By: Kylan Watson
Last night, rumors were circulating that a deal was being reached between the Atlanta Hawks and the Cleveland Cavaliers that would send Kyle Korver to the Cavaliers. Korver is a great shooter and swing man, but he does not help the Cavs in the areas that they need the most help in.
The Cavaliers currently are ranked second in the league in three pointers. Korver can help the Cavaliers improve in three point shooting and he gives them much needed bench depth. However, the Cavaliers still are in need of a veteran point guard to help run Coach Tyronn Lue’s offense. The Cavs are also in need of a player who can really play defense as well, to help LeBron James and company on the defensive side as well. Korver is not known for his defense.
Korver also gives the Cavs a reliable offensive threat, currently Korver is averaging 9.5 points per game, averages 2.3 assists per game, and grabs at least 2.8 rebounds per game. Korver will benefit from the wide open shots he will get by being a teammate of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. Korver already benefitted from having Dennis Schroder as a teammate, but the space he opens up, does not compare to the space LeBron James opens up for a shooter like Korver.
The Cavaliers probably needed to make this trade happen, due to missing injured guard J. R. Smith who is out for a couple months while he deals with a broken thumb, on his right hand. Korver definitely is an upgrade at the shooting guard position. Korver is by no means a defensive liability, but he is not known for defense, he will not help the Cavs shutdown the really great shooting guards they will have to face in the Eastern and Western Conference Playoffs.
The addition of Korver definitely helps the Cavs improve on the offensive side of the ball and adds some much needed depth at the guard position, but the acquisition does not help the Cavaliers on the defensive side of the ball. This deal certainly improves the Cavaliers chances of repeating though, but it does not cover the glaring weaknesses the Cavs have as a team.
