlando Magic

Lue can’t play everyone, but he needs to play the right people. It can’t get any worse.

Take some accountability: This has been a theme from some of the players. Wade said players needed to stop taking coaching personally. Thomas suggested that the Cavs don’t play as hard as his former Boston teams, which surely endeared him to his new teammates. However they call each other out, this is look in the mirror time.

Here’s a start: Get back on defense. The Cavs are the oldest team in the league and the roster is light on defensive stoppers. Yet, effort is the easiest thing to fix. It may not paper over all their holes, but it’s something.

Here’s a second step: Get all your stuff out in the open and deal with it. Say what you got to say, air your gripes, sing Kumbaya, do whatever you’ve got to do to get past mad.

A trade, we must have a trade: In past years a midseason trade has worked wonders for the Cavs. In 2015, then general manager David Griffin picked up Timofey Mozgov, J.R. Smith, and Iman Shumpert to fortify the defense. In 2016, Frye arrived to bolster the team’s shooting. Last year, it was Kyle Korver.

Despite spinning off numerous first-round picks in those deals, the Cavs still have their own first rounder to play with along with the fabled Brooklyn pick. Trading their own pick would lock them into keeping the Brooklyn pick thanks to the league’s rules prohibiting giving up first rounders in successive seasons. (They owe a 2019 first rounder to Atlanta.)

Trading the Brooklyn pick, while tempting, would be a short-sighted move for numerous reasons. (Tom Ziller presented the case for keeping the pick, and at the very least protecting it.) A better bet would be aiming to fortify the point guard position, especially defensively. Sacramento’s George Hill isn’t the most exciting name on the market but he’d help solve some issues.

Young general manager Koby Altman is on the clock. The status quo seems untenable at this point.

Relax, it’s January: What does seem clear is that this team is in no shape to handle the Warriors if they get that far. They’re light on defensive wings and all the shooting in the world isn’t enough to keep pace with the Dubs. We found that out last season. Good thing, then, that it’s not June.

Giving up on LeBron James’ team would be absurd. The Cavs can’t rely on past history to see them through this mess, but there is still ample time to straighten things out internally, settle on a rotation, and get back to the business of winning games. It’s not like other would-be contenders aren’t having their own issues.

The real question for Cleveland is what happens after this season when LeBron James hits the free-agent market again. Short of an ironclad guarantee of a return from King James himself, the Cavs are in a difficult position.

Mortgaging the future in this environment is a dicey proposition at best. Making small, but necessary adjustments in the short-term is the first step.

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