David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Things are looking up for the Cleveland Cavaliers going into the offseason. It could not have started out any better, with the team obtaining the number one overall pick in this year’s 2013 NBA Draft – thanks in part by some luck from owner Dan Gilbert’s son representing the club at the Draft Lottery.
Gilbert and the front office are going to have a couple of decisions to make, like the majority of teams around the league, starting with the Draft. With the first overall pick, it’s almost a lock that the Cavs will select Nerlens Noel out of Kentucky, though he won’t wind up playing until late in the year.
While Noel will not help in one department the Cavs need help in – three point shooting – he will surely make everyone else’s job much easier as he locks down the paint for years to come.
Daniel Gibson is a free agent starting July 1st and Cleveland must make a decision on whether or not to bring him back. As a team, the Cavs shot a measly 34 percent from beyond the arc last season. Gibson didn’t help the cause as that’s right around where he shot it as well.
He is a role player at best at this point, only getting about 20 minutes a game last season. Gibson only put up a little over five shots per game last year with over half of them being from three point range. With no true scoring ability beyond the times he gets hot from outside, Gibson should not be considered to be a high priority as far as re-signing him goes.
There will be plenty of free agents to look at this summer, many of whom would give Cleveland the same type of production – not that they would prefer similar numbers – at a lower price than Gibson has been paid over his recent contract.
Ryan Heckman is a Senior NBA writer for www.RantSports.com also contributing to the NFL. Follow him on Twitter, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.
