By Ryan Wolstat

The Cleveland Cavaliers were once a proud and successful franchise that fielded all-star calibre players like Ron Harper, Brad Daugherty and Mark Price. In the late 1980's and early 1990's, the Cavs were consistent threats to win 50 games and posed more of a challenge to Michael Jordan’s Bulls then most other NBA teams.

Unfortunately for Cavs fans, things have gone straight downhill since then. The “Cadavers” have now entered the rarefied air that was once reserved only for the hapless LA Clippers, and are perhaps the league’s biggest laughingstock. The failure to field a competitive squad for the past several years, coupled with boring offensive systems and players, has led to a high level of fan apathy in Cleveland. The bizarre moves this off-season by Cavs general manager Jim Paxson have done little to change this opinion. Trading league assists leader Andre Miller for the unproven Darius Miles was a move met with ridicule from many fans and observers. The recent deal involving the team’s best scorer, Lamond Murray for Yogi Stewart is also one that appears to not make much sense from the Cavs perspective. Finally, the talented Jumaine Jones for the disappointing Mateen Cleaves was another deal that seemed to move Cleveland backward rather than forward (the trade was since rescinded when Cleaves failed a physical).

I claim that, although the way Paxson is running the team seems ridiculously incompetent to most casual observers, he is actually doing the right thing and taking the correct route to bringing his team back to respectability.

Reason #1:

The Cavs were a losing team with Andre Miller and Lamond Murray, and even worse, they were a boring outfit. As mentioned, nobody was going to their games; clearly something had to be done about this. Despite his faults, Miles is a proven fan-favourite who puts butts in the seats. Likewise, Ricky Davis is an electrifying young talent that showed great skills when given a starring role late in the season. Finally, first-round draft pick DeJuan Wagner is an Allen Iverson-type player, capable of scoring at will; The type of player fans want to see.

The Cavs will lose, and lose a lot this year, that goes without saying. The difference is they will be exciting, they will dunk on people, they will score tons of points (and give up tons as well), but they’ll put on a great show.

Reason #2:

In order for the Cavs to entertain, Wagner, Davis and Miles must be on the floor as much as possible. Because of this, Lamond Murray had to go. Secondly, while Murray is a proven scorer, he had clearly become frustrated with the franchise and with the stockpiling of youngsters at his small-forward position (he requested a trade this summer). His sour attitude had to be removed from the mix so that the young players could enjoy themselves on the court, and so that Cavs fans could be given the message that their players wanted to be in Cleveland.

The Cavs need size and defensive stability more than anything else, and for all his faults Yogi Stewart provides that. He is a proven shot-blocker and rebounder when given quality minutes who, unfortunately, lacks any semblance of an offensive game. Plus his contract comes off the cap a year earlier than Murray’s, another bonus. Additionally, the Cavs received a first round draft pick for a second rounder in the deal.

Reason #3:

Two words: Lebron James. If James is as advertised, he will be a major force and franchise player in the NBA for years to come. Every team in the league is dreaming of landing him, but only the worst teams will have a real shot at him.

James is an Ohio native and has been worked out by Cavs coach John Lucas already. He is seen as the saviour of the franchise. However, Cleveland cannot openly tank the season or else they will face heavy sanctions from the league and very low attendance at their games. The best thing for them to do then is to put an entertaining team on the floor that is capable of competing in, but not winning many games. A squad with Wagner, Davis, and Miles, but also with Milt Palacio or Bimbo Coles starting at point guard and a whole lot of question marks at power forward and centre, is although ripe for less than 20 victories, one that obtains this objective.

Subtract Miller and Murray for Miles and Stewart and you can bet the Cavs take a step back competitively. Still, the high-flying Cavs trio should attract people to the games while at the same time losing enough to keep the team in the hunt for James, thus fulfilling Paxson’s plan.