Cavaliers Need to Find More Help for LeBron James
May 19, 2008
The Cleveland Cavaliers had better find some help for LeBron James. And they better find it fast.
James delivered his latest superhuman effort in Sunday's Game Seven against the Boston Celtics, scoring 45 points and nearly carrying the Cavaliers to an Eastern Conference finals re-match with the Detroit Pistons.
But with virtually no support from his pedestrian team-mates, James came up short in the final moments of Cleveland 's 97-92 loss.
It marks the third consecutive post-season that Cleveland have ultimately been exposed as a one-man show. And if Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry does not seriously upgrade his superstar's supporting cast, James might eventually take his high-flying act elsewhere.
"We need to continue to get better, we know that," said James, who averaged 26.7 points during the series. "If that means some personnel changes that need to happen, then so be it."
Although he did not explicitly state his top wish, James essentially threw down the gauntlet to Ferry, who has repeatedly failed to build a competent group around the 23-year-old swingman.
Prior to the 2005-06 season, Ferry doled out a total of just under $140 million for Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Donyell Marshall and Larry Hughes.
Less than three years later, Ilgauskas proved almost useless against the Celtics, who limited the plodding centre to a total of just 42 points over the series' final five games.
At least Ilgauskas, who shot a sizzling 29% (10-of-34) in the final four games, contributed more to the Cavs' cause than Marshall and Hughes, both of whom were dealt away in Ferry's latest rebuilding disaster.
After being outclassed in last year's NBA Finals and getting off to a slow start this season, Cleveland made waves at the trade deadline when Ferry shipped out the injury-prone Marshall, the underachieving Hughes and the limited Drew Gooden in a three-team deal.
