FORMULA FOR SUCCESS

Cavaliers make up on defense with offense. If this the case, then they must push harder.

Tyronn Lue Was Impressed With Natural Makeup Of Isaiah Thomas Feeling Compelled To Push The Ball.

Through 27 games, the Cleveland Cavaliers have experimented with three different primary facilitators in their starting lineup outside of LeBron James: Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade and Jose Calderon.

But despite manufacturing the third-best offensive rating, the Cavs still haven’t found a suitable floor general who can replicate the production voided by Kyrie Irving’s departure. No surprise. Irving has a rarified skillset, with the binary capabilities to put world-class defenders on skates paired with a unique aptitude to thrive off-ball when needed. To pile on, Cleveland ranks an underwhelming 18th in assist percentage, and the need for another dynamic playmaker alongside LeBron is becoming apparent.

The experimental starting combination of Rose and Wade failed miserably, leaving the Cavs without any catch-and-shoot threats in their backcourt. Rose’s focus level remains turbulent at best, and even if he somehow shows future signs of mental engagement, his abysmal minus-12.6 net rating evidences an overall untrustworthiness about his game. Opposing defenses don’t orbit around the 36-year-old Wade quite like they used to, and he’s stated his preference to remain in a bench scoring role moving forward.

Calderon has started 16 games, but he is mostly a game manager at this stage of his career. Realistically, the journeyman point guard isn’t a viable threat in a theoretical fourth straight Finals matchup with Stephen Curry.

Enter Isaiah Thomas.

The 5’9” point guard is in the final rehabilitation stages stemming from a hip impingement injury that ended his final season with the Boston Celtics. Already playing in 4-on-4 scrimmages,  he’s targeting a New Year’s Day return to the floor. If he accomplishes that goal, he’ll do so just in time for Cleveland’s scheduled contest in Boston on January 3.

Thomas is coming off of his most productive campaign, one in which he was third in the league in scoring (28.9 points per game), fifth in the MVP voting, fifth in usage and second in offensive win shares, per Basketball-Reference. But that didn’t stop Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge from unexpectedly trading the two-time All-Star just weeks before training camp, a decision that will live in basketball folklore for decades to come.

Once Thomas is greenlit to return to the hardwood, he’ll provide a dual-threat scoring and facilitating option that the Cavs have missed since trading Irving. Last year, Thomas shot triples at a 39 percent clip, led the league in drives per game and ranked inside the top 10 in assist percentage among starting point guards. Simply put, Cleveland doesn’t roster another point guard who demands significant attention from opposing defenses like Isaiah does.