After spending most of his career as a No. 1 option, Deron Williams has taken a reduced role on the Cavaliers. It’s been an adjustment, but one that he’s willing to take on because of his teammates, as Fred Kerber of the New York Post passes along.
“You’re playing with the best player in the world, arguably the best point guard in the game [Kyrie Irving],” Williams said. “Superstars. It’s a team that was already established. They won it last year, so for me it was an adjustment. It was an adjustment coming over here [after being waived by the Mavericks in February] and learning to play where I did not have the ball in my hands for the whole game, didn’t know if I was going to play 20 minutes or 10 or 15. But after settling in and knowing what they need, it’s become easier.”
Here’s more from Cleveland as the franchise looks to repeat:
- Most people within the Cavaliers‘ organization feel that GM David Griffin will return to the team next season, Sam Amico of Amico Hoops writes. Milwaukee has interest in adding Griffin to the same role, but Cleveland won’t allow him to interview until its season is over.
- Irving knows LeBron James will be the clear leader of the Cavaliers while LBJ remains in his prime and he’s willing to wait for his turn to take over the team, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com relays. “Whenever that time comes and it’s my time to be the leader of the franchise, then I’ll be well-prepared. But for now, I’m cool with just being — I’m very, very cool with being — a great guy on a great team,” the point guard said.
- James and Irving have a special bond and James believes the two of them will never end up like Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal—players who squabbled over roles and egos—McMenamin adds in the same piece. “He’s 25. He’s got at least 10 more years. I don’t. So I want to give him the blueprint and see what he [can] do with it,” James said. “You know, no matter if we’re teammates for the rest of his career or for the rest of my career, listen, it won’t be because we didn’t want to play with each other no more. It will never be that.”
- Five of the players on the Cavaliers‘ roster were acquired via trade, The Vertical’s Bobby Marks notes in a piece that examines how each player came to the organization. Kevin Love, Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith, Channing Frye and Kyle Korver all arrived in Cleveland in deals from other teams.
The Cavs need to give up TT, iman shumpert and wtv draft picks they have for melo because this warriors team is to stacked. This is the first time I have ever seen Lebron outmatched.
LBJ should’ve been playing less regular season mins the past 2 years. He better cut em down next year. Or it’s already over.
The bench and love played so terrible yesterday
Everyone did. Even LBJ (terrible relative to his self anyway). If they can’t cut down on turnovers and defend better they are hopeless.
They have the bigger and more athletic team, no real excuse for being out-rebounded by an army of tiny men and Kevin Durant.
James is absolut Boring .
James Never win a ring with Deep help from other stars like Ray Allen Chris bosh wade irving or Anthony else. The last ten years the east is so Bad … when James play in the west he had eventually one or two max. Finals !!!!!!